Country & Town House - March 2020

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

DESERT STORM Style up for summer

MARCH 2020 £3.90

GREEN & WILD

Is Bill Bensley the hotel industry’s eco saviour?

HOT TRAVEL TRENDS 2020 THE HAPPINESS INDEX

Why Bhutan works for its residents

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RICH LIST 50 luxury holidays that will enrich your life Out now Order your free book now carrier.co.uk/richlist

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CONTENTS M A RCH 2020

COLUMNS 20 22

THE RURBANIST Rosalind Eleazar THE GOOD LIFE Alice B-B learns to embrace change

27

RED ALERT Alexander McQueen gets all ruffled up THE EDIT Mariella Tandy hits refresh JET SET STYLE What to pack THE MAGPIE Up close and personal with Cartier’s iconic Panthère MY STYLE Daisy Knatchbull on the power of a great suit FESTIVAL FEVER How to do the Cheltenham Festival in style LUCIA LOVES Artisanal designs direct from India BODY LANGUAGE Olivia Falcon gets an H2O hit BRIGHT YOUNG THING Emma actor Amber Anderson opens her make-up bag UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN Inside the Italian home of Seed to Skin BODY & SOUL How to travel better PRESS RESET Rethink your routine WELL GROOMED Men’s style news

UP FRONT 28 30 32 34 35 36 38 40

42 44 48 52

THE GUIDE 57 58 60 61 64 65 66 68 70

THE GUIDE The art of the self-portrait EVENTS For both town and country THE EXHIBITIONIST It’s handbags at dawn at the V&A this month ARTIST’S STUDIO Rob and Nick Carter combine art and robotics GOOD READS The latest thrillers THE OLYMPIAN It’s a dog’s life for Sebastian Coe SEEDER’S DIGEST Delightful dahlias ROAD TEST The Jaguar I-Pace CONVERSATIONS AT SCARFES BAR Matthew Bell meets the multitasking Lady Katherine Colquhoun

FEATURES

74

74 82

MERCURY RISING Turn up the heat in your wardrobe ON LOCATION Behind the scenes at Jumeirah Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi

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CONTENTS M A RCH 2020

FEATURES 85 90

95 99

ON THE HORIZON 2020’s travel trends WILD AT HEART Emma Love meets Bill Bensley, the hotel designer changing the sustainability landscape FOOTPRINTS IN THE SKY Peter Hughes explores plane-free travel THE GRAPE ESCAPE Wine tasting just got even better, finds Alice Lascelles

INSIDER 103 104 106 107 108

PAPER PLAY Redefining wallpaper DESIGN NOTES Your interiors update TREND Get the jungle look FOCUS Heart of stone A BLANK CANVAS Inside Francis Sultana’s art-filled Georgian flat

111

LESSONS IN ZEN Discovering carbon-negative karma in Bhutan UPGRADE YOUR CITY BREAK Six seriously luxe European hotels WEEKENDER The Atlas Mountains GASTRO GOSSIP Breakfast at Tiffany’s LET THEM EAT CAKE Pineapple upside-down cake gets a Sotheby’s twist GRANTLEY HALL Anastasia Bernhardt eats her way down memory lane

FOOD & TRAVEL 114 118 120 121 122

ON THE MOVE 125 PROPERTY OF THE MONTH 126 LET’S MOVE TO Greece 128 FIVE OF THE BEST Homes abroad

REGULARS 12 14 124 160

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EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS STOCKISTS LAST WORD

ON THE COVER Model wears dress by Roland Mouret, sandals

by Longchamp, and necklace by Sam Ubhi.

Earrings, ring and necklace by Pebble London. Photographer: Daniel Graham Hack at Adrenalin Photographic.

Fashion Director: Nicole Smallwood. Hair and make-up: Lucy Gibson at Frank Agency using Kiehl’s and Sachajuan

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westleyrichards.com/bournbrook

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The Bournbrook Travel Bag Collection.

Handcrafted alongside our prized best guns and rifles.

Lucy and her children enjoying the wilds of Wales in January

EDITOR’S PICKS

EDITOR’S LETTER

74

I

had one of my best family holidays ever recently. And it didn’t involve getting on a plane. It did involve a tiny two-up, two-down, 16th-century cottage carved into a Welsh hillside with no central heating and enough hot water to run one bath (daily). Each morning, we would plan a peak to summit (Pen y Fan being the highest) or a trail to follow. We’d return – husband, dog and two children (six and nine), happily tired and suitably muddy – to our cottage before it got too dark to find (we had to park our car 500m up a hillside to avoid it being stuck) to share the bath, toast Welsh cakes and sip tea, before playing games in front of the fire and rediscovering a love of Fawlty Towers (Manuel had my six year old in stitches). I felt most decidedly happy and I put this down to being outside in nature, walking for hours in some of the most wondrous countryside

WEAR The ideal travel dress made with upcycled silk and local materials from My Perfect Gypsy

and having uninterrupted time with my family. This anecdote is a rather circuitous, but pertinent, route to introducing you to this year’s travel issue, whose lead feature is Peter Hughes’ holidaying without getting on a plane (p95).

WATCH We don’t need to mention the obvious David requirement to re-evaluate the way we travel Attenborough’s A Life on and spend our leisure time – it’s buzzing Our Planet all around us, or raging in the case of premieres on Netflix on Australia. Nor are we here to preach 16 April – after all, travel, discovery and adventure are intrinsic to us and it SPRITZ would stunt us should it ever be denied, A healthy glow without the sun but change needs to be happen and fast. with Amanda The joy of my Welsh break proves that the Harrington’s amazing ingredients of a holiday don’t always necessitate bronzing a flight. The rise in UK staycations, train travel face mist or offsetting schemes are proof enough, but if you do want to get away, there are places where your footprint can make less of an impact: take Bhutan, it’s the world’s only carbon-negative country. How? By policy making based on Gross National Happiness not Gross Domestic Product, with environmental protection at its core. Oh, what a lot we could learn (p111).

US hotel designer and ‘starchitect’, Bill Bensley, also puts environmentalism and low carbon impact at the READ heart of each and every one of his projects, without As history repeats sacrificing the comfort and experience of the best itself, Anna hospitality in the world. Whether it’s zip-lining into Shinta Pasternak’s book has never been more Mani Wild, deep in the Cambodian rainforest, or cosying pertinent up in a treehouse at the Rosewood in Luang Prabang, Laos, Bensley’s hotels stand out for their commitment @countryandtown to sustainability, no green/countryandtownhousemagazine /countryandtownhouse washing guaranteed (p90).

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Laura

BY APPOINTMENT TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON

MADE IN ENGLAND | SINCE 1879

Our Horsebit Loafer made in England using the finest calf suede Featuring a chunky, lightweight rubber sole Women’s Collection

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CONTRIBUTORS

ALICE LASCELLES

Most memorable holiday? It’s a tossup between my first visit to India, many years ago, and Cuba in 2013. Both were thrillingly different and exuberant.

Where keeps drawing you back?

The Greek islands.

Only anaesthesia is more relaxing: the sea is pellucid goose down and the only decisions are between tavernas.

What’s on your list for 2020? Central Asia. It’s a part of the world I have hardly seen.

What can’t you leave home without? A champagne bottle stopper. It’s such a waste if you lose the fizz.

PETER HUGHES

Most memorable holiday? Our honeymoon in Paxos – olive groves thick with fireflies and heavy with the scent of orange and lemon blossom.

Where keeps drawing you back?

The Lake District.

We have a house there that’s been in the family for three generations.

What’s on your list for 2020?

Mountains! We’ll be spending our summer holiday in the Alps. I’m also determined to get back to Japan.

What can’t you leave home without? My running shoes. It’s a wonderful way to explore (and it’s a great cure for jet lag, too).

EMMA LOVE

Most memorable holiday? There have been so many, but I recently did a trip to Namibia and the vastness of the desert landscape and sand dunes there were incredible.

Where keeps drawing you back? It’s always lovely to visit cities like Paris or New York again.

What’s on your list for 2020? I would love to do a long weekend break in Tel Aviv – the restaurant scene seems especially buzzing – and also spend some time over the summer island hopping around Greece.

What can’t you leave home without? A book. No plane, train or boat journey is complete without something gripping to read.

CAMILLA HEWITT

Most memorable holiday? Schloss Elmau in the summer.

Mountain biking, morning yoga, skinny dipping in the streams and the most breathtaking spa.

Where keeps drawing you back? Morocco.

From surfing on the coast to exploring the souks, it always feels like an adventure.

What’s on your list for 2020? Sailing.

I just love the love the idea of dropping an anchor in a secluded bay and swimming or sleeping under the stars.

What can’t you leave home without? My trainers. It’s the perfect way to see a new place and stay in shape for your holiday.

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× Bill Amberg

savoirbeds.com

London

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Paris

New York

Düsseldorf

Moscow

Berlin

Shanghai

Hong Kong

Seoul

Taipei

Singapore

29-11-19 10:19 15/01/2020 14:02

LUCY CLELAND EDITOR

EDITOR-AT-LARGE ALICE B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR CHARLOTTE METCALF MANAGING EDITOR AMY WAKEHAM SUB EDITOR BELINDA BAMBER FEATURES ASSISTANT & SUB EDITOR SOFIA TINDALL FASHION DIRECTOR NICOLE SMALLWOOD BEAUTY DIRECTOR NATHALIE ELENI FASHION EDITOR LUCY BOND LUXURY EDITOR LUCIA VAN DER POST INTERIORS EDITOR CAROLE ANNETT EXECUTIVE RETAIL EDITOR MARIELLA TANDY PROPERTY EDITOR ANNA TYZACK MOTORING EDITOR JEREMY TAYLOR ONLINE EDITOR REBECCA COX ONLINE WRITER ELLIE SMITH ONLINE ASSISTANT DANIELLA SAUNDERS ONLINE INTERN DINA NAGAPETYANTS CREATIVE & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR PARM BHAMRA PRODUCTION DESIGNER SAMUEL THOMAS ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR ELLIE RIX ACCOUNT MANAGERS SHANNA WHALEY AND BIANCA MARANEY DIGITAL MANAGER ADAM DEAN TECHNICAL MANAGER HANNAH JOHNSON TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARK PEARSON DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY WIL HARRIS FINANCE CONTROLLER LAUREN HARTLEY SALES & OFFICE MANAGER DAISY ORR-EWING FINANCE DIRECTOR JILL NEWEY PROPERTY & MARKETING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR GEMMA COWLEY GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR TIA GRAHAM MANAGING DIRECTOR JEREMY ISAAC CONTRIBUTING EDITORS STEPHEN BAYLEY, SIMON DE BURTON, FIONA DUNCAN, OLIVIA FALCON, DAISY FINER, LYDIA GARD, AVRIL GROOM, RICHARD HOPTON, EMMA LOVE, MARY LUSSIANA, ANNA PASTERNAK, CAROLINE PHILLIPS, HOLLY RUBENSTEIN, MARCUS SCRIVEN THE EDITOR EDITORIAL@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK FASHION FASHION@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK ADVERTISING ADVERTISING@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK PROPERTY ADVERTISING PROPERTY@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE@COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK

COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE is a monthly magazine distributed to AB homes in Barnes, Battersea, Bayswater, Belgravia, Brook Green, Chelsea, Chiswick, Clapham, Coombe, Fulham, Holland Park, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Marylebone, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Pimlico, South Kensington, Wandsworth and Wimbledon, as well as being available from leading country and London estate agents. It is also on sale at selected WHSmith, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s stores and independent newsagents nationwide. It has an estimated readership of 150,000. It is available on subscription in the UK for £29.99 per annum. To subscribe online, iPad, iPhone and android all for only £24.99 visit: exacteditions.com/read/ countrytownhouse. For subscription enquiries, please call 020 7384 9011 or email subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk. It is published by Country & Town House Ltd, Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL (tel: 020 7384 9011). Registered number 576850 England and Wales. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons and Sons Ltd, West Midlands. Paper supplied by Gerald Judd. Distribution by Letterbox.

Copyright © 2020 Country & Town House Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Materials are accepted on the understanding that no liability is incurred for safe custody. The publisher cannot be responsible for unsolicited material.

All prices are correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change. Whilst every care is taken to ensure information is correct at time of going to press, it is subject to change, and C&TH Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors.

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INTERVIEW

THE RURBANIST

Actor Rosalind Eleazar dances in Dalston and loses herself in the chocolate aisle What item in your wardrobe do you wear the most?

A big black polo neck jumper – it’s so cosy.

Last book you read? Normal People by Sally Rooney, so simple and incredibly human.

Most valuable piece of advice you have received?

‘Emancipate yourself from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds,’ Marcus Garvey. I would have loved to have met him and received it personally.

What was the last song you listened to that made you dance? Vul’indlela by Brenda Fassie. It was playing at my

hairdresser and literally everyone got up and danced.

What’s your favourite game to play and why?

Backgammon, the strategies that people use can be very telling of their personalities and how they go about their life.

What are Saturday afternoons made for? The chocolate aisle in Tesco Express below my flat.

What would really improve your life? If West Ham could win more often I would have a boyfriend in a much better mood at weekends!

Signature dish and who are you cooking it for?

My grandma’s Greek chicken and lemon potato dish.

As I never got a chance to cook it for her, she would be the one I would most like to share it with.

Where was the last place you ‘discovered’?

Berghain in Berlin. A night, a day, and then another night that I will never forget. n

and Ghana. The moment the plane touches down in any of them, it feels like home.

Where do you go to lose yourself? The chocolate aisle in Tesco Express below my flat.

Daily ritual? Twisting my hair at night with coconut oil.

Secret place for a good night out? The Bootstrap rooftop parties in Dalston are always guaranteed to make me bust a move.

Best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?

‘You seem sad. Talk to me.’ I then told this man everything that was going on in my life at the time and we drove around for an extra 30 minutes and he didn’t charge me for the fare. Cheaper than a therapist.

What never fails to bring a smile to your face? Sarcasm. Apparently it’s the lowest

form of wit – to me, it’s the highest form.

FROM ABOVE: Rosalind Eleazar, currently starring in Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre; the insightful properties of backgammon; award-winning 2018 bestseller Normal People, by Sally Rooney (Faber & Faber, £14.99); Ghana’s picturesque Butre beach

PHOTOS: © SIMON ANNAND; GETTY IMAGES

Rosalind is appearing in Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 2 May. unclevanyaplay.com

Where’s home for you? London, Greece

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COLUMN

(an important book on how to live and learn through great loss), helped us with a road map on our bumpy journey into the unknown. And when we decided we’d had enough, when it was time to swerve off the fertility treadmill and u-turn back to focusing on our love for each other and our flourishing lives, Julia was there with a suggestion for which I’ll thank her forever: ‘Write yourself a letter, telling yourself that you did everything in your power to come to this decision’. That letter was a way of honouring all the time and tears involved in our effort to have a child, and eternal proof of how seriously we’d taken our eventual choice to not have children.

It future-proofed me from potential regret Alice B-B on the power or blame. So when of accepting change later this month Julia releases her new book, This Too Shall Pass, T’S BAD NEWS, I’M AFRAID.’ about change, crisis and hopeful And just like that, my sunshiney beginnings, I’ll be first in line at day was plunged into darkness. the bookshop. As Julia explains: Eyes open, but not seeing. A weird ‘Those who don’t change have less voice, higher pitched and somehow chance of success, joy or thriving.’ asking all the sensible questions.

Julia is a sage; put this book on your Ten years ago that call from my reading list, hand it to friends who are gynaecologist changed the course of struggling, leave it lying around for my life. Turns out my darling Mr Love family members. (yes, that’s his real name) had mumps LIGHT BULBS. I don’t mean post-puberty, which basically turned eureka moments, but actual bulbs the sperm tap off. The traditional way and the actual bloody light from new of having a family wasn’t to be. So we LED lights. Firstly, hurray for the launched into making a different kind legislation banning wasteful lighting of family, bouncing like pinballs from (lighting consumes 18 per cent of the doctor to doctor; at times painful, UK’s electricity), but why the ugly cold angry-making, but often filled with fits light from the new sustainable LED of giggles or teary collapsing in each bulbs? After conducting my research other’s arms. I got pregnant twice with (basically asking the beautifully-lit a sperm donor, but the tiny lives never Soho House gang what they use to made it past nine weeks. Support from make everyone look so glamorous), friends and family was incredible – on I have news. It’s a company called the whole. Some people are weird. But Tala (tala.co.uk) and they’re good (and one woman’s understanding, warmth and professional advice was invaluable: stocked at Oka, Heal’s, The Conran Shop and Soho Home). Let there be – Julia Samuel, grief psychotherapist really good, golden – light. n and bestselling author of Grief Works

THE GOOD LIFE

THIS MONTH I’LL BE

1

Nose deep in travel writer Sophy Roberts’ book, The Lost Pianos of Siberia.

Doubleday, £18.99

2

Trying a new girls’ night out: facials and yoga at the Haybarn Spa. bamford.com

3

Travelling with Larq, a bottle that self-cleans with UV light. livelarq.com

3

‘I

LU XU RY & N ECESSIT Y BRIGHTEN ROCKS Delicious and Danish. brogger.co

SHARE THE LOVE Recycled notebooks. thekindness co-op.com

DITCH THE PLASTIC Shampoo bar. christopherobin.com

A LIFE CHANGER FOR LIFE’S CHANGES This Too Shall Pass. juliasamuel.co.uk

BOTTOMS UP Murano glasses. campbell-rey.com

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EDIT ED BY M A R I E L L A TA N DY

STYLE BEAUTY JEWELLERY PA RT I E S

UP FRONT RED ALERT Endangered flowers inspired Alexander McQueen’s prespring collection. Tiered ruffled dresses in radiant contrasting shades, along with the house’s signature tailoring form the backbone of this collection. Flourishes such as peplums and asymmetrical draping lend an air of romantic femininity to the pieces. alexandermcqueen.com

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UP FRONT

3

PACK LIGHT

Unique designs and beautiful fabrics form the backbone of Zeus + Dione’s summer collection. This Hera dress is perfect for travelling. £665. zeusndione.com

The

EDIT The best bits to hit our radar this month. By Mariella Tandy

CHECK IT

1

Michael Kors Collection makes the pieces you reach for repeatedly. Impeccable tailoring and beautiful fabrics ensure these are wardrobe investments you’ll never tire of. Skort, £350; blazer, £1,350. michaelkors.co.uk

2

DIRTY WORK

Soapsmith’s handmade luxury soaps, bath and body products are made in and inspired by London, with each scent designed to reflect the character of the city’s most famous areas. Marble Arch hand and body wash, £16. soapsmith.com

A N E W CH EEK EMBRACE THE NEW SEASON WITH AN EXPERT FACIAL NATALIYA ROBINSON Nataliya’s signature facials are entirely bespoke. Expect a detailed analysis of your skin followed by serious manual techniques. Also, be sure to try her famed cleansing balm. £65. nataliyarobinson.co.uk

HELENA RUBINSTEIN AT HARRODS The world-renowned skincare brand comes to Harrods’s new beauty hall later this year. harrods.com

LINDA MEREDITH AT THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL For some serious skin detox, Linda Meredith’s algae facial at the Mandarin Oriental hotel is hard to beat. The treatment refines, purifies and minimises blemishes. £170. mandarinoriental.com

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4

LUGGAGE

FLY AWAY WITH ME

MONOGRAM MANIA

Super stylists Charlotte Stockdale and Katie Lyall make the most mundane objects fun, offering a huge range of phone cases, charms and stickers. Luggage tag, £150. shop.chaos.club

ANTLER Clifton cabin case, £164. antler.co.uk

SAFARI CHIC

OOKONN Circular cabin suitcase, £265. matches fashion.com

GLOBE-TROTTER Chelsea Garden suitcase, £1,920. globe-trotter.com

ALL IN HAND

Troy London’s Tracker jacket in olive is the ultimate throwon lightweight piece made from cotton drill fabric.

Layer under a coat or team with a cosy knit and jeans. £275. troylondon.com

5 6

BUTTON UP

Your search for the perfect shirt is over. With Nothing Underneath’s styles come in a variety of hues, fabrics and finishes.

Shirt, £110. withnothingunderneath.com

7

The Fonteyn Mignon handbag is the ideal spring bag. Thanks to the mini size, it can be used as a clutch or during the day with the detachable shoulder strap. £550. lalagebeaumont.com

8

SWEET DREAMS

Try this Lavender and Musk pillow mist from Jo Malone London’s new limited-edition Lavenderland collection as a restful sleep aid. £25 for 45ml. jomalone.com March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 29

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UP FRONT

HEIDI KLEIN Andalucia bikini top, £115; bottoms, £95

Marysia Imperialis dress, £400

DIOR La Mini D de Dior Mosaïque, £3,100

BLACK EYEWEAR Nina sunglasses, £177 DE LA VALI Minnesota dress, £340

S T Y L E

JET SET STYLE

Go for bold prints and vibrant hues, says Mariella Tandy This season’s resort collections have sunshine written all over them. Fill your suitcase with saturated colours, breezy silhouettes and craftwork detailing – holiday dressing has never been so simple.

HERMÉS Trim 31 Anate bag, £5,050

ADRIANA DEGREAS Linen top and shorts, both £370

CITIZENS OF HUMANITY Shay jumpsuit, £560

GÜL HÜRGEL Linen dress, £830

VANDA JACINTHO Necklace, £500

ANCIENT GREEK SANDALS x LE SIRENUSE Stephanie Onda sandals, £210

VILBREQUIN Fiona Valentine’s Day shorts, £155

CASA RAKI Maggie swimsuit, £180 KILOMETRE PARIS Bag, £478

STOCKISTS: PAGE 124

BAMFORD Jubilee top, £275

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UP FRONT FIVE OF THE BEST...

JEWELLERY

MODERN AMULETS

THE MAGPIE

F

or over a century, bold women have been drawn to the magnetism of the iconic Panthère de Cartier. Originally introduced in 1914, the first iteration of the Panthère pattern was used on a wristwatch decorated with black onyx and white diamonds.

It was the renowned innovator and creative Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s director of fine jewellery, who unleashed the creature’s potential in the 1930s.

Toussaint was recognised in Parisian society for her trailblazing attitude, daring ‘Toussaint taste’ (think cowboy boots and red Chinese silk pyjamas) and was affectionately known as ‘The Panther’.

In 1948 The Duke of Windsor commissioned the house to create the first three-dimensional panther brooch, perched atop a 116.74-carat emerald for the Duchess of Windsor.

The following year, the Duchess

of Windsor commissioned another panther-themed brooch. This had a three-dimensional panther with pavé diamond fur and sapphire spots, sitting above an enormous 152.35carat sapphire cabochon.

The following decades saw celebrities and socialites such as Princess Nina Aga Khan, Elizabeth Taylor and Barbara Hutton commission their own magnificent panther jewels and the collection cemented itself in the history books as statement jewellery that showed femininity, strength and power. It struck a chord with female rebels across the globe.

This year, Cartier is launching several additional pieces to the collection including bracelets, stackable rings and watches, ushering in a new era for those who love the appeal of the most dangerous creature in the Cartier menagerie. As the new pieces are added to the collection the designers continue Toussaint’s early work, and while the new panthers belong to the present day FROM ABOVE: Cartier they build on the rich history Panthère bracelets and of the house, and the iconic watch; the Panthère has women who are drawn to been a design icon for over 100 years; the Duchess these beautiful creatures. of Windsor wearing the brooch given to her by the Duke; her own commission

cartier.com n

1 Van Robots Gold and gemstone robot, from £2,750. van-ora.co 2 Diane Kordas Amulet necklace, £3,770. matchesfashion.com 3 Rosa De La Cruz Diamond and 14ct gold mushroom pendant, £2,780. rosadelacruz.com 4 Tabayer Emerald and diamond eye earrings, POA. tabayer.com

PHOTOS: © CARTIER; © ROBERT DOISNEAU / RAPHO

Mariella Tandy delves into the history of a jewellery icon

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UP FRONT

Q & A

MY STYLE

Daisy Knatchbull, founder of women’s tailors The Deck, on the power of a great suit

we will be celebrating with a party at our Lower Sloane Street store. I will also be looking forward to some of my favourite spring events in May including Glyndebourne, Cartier Queen’s Cup final and the Chelsea Flower Show.

What do you find stressful about event dressing? I am lucky that, since becoming a

complete tailoring convert, I’ve lost the stress that I used to feel around event dressing. The beauty of a tailored suit is that it becomes a fail-safe.

Wardrobe failsafes? A good silk shirt from Asceno, cigarette trousers, a polo neck from Uniqlo and trainers – Converse Chuck Taylor or Veja.

What’s your everyday uniform? A three-piece pinstripe suit with trainers if I could. But always a suit. In the winter I live in polo necks.

Whose style do you really admire? So many people, from Bianca Jagger and Katharine Hepburn to Phoebe Philo (left), Jane Birkin and Ralph Lauren, my grandmothers and the wonderful Lauren Hutton.

Power dressing: A suit made for you. Nothing is more

empowering than the feeling of putting something on that fits you like a glove.

Summer holiday essentials: SPF! I am never without La Roche-Posay Anthelios Factor 50, a Hunza G bikini and my Riley Studio cap.

Finishing touches: I am always wearing one of my grandmother’s amazing bags from the 1950s.

Lounge lizard: A good pair of Levi’s, a white T-shirt, Converse and an oversized blazer.

Country walk? A cosy sweater from Jumper 1234 with a fun pair of tweed trousers.

Under the radar labels? Riley Studio, With Nothing Underneath, London Velvet, Coco & Kinney, Troy London.

Trend you’ll be embracing this month?

Waistcoats are back and so sexy with matching tailored pants.

Style cheats: You’ll be happier, less stressed and save so much time when you invest in a good capsule wardrobe that will last. thedecklondon.com n

1 The Deck London 2 Asceno Silk shirt, £235 3 Riley Studio Created From Waste T-shirt, £45 4 Veja Campo sneakers, £105 5 Manolo Blahnik Decebalo pump, £725 6 Hunza G Gigi bikini, £135 7 Troy London Suede tracker jacket, £850 8 London Velvet Temple rucksack, £495 9 Coco & Kinney Molly Mae ring, £95 10 Levi’s Baloon leg jeans, £95 11 Jumper 1234 Cashmere jumper, £190

PHOTO: © CHARLIE TAYLOR; REX FEATURES

What event will you be dressing up for this month? It’s a year since I launched The Deck and

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S T Y L E

FESTIVAL FEVER Eleanor Doughty gets ready for the start of the season at the Cheltenham Festival

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hat do you get if you cross a charming Georgian spa town with the country’s best-known racing crowd, and throw in a dash of glamour? The Cheltenham Festival, that’s what. It’s Cheltenham time, so get your glad rags on. This year model Frankie Herbert, daughter of racing legend and founder of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing the Hon. Harry Herbert and granddaughter of the 7th Earl of Carnarvon, the Queen’s late racing manager, has been named fashion ambassador for Cheltenham 2020, working with The Jockey Club.

The 24-year-old has walked catwalks for Richard Quinn and Dolce & Gabbana, but this is a first. ‘I have grown up with horse racing so being able to mix it with my modelling career is a dream come true,’ she says.

She isn’t the only one looking forward to it. There’s plenty more to do at Cheltenham than just watch the racing – and you can look stylish while doing it.

In between races check out The Orchard,

Frankie Herbert, daughter of racing legend and founder of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, the Hon. Harry Herbert, is The Cheltenham Festival’s new fashion ambassador

where Bentley, Boodles, Nyetimber and Parfum de Marly offer something for every kind of race-goer. And there’s always time for some people watching – though adjust your expectations, for this is Gloucestershire, so it’s the country set you’re likely to see, with a handful of household names thrown in. Think Vestey, Brooks and the rest of the racing gang – as well as a splash of the Royal Family: Zara Tindall is on the racecourse committee, and her mother the Princess Royal is often spotted at the Festival.

WHAT TO WEAR

Don’t worry too much about the dress code – it’s March, it’ll probably be cold, and this isn’t Ascot.

Tweed is your friend – hats, brogues, jackets, coats, knickers, the lot. Visit Really Wild – there’s still time to dash to their Sloane Square shop – Fairfax and Favor, Holland Cooper and William and Son for the brightest ideas. If you do want to dress up, actual fancy dress isn’t off the table, and Ladies Day is Wednesday 11 March, where hats are encouraged but not essential. It’s suits for gentlemen, but all should consider the ground, in case of inclement weather, for most of the parking is on grass. And don’t forget an umbrella.

10-13 March 2020. Tickets from £39.

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UP FRONT

LIFE’S LIT TLE LU XURIES

L U X U R Y

LUCIA LOVES

Lucia van der Post discovers an artisanal Indian gem

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arana is one of those sophisticated, understated brands whose backstory is a considerable part of its charm.

It was founded by Sujata Keshavan (right), a highly successful businesswoman from Bangalore who decided she wanted to celebrate and preserve some of India’s wonderfully rich textile traditions, many of which are in danger of dying out. She called her brand Varana because she was originally inspired to start it while visiting the holy city of Varanasi and being enchanted by the hundreds of tiny lights set afloat on the Ganges.

But while she was motivated by a desire to revive the many traditional crafts that are still to be found all over India, she also wanted the final product to be appreciated and worn by highly sophisticated customers.

And in order to compete for the purse strings of these customers she knew that artisanal skills alone were not enough – they needed to be harnessed to contemporary

silhouettes so the garments could confidently strut down Bond Street, Madison Avenue or Tokyo’s Ginza district.

So, what one finds in her charming little shop on London’s Dover Street, is a collection of beautifully designed clothing, with that winning combination of craftsmanship and cutting-edge design. You might find a shirt finished with ancient embroidery techniques, a silk dress made from an eye-catching print, or beautiful cashmere shawls and sweaters woven by experts in the Himalayas.

By keeping these skills alive Keshavan is giving work to several small communities that might otherwise wither away.

Altogether, Varana is a brand that offers an aesthetic and a hand-writing all of its own – there’s simply nothing else like it on the planet. varanaworld.com n

A NEW LIFE French furniture company Ligne Roset has just launched All The Way, a rug collection made entirely from recycled materials from the Portuguese garment industry. The colourful rugs are made using a traditional weaving technique.

Runner, £867. ligne-roset.com

WHITE OUT The perfect white shirt is an elusive thing. But White and White is a new company that does nothing but white T-shirts, shirts and jumpers, so you should find the style of your dreams.

Megan shirt, £295. whiteandwhite. co.uk

ARM ART The most delightful handbag I’ve come across in a long time is this one, designed by the artist Frank Gallagher for Connolly. To shape the Pod bag Gallagher used soft cabretta leather as if it were origami paper, so that the curving pieces appear to overlap each other like waves. Large, £1,500. connollyengland.com

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UP FRONT

MIND & M ATT ER

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SOMETHING IN THE WATER

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BRUSH A move on from mint, this blackberryflavour whitening toothpaste will wake up your taste buds and brighten up your bathroom shelf. £13.95. curaprox. co.uk

Olivia Falcon discovers water-based wonder therapy at Dr Michael Prager’s new salon

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eauchamp Place hasn’t really been on my radar since the early 1990s, when I used to eat buckets of bagna cauda and gossip with Mara, the charming proprietor of San Lorenzo, Princess Diana’s favourite Italian trattoria. But I suspect I’ll be visiting this London street much more regularly now Dr Michael Prager, one of London’s most respected cosmetic doctors, has opened a new centre offering intriguing new treatments that focus as much on health as they do beauty.

On my first visit I skip the injectables for which Dr Prager is so famous and head straight for his new Express H2 Hydration Infusion Facial. This involves a deep pore cleansing ritual for brighter, cleaner and more youthful skin, plus an inhalation treatment for an internal detox.

Dr Prager tells me there is a growing body of evidence showing the benefits of either inhaling or drinking hydrogen-enriched water, from lowering cholesterol to improving mood and anxiety levels. It has also been scientifically shown to enhance the quality of life in cancer patients by reducing the impact of radiotherapy toxicity.

Given London’s awful air quality and the stress of modern life, he believes it will be a real boost to weary city folk, too.

Using a special hydrogenated water jet, Dana flushes my pores with the H2-enriched water, while simultaneously exfoliating dead skin and vacuuming up my blackheads.

This is followed by a lymphatic facial massage to stimulate circulation, contour the face and de-puff under-eye bags, and finished with a blast of antiinflammatory LED light therapy.

The results make me do a double take in the mirror.

I have a megawatt glow and look like I’ve been living on pristine alpine air all my life. I would highly recommend this for anyone who gets breakouts, or tired urban skin.

To complete the treatment, I am also hooked up via a tube to breathe in air that has been infused with hydrogen. Dr Prager is so keen on the stuff he even encourages me to drink a pint of H2 water before I leave.

He also insists I take home his Urban Protect skincare range, specifically formulated to shield the skin from environmental pollutants. The formulas don’t include microplastics, hormone modulators or silicones (though they’re often used by other brands), as they are known to be allergenic and environmentally damaging.

Indeed the range is so pure, Dr Prager tells me, it’s safe to eat or drink – but don’t try this at home.

Do, however, get yourself to Beauchamp Place for the ultimate spring clean.

Express H2 Hydration Infusion Facial, £99. drmichaelprager.com n

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SWEAT Core Collective’s new Row/Sweat class is the ultimate fat burning workout to tone muscles you never knew existed. £25. corecollective.co.uk PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

R E V I E W

SLICK Shield skin from city grime and stress with this brightening, tightening serum from Dr Michael Prager. £180. pragerskin care.com

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Ch

as

w

e the glo

Rejuvenate your skin for the New Year and restore radiance with the multiple award-winning Dr Sebagh Advanced Ageing-Maintenance Skin Care range. The concentrated 在日常護膚中加入賽貝格美白VC粉以提亮膚色，保護肌 super-serums can be used on their own or combined to 膚免受侵害, 屢獲各項美妝大獎的VC粉，其獨特霜化專 create a bespoke ritual.

Boost brightness by mixing with 利技術可使VC粉在接觸肌膚後如魔法般霜化，讓您的肌 Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream. 膚擁有穩定的高濃度抗氧化維C，單獨使用，或與精 華，面霜混合皆可，幫助減少色素沉著。 Available in-store and at drsebagh.com 可在專櫃或官網購買drsebagh.com

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UP FRONT

Q & A

BRIGHT YOUNG THING

Nathalie Eleni goes behind the scenes of Emma with actor Amber Anderson Tell us about your role in Emma?

Jane Fairfax is a clever, mysterious and incredibly talented character. It was a real joy to play her.

You sing and play the piano in the film. Did you have to learn both?

I already could from my days studying piano at music school, but I had to learn new repertoire which took about two months. In the film I’m actually playing a fortepiano, which was like having to learn a different instrument.

It’s such an ensemble cast, was it fun on set? It was honestly one

of the greatest experiences of my life.

We became a real gang.

What was it like working with director Autumn de Wilde? Autumn TEAM Make-up: @nathalieeleni_beauty Hair: @callyborghair Photo: @rvds

GET THE LOOK Pretty in pink

1 2 3 4 5

For velvet skin apply Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection foundation. £60. selfridges.com Swirl Chantecaille Philanthropy Cheek Collection in Laughter over cheeks. £35. spacenk.com

Brush Glossier Boy Brow through brows. £14. glossier.com

Get creative and apply highly pigmented Surratt blush in shade Se Pomponner to eyes. £30. libertylondon.com Layer Surratt Lid Lacquer in shade Kira Kira over the top. £35. libertylondon.com

is a powerhouse. She knows exactly what she wants but also allows you to play. I am so lucky to have worked very closely during the prep period on the piano pieces, making sure each piece was helping to tell the story of the film.

As Emma is a period film, was it a lengthy hair and make-up process? Our hair would take

forever as we were using very old-fashioned curling irons and techniques. The make-up was minimal, but I focused on using great skincare as the air on set was very drying. I particularly loved Sisley Black Rose products while I was filming.

What product could you not live without? At the moment I’m

loving Rodial’s Booster Drops under my favourite Pai moisturiser. I don’t think I could live without my lip balm from Tinker Taylor Beauty.

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Sisley Black Rose moisturiser. £141.50. sisley-paris.com Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel bronzing makeup base. £40. chanel.com

Tinker Taylor Beauty Lip oil. £24. tinkertaylorbeauty.com

Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in Tabloid. £18. smashbox.co.uk

TEAM Make-up: @nathalieeleni_beauty Hair: @callyborghair Photo: @rvds Rings, Ivar Jewellery

Davines Volu shampoo. £16.90. cultbeauty.co.uk

Dr Sebagh Serum Repair. £69. drsebagh.com

Stila Suede Shade liquid eye shadow in Violet Velvet. £24. look fantastic.com Pai Calming day cream. £38. pai skincare.com

CND Vinylux Video Violet nail polish. £9.95. nailpolishdirect.co.uk

Rodial CBD Sleep Drops. £85. rodial.co.uk Diptyque L’Ombre Dans L’Eau parfum. £120. diptyqueparis.com The Body Shop French lavender massage oil. £15. thebodyshop.com

PURPLE HAZE A look inside Amber’s make-up bag Lisa Eldridge Lipstick in Skyscraper Rose. £26. lisaeldridge.com

HIT REFRESH New season, new you. Head to the House of Elemis for one of its boutique beauty treatments for face and body, and you’ll emerge refreshed and revitalised.

Plus, you can enjoy 20 per cent off its one-hour treatments with the code COUNTRYTOWNHOUSE until 1 May 2020. elemis.com March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 41

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UP FRONT there on a man-made hill that gives the flowers optimum levels of water and sunlight.

Seed to Skin is built around the concept of green molecular science – the use of natural ingredients combined with the resultsdriven efficacy of advanced science. Its products utilise a molecular delivery system to penetrate the deepest layers of the skin, and deliver moisture and enable cell regeneration where it’s most needed. There are no short cuts here; every single product is backed up by clinical studies carried out by Merieux NutriSciences, a specialist laboratory based in Chicago.

The brand’s 19-strong skincare collection has already won several awards. Everything is shipped in eco-concious packaging directly from the estate, as well as sold through key sites such as Net-aPorter. What to choose from the range? If you are a cleanse, tone and moisturise kind of person, Jeanette explains that a good starting point is to ‘prep skin with the Clarity Cleanse, a facial cleanser that is formulated with active enzymes and natural acids to break down dead skin cells and minimize the appearance of pores.’ Next up, The Alche’Mist is Seed to Skin’s potent toner that combines the feel of a spray with the efficiency of a powerful serum. Follow these with The Cure, a lightweight yet effective moisturiser enriched with probiotics, hyaluronic acid and vitamins to balance skin’s pH levels and lock in moisture. ‘But that’s only if I really have to narrow it down,’ adds Jeanette. ‘Each [product] is really spectacular in its own way.’

Of course, the Thottrups aren’t stopping there. Expect 2020 to bring new additions to the skincare brand, and at Borgo Santo Pietro there’s a new, bigger spa arriving, and a new swimming pool. A trip to Tuscany has never seemed so necessary. seedtoskin.com n

B E A U T Y

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN Mariella Tandy visits the idyllic Italian home of Seed to Skin

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sense of calm permeates the large stone pillars of Borgo Santo Pietro, a serene hotel and spa nestled in the Tuscan hills near Siena. From its level of polish and charm, you would never know that its owners, Jeanette and Claus Thottrup, have had a busy 15-year journey from London urbanites to creating this A-list retreat, also home to the skincare range Seed to Skin.

The country house property was originally destined to be the Thottrup family holiday home. However, the Danish couple soon realised the implausibility of this due to the huge amount of everyday maintenance the property required. Instead, they set about transforming the land and buildings into a hotel and spa. The original estate dates back to 1129 and used to be a sanctuary of healing for medieval pilgrims. The pilgrims and villagers had a long history of concocting potions from ingredients found on the estate. For Jeanette, who had always harboured a desire to create a skincare line, these tales were a starting point in the creation of Seed to Skin.

From the very beginning Jeanette had a clear vision about how she wanted to introduce a skincare brand created from ingredients grown on site. As sustainability and the concept of ‘farm to fork’ were a key part of the hotel’s offering, ‘farm to face’ was a logical next step. Plus, the hotel’s spa provided the ideal testing ground for all her new potions.

The Thottrups acquired several plots of land, totalling more than 270 acres, around the villa, which is where many of Seed to Skin’s products are grown. Calendula plants (otherwise known as marigolds) are one of the brand’s hero ingredients, and were planted

PHOTOS: ©SEED TO SKIN / BORGO SANTO PIETRO

FROM ABOVE: The sun sets over Borgo Santo Pietro’s freshwater infinity pool; lie back in the relaxing spa; the hotel’s rose walk; Seed to Skin The Cure is formulated with advanced molecular science. £166. libertylondon.com

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UP FRONT W E L L N E S S

BODY & SOUL

CHECK IN

How to stay well while you travel, by Camilla Hewitt

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ravel may be the best tonic for the brain and soul, but it’s not always so great for the body.

With these five easy-to-follow tips you can jet off on your next trip with peace of mind knowing you’ll land positively raring to go.

One of the biggest reasons we feel bloated after a flight is that the lack of movement means our body is not processing food through the intestinal tract as quickly as it usually would. Energy-rich carbs including bread, rice and pasta are best avoided; instead, reach for foods that aid digestion and reduce fluid retention such as cucumber, celery, spinach and avocado.

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CAS GASI, IBIZA

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A GUT FEELING

While nourishing for the soul, travel can take a toll on your tummy. Taking probiotics before, during, and after your trip can help improve the immune system and decrease the risk of food-borne illness by bolstering the body’s defences and preventing harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. If you prefer to get your probiotics naturally, you can also get these gut-friendly cultures in smaller doses from fermented foods and kefir drinks from brands like Purearth. £3.70 for 250ml. planetorganic.com

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STRIKE A POSE

Even if you're a yoga beginner there’s one pose everyone can practice that’s perfect if you have spent hours in an airline seat.

Viparita Karani (see above) will relieve swollen ankles, a stiff spine and soothe a stressed-out mind. It takes ten minutes, requires no flexibility or fear-inducing instructor, and can be done in any hotel room with an inch of floor space.

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WATCH THE CLOCK

Contemplating a pot of porridge before you board?

When we eat at unusual times, the hormones that control fat metabolism along with our digestive systems are not expecting food, meaning we are more likely to store extra calories and fat. Avoid this by sticking to your regular mealtimes until you arrive at your destination.

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SKIP THIS

A skipping rope is an easyto-pack option for staying fit on the go. The Tangram Factory Smart Rope is an LED-embedded rope that displays your jump count in mid-air – the only motivation you need to do more.

It can also sync to the Smart Gym app to record each workout and track progress. £79.95. apple.com

Cas Gasi is an Ibizan agritourism hotel in the heart of the island.

Set amidst four hectares of olive groves on the outskirts of Santa Gertrudis, the hotel’s fruit orchards and vegetable garden supply the kitchen with freshly picked produce. The restaurant, exclusively for hotel guests, specialises in Mediterranean cuisine, from fresh seafood to vegetarian delights, plus a dedicated vegan menu. Operating year-round, Cas Gasi provides bespoke yoga, detox and wellness retreats for the perfect out-ofseason escape. For those looking to relax and rejuvenate, the two swimming pools, open-air yoga deck, gym and spa ensure you have everything you need to feel restored. Be sure to visit Wild Beets in Santa Gertrudis to try its plant-based menu that's designed to energise and support the body and mind.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £286 with breakfast. casgasi.com

PHOTOS: © GETTY IMAGES

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KEEP IT GREEN

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A luxury collection inspired by turquoise seas, coral sands, tropical fruits and flowers and the heat of the sun www.guavaandgold.com guavaandgoldofficial

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Stay in optimum health as you explore the world

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY ON HOLIDAY hether you’ve booked a quick city break in Europe or a long-haul escape, you want to make the most of your getaway. At John Bell & Croyden’s Wigmore Street store there’s an in-house travel clinic, powered by health experts Masta, as well as its InResidence services that include a private GP, dieticians and nutritionists. They’re there to help you stay healthy wherever you go in the world.

John Bell & Croyden suggests booking an appointment six to eight weeks before you travel to explore any potential health risks from your holiday plans, and so the team can come up with tailored advice. This could include personalised travel vaccinations depending on your destination. If you’re jetting off at the last minute, the clinic is also on hand to advise you, and even administer some key travel vaccines if necessary.

Also available at the Wigmore Upgrade your cabin bag. £650 Street store are consultations with dieticians and nutritionists, who

The Wigmore Street store has a travel clinic for personalised health advice

can advise on pre- and probiotic supplements for gut health, as well as how to recover from jet lag. There’s also a range of compression hosiery available, essential for long haul flights, plus a new electronic measuring system that ensures you get the right fit.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

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Head to John Bell & Croyden for a comprehensive health check and advice from its expert clinic

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PROMOTION

A GUT FEELING A healthy gut means a happy holiday

ALL IN THE TRUNK

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Skin Design London Hydrating Serum, £115; Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery, £66.50; Fushi Fresh-Pressed Neem Oil, £9; SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF, £159

Introducing your ultimate travel companion

BEFORE TRAVELLING Start taking probiotics (specifically developed for travel) one to two weeks prior to your trip. This helps optimise your immune system and strengthen it to withstand the bacteria of your travel destination.

This beautiful leathercoated, suede-lined beauty and grooming trunk is made

by Rapport London for John Bell & Croyden, and is perfect for your travels.

It comes in a colour of your choosing, and features several compartments to hold all your everyday essentials, from a removable tray for your accessories, to two drawers to fill with beauty or grooming products. It’s all designed to be used on a step-bystep basis, so your skincare routine won’t suffer while you’re on the road. £2,500. johnbell croyden.co.uk

DURING Continue taking travel probiotics throughout your trip. Avoid tap water and unpeeled fruit and vegetables.

Wash your hands frequently and remember to stay hydrated.

When travelling to higher risk destinations such as Egypt, India, Thailand and Mexico, you may choose to brush your teeth with bottled water.

AFTER Continue taking travel probiotics for another week to support your digestive system as it adjusts back to normal life.

STAY SAFE

Everything you need to protect your skin 1 Heliocare Oral capsules, £35 2 Dr Barbara Sturm Sun Drops SPF 50, £105 3 Brush On Block Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30, £28

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

4 Phyto Baobab Oil, £24 5 La Roche-Posay Anthelios Body Lotion SPF50+, £15

johnbellcroyden.co.uk

March 2020

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Swimsuit, Cossie + Co; Ring, Little Joy Jewellery

W E L L B E I N G

PRESS RESET

Put a little thought into your routine, says Camilla Hewitt Photography by KATE DAVIS-MACLEOD

L

ooking to bring a little more wellness into your life? Whatever your needs, there’s a growing number of tools available for cultivating self-care.

Whether you’re considering your environmental impact, incorporating natural ingredients into your routine, making time for movement, or monitoring your mental health – there’s so much you can do. Here are some super-simple steps you can take to achieve a healthier, happier you.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

We’re all becoming more mindful of the chemical content of products used on the skin, since many of the ingredients we apply topically will eventually enter our internal organs and bloodstream. If you read labels during your supermarket shop, this is a self-care habit you can transfer to your cosmetics choices too. Skin irritations are often triggered by artificial fragrances, alcohol and parabens. So switching to plant-powered skincare can have a calming effect on common complaints, as well as improving overall health.

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UP FRONT Swimsuit and bikini, Cossie + Co

GROUND YOURSELF

Whether it’s the sensation of sand between your toes or the sight of a sunset, nothing feeds the soul more than nature. Exposure to the natural world not only makes you feel better emotionally, it also contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. Opting for regular exercise outdoors will send endorphin levels soaring.

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UP FRONT CONSUME CONSCIOUSLY By thinking a bit more carefully about what you buy, you can create positive change in the world – while also benefiting from the feel-good factor this brings. Supporting sustainable businesses, from biodynamic farms to environmentally-friendly fashion brands, should be the future of consumerism.

Creating an awareness of ourselves and how we relate to the world around us can dramatically improve our mental health.

Jumper, Stella McCartney

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YOU DO YOU

Swimsuit, Eres

The commodified view of self-care always seems to involve luxury spas or silent retreats. If neither approach appeals, don’t worry.

Self-care can be as simple as turning off your phone so you can really focus on that documentary.

And while guided meditation or gratitude lists can offer relief for some, others prefer to reach for a glass of wine at the end of the day. There’s no right or wrong routine when it comes to improving individual wellbeing.

The team stayed at Cas Gasi, a charming Ibizan agroturismo hotel. Set on four hectares of olive groves on the outskirts of Santa Gertrudis, its fruit orchards and organic vegetable garden supply the kitchen with freshly plucked produce. The restaurant, open exclusively to hotel guests, specialises in healthy Mediterranean cuisine, plus it has a dedicated vegan menu.

Operating all year round, Cas Gasi provides bespoke yoga, detox and wellness retreats for the perfect out-of-season escape. casgasi.com TEAM Hair & Makeup: Camilla Hewitt @ One Represents using Davines, Ole Henriksen & Ilia Beauty Model: Bianca @ Select Model STOCKISTS: PAGE 124

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UP FRONT COUNTRY CASUALS As well as technical, sporting countrywear for the field, Schöffel also delivers a strong line in smart casual including well-cut jeans, jackets and chinos. Linen blazer, £199.95; Christopher chinos, £89.95. schoffelcountry.com

TIME FLIES

With its new Aviator 8 B01 Chronograph 43 Mosquito, Breitling honours the de Havilland Mosquito, a British aircraft that was one of the fastest planes in the skies during World War II. £5,980. breitling.com

A PEN TO WATCH M E N ’ S

This Timegraph

by Caran d’Ache fountain pen is its first ever to include a watch with a mechanical movement, and took two years to develop. £31,740. carandache.com

S T Y L E

WELL GROOMED Master mid-season style.

By Matt Thomas

IN-BETWEENERS

Dressing for unpredictable British weather is at its most challenging between seasons. This super-soft merino jumper is lightweight and great for layering. £129. tomlane.co

OLD BEAN

New to the UK, L.L.Bean is an American favourite that has been around since 1912, delivering cult country styling. These leather Bean boots have been the company’s best-seller for over 100 years. £209. llbean.com

BR IGH T STA R Fashion-forward, French and fun, Aigle’s Iconic 1.8.5.3 collection encompasses bright and sporty statement sweatshirts, lightweight coats and T-shirts, and is guaranteed to deliver standout style.

Desilei jacket, £235. aigle.com 52 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2020

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FITZ ADs.qxp_Country & Townhouse 31/01/2020 12:30 Page 1

The world’s finest festival deserves the world’s finest bookmaker.

Cheltenham 10th March.

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MASTERS OF DESIGN Spring’s most authoritative interior design event London Design Week 2020 returns to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour; 8-13 March 2020

W

hat better way to get set for a new decade than at a week-long celebration featuring the best of the interior design scene?

London Design Week 2020 is back – and this time, it’s all about being immersed in design excellence at a legendary hub.

This March, Europe’s largest design destination will bring together ‘masters of design’, with 120 participants, interior designers and design enthusiasts. Reflecting Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour’s commitment to creativity and connection, expect a packed programme of more than 100 events and experiences, showcasing new-season collections,

workshops, talks, artisan demonstrations and discovery tours that dig deeper inside the stories behind the latest designs.

There will be an abundance of designer know-how and expert guidance at every turn; from the acclaimed Conversations in Design series to new Grow Your Business sessions aimed at those who want to take the next steps. Specially commissioned installations and restaurants complement the events programme. Come to be inspired, to learn, to share; to see the best of the best in design and hear from the brightest minds and the industry’s leading lights. This wealth of insider knowledge is extraordinary and, what’s more, entry is free for every visitor.

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Register today for your chance to win a one night’s stay including dinner and breakfast with Firmdale Hotels

THE A-LIST

ABBOTT & BOYD / ALTFIELD / ALTONBROOKE / ANDREW MARTIN / ART RUGS GALLERY / ARTE / ARTERIORS / ARTISANS OF DEVIZES / BAKER / BAKER LIFESTYLE / BEAUFORT COLLECTION / BELLA FIGURA / BRUNSCHWIG & FILS / C & C MILANO / CECCOTTI COLLEZIONI / CHASE ERWIN / CHRISTOPHER HYDE LIGHTING / CHRISTOPHER PEACOCK / COLE & SON / COLEFAX AND FOWLER / COLLIER WEBB / COLONY / DAVID HUNT LIGHTING / DAVID SEYFRIED LTD / DAVIDSON LONDON / DE LE CUONA / DECCA / DEDAR / EDELMAN LEATHER / ESPRESSO DESIGN / ETHIMO / FLEXFORM / FOX LINTON / FRATO / GALLOTTI&RADICE / GEORGE SPENCER DESIGNS / GLADEE LIGHTING / GP & J BAKER / HARLEQUIN / HOLLAND & SHERRY / HOULES / IKSEL – DECORATIVE ARTS / INTERDESIGN UK / JACARANDA CARPETS & RUGS / JASON D’SOUZA / JEAN MONRO / JENSEN BEDS / JIM THOMPSON / JULIAN CHICHESTER / KRAVET / KVADRAT AT HOME / LACAZE LONDON / LEE JOFA / LELIEVRE PARIS / LEWIS & WOOD / LINCRUSTA / LIZZO / MARVIC TEXTILES / MCKINNEY & CO / MCKINNON AND HARRIS / MILES X BOOKSHOP / MORRIS & CO / MULBERRY HOME / NADA DESIGNS / THE NANZ COMPANY / NINA CAMPBELL / NOBILIS / OFICINA INGLESA FURNITURE / ORIGINAL BTC / PAOLO MOSCHINO FOR NICHOLAS HASLAM LTD / PERRIN & ROWE / PHILLIP JEFFRIES / PIERRE FREY / POLIFORM / PORADA / PORTA ROMANA / POTTERTON BOOKS / ROMO / RUBELLI/DONGHIA / SA BAXTER DESIGN STUDIO & FOUNDRY / SACCO CARPET / SAMUEL & SONS / SAMUEL HEATH / SANDERSON / SAVOIR BEDS / SIBERIAN FLOORS / SIMPSONS / STARK CARPET / STUDIOTEX / SUMMIT FURNITURE / SUTHERLAND PERENNIALS STUDIO / TAI PING / TH2 / THREADS AT GP & J BAKER / TIM PAGE CARPETS / TISSUS D’HELENE / TOPFLOOR

BY ESTI / TUFENKIAN ARTISAN CARPETS / TURNELL & GIGON / TURNSTYLE DESIGNS / TURRI / VAUGHAN / VENTURA / VIA ARKADIA (TILES) / VICTORIA + ALBERT BATHS / VILLEROY & BOCH / WATTS OF WESTMINSTER / WEST ONE BATHROOMS / WHISTLER LEATHER / WIRED CUSTOM LIGHTING / WOOL CLASSICS / YARN COLLECTIVE / ZIMMER + ROHDE / ZOFFANY LONDON DESIGN WEEK 2020 HOUSE GUESTS: AMY KENT / BRONZINO / ECCO TRADING / FLORA SOAMES / IDO / GAZE BURVILL / HABERDASHERY / HAUTE DECO / HYDE HOUSE / JUNIHO / NICO / ROSE UNIAKE / RUTLAND RADIATORS / ZAK + FOX / MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED PLUS OUTSIDE PARTICIPANTS: DESIGNERS GUILD AND OSBORNE & LITTLE IN CHELSEA

All products shown available at Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. See London Design Week 2020 – Gallery on dcch.co.uk

dcch.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

1

LATEST LAUNCHES Be the first to see new products from 600 global brands.

Exquisite materials, couture detailing and the dramatic use of colour, pattern and texture; all celebrating the importance of provenance, skill, craftsmanship and a move towards informed choices.

2

HOUSE GUESTS Adding another layer to the offering will be a raft of house guests such as Rose Uniacke and Juniho, in situ for the duration of the show. They will bring fresh perspectives and even more ways for visitors to encounter worldclass talent.

3

CONVERSATIONS IN DESIGN Get top level insights at talks and panel discussions and hear from Olga Polizzi, Beata Heuman and Samantha Todhunter, plus many more. Book in advance dcch.co.uk

4

HOME & AWAY Interiors editor Carole Annett takes to the main stage with James Lohan, founder of Mr & Mrs Smith and his sister, interior designer Hannah Lohan, on Friday 13 March. Book in advance dcch.co.uk

PERSONAL SHOPPING

With so many decisions to make, it is easy to feel overwhelmed when embarking on a new interiors project. Many people are confident in their design choices but may need some friendly advice on narrowing down the options. At Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, the friendly Personal Shopping team can help you navigate all that is on offer. They are familiar with all 120 showrooms, can facilitate your requests and even organise international shipping. Whatever your needs, this service is invaluable, free of charge, and all part of the services available.

For London Design Week 2020, don’t miss their special tours into the showrooms. To book, call 020 7225 9180

5

ACCESS ALL AREAS Find out what inspires the best in the business and what goes on behind the scenes. Don’t miss showroom sessions with Bill Amberg, Emma Sims Hilditch and Zak Profera from the USA, amongst many more.

DON’T MISS THE INTERIOR DESIGN EVENT FOR EXCELLENCE EVENT LOCATION

DATES

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE (Plus outside participants in Chelsea)

Trade Preview 8–10 March 2020 All Welcome 11–13 March 2020 Open 10am–6pm

dcch.co.uk

COURTESY TRANSPORT FREE ENTRY

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Call 020 7225 9166 or email enquiries@dcch.co.uk Be part of the design community @designcentrech #LDW20AtDCCH designcentrech

31/01/2020 14:31

CATCHPOLE & RYE KENT ENGLAND

EXCLUSIVE

LUXURY

BATHROOMS

L O N D O N • T U N B R I D G E W ELL S • A S H F O R D

T. 020 7351 0940

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The Copper Bateau - Weathered Copper Exterior

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ART CU LT U R E BOOKS PEOPLE

THE GUIDE STRIKE A POSE

IMAGE: SELF PORTRAIT (1954) © DAVID HOCKNEY

Since its birth in the Renaissance period the selfportrait has undergone an interesting transformation.

Visit David Hockney’s own interpretation (left) in a major new exhibition at Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne, combining his early paintings, collages and illustrations with those of fellow post-war giant Alan Davie. Abstract at its very finest. 15 Feb to 31 May. townereastbourne.org.uk

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BALLET

DEBUT DANCE

Northern Ballet is bringing Geisha, the story of experienced geisha Okichi and apprentice Aiko in 19th-century Japan, back to life for a debut UK tour.

Star choreographer Kenneth Tindall will return (following a rousing success with Casanova), with Christopher Oram on costume design.

Ballet at its best.

14 March to 16 May. northernballet.com

DON’T MISS

E V E N T S

Catch Waves and Forms in culture capital Aberdeen

FASHION

ON THE RIGHT FOOT

Shoe connoisseurs’ prayers have been answered by the Fashion Museum Bath’s Shoephoria! this spring, with velvet mules from the 1690s and diamanté bow shoes belonging to Queen Mary – along with 3,000 other pairs dating back 300 years.

See them for yourself, along with pieces

by Vivienne Westwood and Dr Martens printed with The Rake’s Progress.

From 28 March to 31 March 2021. fashionmuseum.co.uk

ART

NEW WAVE

A multi-million pound investment into Aberdeen’s arts and heritage venues has put it at the cultural cutting edge, and London’s rising artists are decamping. ExGoldsmiths Haroon Mirza’s second solo exhibition, Waves and Forms, combining science and design, is the perfect excuse to head north and see what the hype is about.

21 March to 7 June. aagm.co.uk Red leather boots from the 1840s at Shoephoria!

GALLERY GHOSTS Séances may have waned in popularity since the 19th century, but before Netflix spiritualism was far more in vogue. A new touring exhibition, Not Without My Ghosts, explores this cultural phenomenon, and its own celebrities like William Blake and Georgiana Houghton with drawings, painting, sculpture, film and installation.

Spectacularly spooky.

27 March to 14 June. southbankcentre.co.uk LITERATURE

GOOD BOOKS Is there any power more magical than that of a good book? Celebrating the books that have inspired, enchanted and shaped us, this year World Book Day will take place on 5 March. Get involved by joining the Share a Story campaign, or treat yourself to a good read with one of this year’s £1 books. 5 March. worldbookday.com

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PHOTOS: © WALKER ART GALLERY

Your new culture destination.

By Sofia Tindall

EXHIBITION Head east with Northern Ballet

PHOTOS: © THIERRY BAL; © GUY FARROW

COUNTRY LIFE

THE GUIDE

EXHIBITION

GO INDOORS

The Enchanted Interior reclaims passive beauties of art history, #MeToo style.

The exhibition at Guildhall Art Gallery explores the recurring motif in art of women painted in enclosed, ornate interiors – the so-called ‘gilded cage.’

On display is work by the likes of John William Waterhouse, Edward BurneJones and Emma Sandys.

13 March to 14 June. cityoflondon.gov.uk

DON’T MISS

E V E N T S

TOWN LIFE

Viola, Emma Sandys (1865-1877)

Tree talk

WELLNESS

SOUL SOOTHERS

And relax: chakra cleansing, detox flows and classes set to live music guarantee to get your day off to a zen start at Psycle’s all-new yoga workshops. Its sleek, light-filled studio above Mortimer Street is the perfect place to hone your headstand. Alternatively, slow it down with Richie Bostock’s life-changing transformational breathwork on 7 March. Namaste. psyclelondon.com

FAIR

STARTER ART Thanks to trendy buying events popping up all over London – affordable art is more accessible than ever. Get your own collection going with the Affordable Art Fair’s Access: Prints event in Battersea, filled the the rafters with lithographs, woodcuts and original and limited editions. Is photography more to your taste? A photography equivalent will head to Hampstead in April. 12-15 March. affordableartfair.co.uk ART

A RAKE RETURNS Long before Dorian Gray, Tom Rakewell was the original cautionary fable for the dangers of succumbing to vanity and excess. Now, for the first time in over 200 years, William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress, narrating the protagonist’s journey from wealth to financial ruin and madness, will go on show at the Pitzhanger gallery.

18 March to 17 July. pitzhanger.org.uk

PHOTOS: © WALKER ART GALLERY

PHOTOS: © THIERRY BAL; © GUY FARROW

Strike a pose at Psycle

NATURE

BRANCH OUT

With our climate in crisis, there’s never been a more critical time to pay attention to the role of trees. Bringing together 15 leading international artists, Among the Trees coincides with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day to explores how our leafy friends have shaped human civilisation.

4 March to 17 May. southbankcentre.co.uk

Top topiary

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THE GUIDE C U L T U R E

THE EXHIBITIONIST Ed Vaizey finds bags of fun at the V&A this month

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FROM ABOVE: The Chanel milk bottle bag; Margaret Thatcher sports her iconic Asprey bag after a meeting with the Queen in 1987; Winston Churchill and his despatch box; the metallic Louis Vuitton Monogram Miroir Speedy, worn by Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian

a man bag on display – Winston Churchill’s despatch box.

Famous people make their handbags famous. Sarah Jessica Parker made the Fendi Baguette bag revered in Sex and the City.

And they also lend their names to them. Hermès has the Kelly, named after Grace Kelly, and Christian Dior has the Lady Dior, designed in honour of Princess Diana. And, of course, there’s the Louis Vuitton Monogram Miroir Speedy, favoured by Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian. All are on display here.

Handbags can be playful and fun, whether that’s Thom Browne’s bag in the form of his dog Hector, or a Chanel bag shaped as a milk carton. And they can also be meaningful, as shown by Anya Hindmarch’s ‘I’m Not a Plastic Bag’ or Stella McCartney’s backpack made out of recycled ocean plastic. Mulberry, the UK’s most successful luxury handbag brand, has also ensured the exhibition focuses on the craftmanship behind bag-making.

Handbags are big business. The most expensive in the world, the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse, costs $3.8 million. The Hermès Birkin bag, which came into existence after Jane Birkin spilled the contents of one of her famous baskets over the brand’s chief executive on an aeroplane, can sell for up to $500,000 second hand. So, the objects you see are as important to our cultural life as any piece of contemporary art. And let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to spend a few hours with some old bags.

Bags: Inside Out shows at the V&A, from 25 April to 3 Jan 2021. vam.ac.uk n

PHOTOS: © JOHN REDMAN/AP; © PHOTONEWS INTERNATIONAL INC; © JASON LLOYD-EVANS; © BETTMANN GETTY

few years ago, the V&A managed to get itself involved in a row about Margaret Thatcher. The dispute was over whether the V&A should accept a collection of more than 300 dresses worn by Britain’s first woman prime minister. The V&A turned down the opportunity. To be fair, the V&A was never formally offered the collection. But it did not endear itself to conservative newspapers by pointing out that it only accepted clothes of ‘outstanding aesthetic or technical quality’. Maggie not a fashion icon? Never!

Now the V&A is making amends. Its latest exhibition, Bags: Inside Out will present 300 handbags from the 16th century to the present day. It will feature Margaret Thatcher’s Asprey handbag, which ironically had to be borrowed from a Dutch museum, the Museum of Bags, in Amsterdam.

Despite its staggeringly dull title, considering the endless puns available, the V&A exhibition is an absolute delight. Because, of course, handbags are objects of huge fascination for women and men alike. For women, they are fashion objects, workmates, even metaphorical weapons. And men, of course, wonder what the hell is inside them.

Some of the answers are provided by the exhibition. Elizabeth I’s purse contained the Great Seal of England; Queen Mary’s a gas mask during the Second World War. There is even

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Could artists be made redundant by machines? Rob and Nick Carter decided to find out

A R T I S T ’ S

S T U D I O

ROB AND NICK CARTER

Caiti Grove visits the husband-and-wife team pairing art with cutting-edge robotics

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oko Ono: 17 hours, 24 minutes, 45 seconds and 7,048 brushstrokes. Andy Warhol: 15 hours, ten seconds and 6,210 strokes. Louise Bourgeois: 15 hours and three minutes. These are the meticulous calculations of Heidi, a one-tonne robotic arm usually found on car production lines. For the past two and a half years she has painted portraits of great artists under the direction of her human masters, Rob and Nick Carter. The accompanying exhibition, Dark Factory Portraits, is at Ben Brown Fine Arts until 17 April.

An artistic duo, as well as a married couple with two daughters, they merge digital ingenuity and nostalgia, technology and tradition.

A programmer in Panama hones Heidi’s skills. ‘The results are really accurate – within a tenth of a millimetre,’ says Rob. ‘She knows exactly when to pick up the right paint and the correct brush – and the difference between the precision needed for say, eyes, and the broad brushstrokes for a jacket or whatever.’

The project had an intriguing genesis. Rob and Nick saw a BBC programme on technology and automation. On the website, a search engine offered to estimate the percentage chance of any job’s redundancy through machine technology in the next 10 years.

Rob remembers laughing at the process. ‘We entered our jobs – artists – and imagined we were safe. But it came back with a three per cent chance of takeover. “How can you automate an artist?” we thought.’ It made them consider the possibility of art as a mechanical process. They investigated the scope for robotised creativity, and after

much exploration in the world of industry they discovered Heidi.

The resulting portraits are as sci-fi as the rest of their artistically innovative portfolio. They plucked Van Gogh’s sunflowers from the frame and recreated them in bronze. They installed Jacob de Gheyn II’s painting from 1600 in Berkeley Square, nine bronze stumps of oak trees scattered across the grass. Their Transforming Still Life Painting has appeared at The Frick Collection in New York – the first contemporary work to appear there. ‘We flew out to the private view,’ Nick recalls.

‘And it was really extraordinary because our work appeared alongside Rembrandts and Caravaggios... As you walked through you’d spot Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch, and so on.’

They moved on to the Dutch Master floral works, only to discover these originals were pretty much artificial from the outset. ‘We loved the fact these paintings appear exquisitely realistic,’ Nick says. ‘Yet lots of the floral arrangements couldn’t be real because the flowers came from different seasons and yet they’ve put them all together in a kind of believable conceptual bunch of flowers that could never exist in nature.’

Their entire concept, and its execution through modern technology, challenges our understanding of what art essentially is. Like Damien Hirst’s many assistants, Heidi makes us question the works’ authenticity, and demands us to define it in terms of concept rather than means of production. Until now, the creative world has always needed the warm flesh and blood artist, journalist, teacher… the list goes on. What now does the future hold and what will our role be in it? robandnick.com n March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 61

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LET THE RACES BEGIN

Cheltenham – plenty to see, plenty to eat, plenty to drink – and best of all, there’s a bit of racing, too

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here has been racing at Cheltenham for over a century. The festival that is famous today was first held at Market Harborough in 1860, before eventually making Cheltenham its permanent home in 1911. Now, it is one of the key dates on the racing calendar, and last year attracted 67,000 visitors on its first day.

This year, from 10-13 March, you can be one of them.

With four days of racing there’s plenty of time and plenty of ways to experience the festival, from the ambience of a private box, to the enclosures, including the exclusive Club Enclosure, the Tattersalls Enclosure, and the Best Mate Enclosure opposite the main grandstand.

If you really want to make it a week to remember, The Orchard Pods are new for 2020. Up to 20 of your nearest and dearest can enjoy the action from inside, with your own private balcony, plenty to eat, and access to The Orchard retail and entertainment experience. For there’s bags to do on-site beyond watching the racing. A ticket to The Park – also new for 2020 – is this year’s hottest. Step inside to find street food stalls serving delicious dishes, live music, and a daily DJ set.

If you’re still not tired out, more retail therapy can be had in the shopping villages – available via the Club and Tattersall Enclosures – featuring classic

country brands, as well as artwork, tailoring, and home accessories.

And don’t worry, you’ll be fed. Start your day off with breakfast and coffee at Daly’s Deli, before taking in the first race of the day. Book lunch ahead if you want a sit-down with pals, or have a wander around – there’s tapas at Quevega’s (for Club ticketholders), burgers at the Burger Shack, and a Nespresso coffee experience at the Hall of Fame coffee house. Fancy a mid-afternoon gin and tonic? It’s to the bar for you, at See You Then, or, over at the Princess Royal Stand, dive into Big Buck’s champagne bar, where you can pick up a magnum (or even a Methuselah) to share. And of course, if it’s Guinness you desire, it is Guinness you shall have – after all, St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner.

Wondering how to get there? The nearest railway station is Cheltenham Spa, with a dedicated shuttle bus service running throughout the Festival. If you’re driving, parking can be bought in advance or on the day. For those wanting to upgrade their arrival, the sky is literally the limit. Arrive by helicopter to make the biggest impression and slip into your waiting Bentley.

For tickets and more information visit thejockeyclub.co.uk

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PROMOTION

CHELTENHAM

BY NUMBERS

1

Cheltenham Racecourse was voted the Greatest Racecourse in the World by the Racing Post in 2019

3

Enclosures at Cheltenham Racecourse. Club and Tattersalls give you a grandstand view of all the action, while Best Mate gives you a head-on view down the home straight

4

Days of racing, culminating with the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday, one of the highlights of the annual racing calendar

Mary Berry

W H AT TO EXPECT

5 7

DAY 1 The Unibet Champion Hurdle

Tonnes of salmon eaten over the course of the Festival

The number of races jockey Ruby Walsh won over four days at 2016’s Cheltenham Festival

DAY 2 The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

28 70

DAY 3 The Ryanair Chase and the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

Jump races run across the four-day Festival

Vendors in the Festival’s stylish Shopping Village, which will be packed with your favourite fashion, country and equestrian brands

DAY 4 The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup

350 5,000

Chefs on site at the Cheltenham Festival

Rod Stewart visiting The Orchard

Bundles of birch are used to make the Festival’s fences each season

71,500

People attended Cheltenham for the Cheltenham Gold Cup race day in 2019

Liv Tyler

March 2020

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THE GUIDE

B O O K S

GOOD READS Four thrillers to get the blood pumping. By Richard Hopton

with long-standing links to organised crime and a taste for raping and murdering young women.

The story races along in spare, thriller-writer’s prose, full of practical and operational detail, a world of tangled motives and divided loyalties, before reaching an action-packed climax.

The third, Launch Code by Michael Ridpath (Corvus, £12.99) is a thriller with a more subtle, reflective tone.

Its origins lie in events which took place on an American nuclear submarine deep beneath the Norwegian Sea in autumn of 1983. The novel winds up more circumspectly than in many thrillers, flipping between the present and the past, but is full of convincing detail, in this case the US naval protocols for nuclear engagement. At the heart of this story is a moral dilemma about conflicting loyalties.

Holly Watt is a well-known investigative reporter who made her name uncovering the Westminster expenses scandal. To The Lions (Bloomsbury, £12.99), her first novel, won the Crime Writers’ Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award. As befits an investigative reporter, this is a thriller in which the story is the story. Ace reporter Casey Benedict stumbles upon a conspiracy which she then pursues with all the guile and tenacity of her trade.

The action moves from her newspaper’s high-octane, foul-mouthed London newsroom to the desolate wastes of the north African desert via louche bars in Mayfair, swanky clubs on the Côte d’Azur and human tragedy of the Middle East’s refugee camps. Watt is good on the mechanics of establishing a story and adept at conjuring up the cynical self-indulgence of her characters. n

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

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he thriller is now over a hundred years old, its oldest forebears being Erskine Childers’ The Riddle of the Sands and John Buchan’s The Thirty-Nine Steps. We all know a thriller when we read one: a novel with a sensational story, tersely written and shorn of literary flourish, thrillers are not intended to force the reader to consider his place in the world or challenge his preconceptions. They are entertainments, diversions, pieces of literary escapism, books for airport lounges, beaches and insomniac nights. In the last century, however, the genre has broadened enormously leaving its upright, square-jawed, Edwardian heroes and their dastardly, underhand, foreign adversaries far behind. Nowadays, thrillers take many forms as these four novels demonstrate.

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton (Viking, £14.99) is a terrific novel, which grabs the reader from the first page. It tells the story, minute by minute, of an attack by two gunmen on a school in rural Somerset on a snowy November morning. It is every parent’s worse nightmare: we know it happens – we’ve seen it on TV – but cannot imagine that it will ever happen to us. But here, on a school day like any other, it does.

Lupton weaves together the different strands of the story: the unfolding horror seen by the captive children and staff inside; the wary, determined police and the distraught parents on the outside.

The novel tells a story of compulsive horror in the course of which it touches on many themes which confound modern society. Teenage alienation, and parental incomprehension and helplessness in the face of it, is a major theme of the novel, as is the radicalisation of young people and the role of social media. This is a thriller but it says much about uncomfortable subjects we all prefer not to address.

The second novel, Die Alone by Simon Kernick (Century, £12.99) is a more traditional thriller. Its heroes are two tough ex-cops, one of whom, Ray Mason, is in prison for murder. The villain is a British politician with aspirations to No. 10 Downing Street, no less, 64 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2020

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Seb Coe with his faithful canine companions Eddie and George

S P O R T S

THE OLYMPIAN

Sebastian Coe recalls his relationship with dogs over the course of his outstanding Olympic career

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s a young runner, I had my encounters with dogs. Dogs in parks, on beaches, on pavements – in fact, in most places where their owners let them off the lead to run free. To be fair, not all were badly behaved, but scars to this day on my hand and calf attest to their joy of a chase and, occasionally, a nibble. Most runners tell a similar tale, though now we are more at risk from cyclists.

On Christmas Eve 40 years ago, and only months shy of my first Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980, a dog joined the Coe family in Sheffield. At the end of the 1979 season, which closed a little surprisingly with my ownership of three middle distance world records, I flew to Oregon, and the Nike headquarters to sign my first shoe contract. During the visit, I met former marathon runner, Kenny Moore, whose melodic and insightful prose had elevated him to senior athletics writer on the American sporting bible, Sports Illustrated. He asked if he could do an in-depth piece focussing on my life in Sheffield in the lead-up to the Moscow Games.

I agreed and issued an open invitation to come to the Steel City.

His writing commitments precluded him from coming until just before Christmas. In fact, he arrived on 22 December. He watched my training sessions both within the city and the spectacular surrounding Peak District countryside, closely observing the work of my father and coach, Peter. On 23 December, he asked whether he could continue his work after the festive break. Again, I agreed. Over supper my mother asked him where he was planning to stay. She offered him a bed when

he replied he was planning on staying in a hotel. My younger teenage sister Emma, when asked by Moore what might be a suitable present for this family kindness, mystifyingly suggested a dog. Months later, she admitted she’d said it as a joke. But on Christmas Eve, with snow falling, Moore appeared at the front door. From his sheepskin jacket sprung a puppy complete with pink ribbon. My father, not known for sentimentality, looked dumbstruck. Lost for words, he stuttered and stammered for a full half minute before growling: ‘What the hell are we going to call it?’ Cleo, named for the charcoal-black, Cleopatra-like colouring around her eyes, joined the family, and lived to a ripe old age, witnessing the entirety of my athletics career.

For many years after that, canine companions were absent but reappeared in my life when I had my own children. And then for the decade in which I was either bidding or delivering the Olympic games, the house again became a dog-free zone. Come to think of it, they would have been a good counterweight to truculent taxi drivers and the naysayers who chipped away from the boundary rope.

Anyway, as an incentive to get through the challenges, I promised myself a dog once I was freed. Less than a year later, my handsome lurcher appeared – why not provide him with some company?

An additional black Labrador came soon after. To this hour I enjoy the company of my dogs. As I write this, they lie at my feet in companionable silence. n March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 65

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THE GUIDE

PLANTING IDEAS

G A R D E N I N G

SEEDER’S DIGEST Delight in dahlias this month, says Sarah Raven

NERO VASE One of the most useful vases you’ll ever have. Perfect for your dahlias. £26.50

D

ahlias are among the lowest maintenance, highest production cut flower and garden plants you can grow. In a good year, they’ll flower from July (particularly in a sheltered spot). Dahlias come in all shapes and sizes and are available in many of the best flower colours. I’m so thrilled to have recently launched a collection of our very own dahlias, which are hybrids we’ve been trialling over the past few years; every one distinctive and exceptionally lovely.

A NEW CROP I couldn’t be more proud of my new ‘Sarah Raven Exclusives Dahlia Collection’ (above). These five dahlias have outperformed all others, not just in beauty, but in vase life and general ease of growth and productivity.

The collection includes ‘Josie’, ‘Molly Raven’, ‘Perch Hill’, ‘Sarah Raven’ and ‘Schipper’s Bronze’.

Five tubers, £23.95. sarahraven.com

FOUR REASONS TO GROW DAHLIAS

1

They are cut-and-come again, and produce buckets of flowers for months at a stretch.

Apart from cosmos, there’s no higher producing cut flower family in the plant world.

They’re low maintenance. Unless you have very hard ground frosts, mulch them deeply in winter and leave them in the ground from one year to the next.

They come in a marvellous range of colours and shapes, and flower right through late summer and into autumn.

Remember they’re edible. Scatter their colourful petals over salad.

Introducing Sarah’s new dahlia collection

MA RCH IN THE GA RDEN The days are longer and warmer, hopefully the risk of frost has passed, and there are plenty of jobs to do in the garden, greenhouse and vegetable plot. Seed sowing starts to get underway (it’s exciting to really get going on your veg) and you’ll want to plant roses and lift and divide perennial plants.

You can be picking and eating Brussels sprouts, cabbages, kale, cauliflower, and purple and white sprouting broccoli.

Rhubarb is another good one. Try making my rhubarb and cardamom chutney, the recipe for which is on sarahraven.com.

Absolutely delicious!

SLUG-REPELLING COPPER BANDS These are one of the best, non-harmful slug repellents around. From £32.95 for a set of 10

2

3 4

DAHLIA ‘MANGO MADNESS’ A soft apricot with a glamorous smoky grey petal reverse. One tuber, £4.50

Purple sprouting broccoli is ready to pick in March

20 per cent off for C&TH readers at Sarah Raven. Visit sarahraven.com and enter offer code CTH20. Terms and conditions: Offer ends 30 April 2020. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. *See website for full T&Cs All available at sarahraven.com

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THE W EST LONDON L A DIES COUR SE D e s i g n ed to f it in to your sch edu l e .

Our Ladies Course is the perfect way for ladies with busy lifestyles to get into shooting. Join us for three one hour lessons, with f ifty clays and cartridges included with each session, booked at your convenience.

You will be invited to attend a friendly competition, followed by a champagne reception on 10th July 2020.

020 8 8 45 1377 w w w. s ho ot i n g s c ho ol .c o.u k Sha r vel L a ne, West End R oad, Nor t holt, U B5 6R A

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Tesla might have been the catalyst but the I-Pace is streaks ahead in terms of style, performance and desirability

C A R S

ROAD TEST

The Jaguar I-Pace was World Car of the Year in 2019 – Jeremy Taylor plugs in to the electric revolution…

VITA L STATS Jaguar I-Pace S PRICE £60,995 ENGINE DRIVETRAIN 2 x electric motors, allwheel drive POWER 395 bhp 0-60MPH 4.5 seconds RANGE 203 miles

TOWN

COUNTRY

Forget the I-Pace is an all-electric car and you have a sporty, good-looking and very desirable SUV. Then factor in it can cover hundreds of miles on a single charge and emits zero emissions – no wonder this cool Jag is a hit.

While Tesla was a catalyst for the electric revolution, the I-Pace has gone straight to the top of class. Jaguar’s first battery-powered car ticks every box and is also a fantastic vehicle to live with. I’ve had an entry-level S model for over four months now and wonder what it will be like to return to a petrol car.

The radical styling gives the I-Pace the edge over other SUVs. That squat appearance is amplified by a stubbed nose and big wheels. Around town, the only sound is tyre noise and it’s simple to park too.

The plug-in cable is best kept under the bonnet – no engine here – while the Jaguar has a huge boot and lots of interior space to go with it. Faux-leather trim, satellite navigation and all the other toys are standard.

The I-Pace is a talking point wherever you drive it. The price is steep but the feel-good factor immense. If you live in London, there is no congestion charge or ULEZ fee to pay either.

RATING: 5/5 HANDBAGS

Urbanites don’t have to worry so much about charging their electric cars because there are many more plug-in points in town. So what if you live in the country? My nearest public charger is eight miles away, which makes owning an electric car impractical without one installed at home. Thousands more chargers are now being installed across the country but to own an electric or plug-in hybrid car, the running costs don’t stack up without a home charge point.

A home charger from BP Chargemaster costs from around £449, if you take advantage of the Government’s Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. The EVHS knocks £500 off the full price and BP staff do most of the paperwork.

The I-Pace has two electric motors, one driving the front wheels, the other the rear.

That provides all-wheel drive traction that is very handy in the snow and offers the equivalent of 395 bhp – a huge amount of power.

My only complaint is that I cannot get anywhere near the 258-mile range promised. Instead, the best I have achieved is 203 miles of charge. It’s just enough to get to London and back from my home in the Cotswolds but nerve-wracking.

RATING: 4/5 WELLIES

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THE GUIDE

0-60MPH 7 seconds

the panoramic views of a rock-strewn desert are also open to four-wheel drives.

This is a key location for the Jaguar Land Rover experience. The buckled, twisted and worn sandstone has been sculpted by the sun, wind and rain for thousands of years, forming a natural playground for off-road fun. Most of the vehicles scrabbling for grip here are purpose-built quads and motorbikes with few comforts built in. Which makes it even more spectacular that Land Rover use standard cars with normal road tyres.

I’m driving a Discovery, the big family SUV with up to seven seats. The HSE Luxury model is loaded with every conceivable extra and at £70,000 is not the usual, utility machine you would expect to see here.

Startled faces look on as a procession of Discoverys, and even a Range Rover, slowly makes their way over the most difficult ‘Spotters’ aid navigation obstacles. Serious off-roaders look on and wonder who would be mad enough to try this in such an expensive vehicle.

That’s no surprise with tracks named Hell’s Revenge, Seven Mile Rim and Poison Spider Mesa. The red rock landscape offers plenty of hidden dangers – which is why each car has a ‘spotter’ to help navigate, And if the scenery looks familiar that’s because Moab has been a movie location for years.

From Thelma & Louise to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Wayne stayed repeatedly at Red Cliffs Lodge, the base for my Land Rover adventure. There’s even a movie museum at the ranch, and a chance to ride out on horses across the range like he did.

ECONOMY 31.5mpg

BOOK IT: From £4,000, excl flights. landrover.co.uk n

Who would be mad enough to drive something this expensive through the Colorado Plateau?

THE DRIVE

VITA L STATS Land Rover Discovery 3.0 SDV6 HSE Luxury PRICE £67,925

Western fans look no further – if you want to visit John Wayne country, but with added horsepower, Land Rover has created the trip of a lifetime.

The Moab Rock Crawl isn’t a music festival, but an off-road adventure across some of the most challenging terrain on the planet. Moab is at the heart of Utah’s Colorado Plateau, a geological wonderland with 12,000 sq/ft peaks and countless cowboy towns. Nearby, The Moab Rock Crawl takes in the rock-strewn desert

ENGINE 6-cylinder 2993cc POWER 306 hp

PL AY TIM E DON’T TAKE IT SO SERIOUSLY

CREAM DREAM This baby alpaca throw

by Hästens will extend a sense of relaxing Swedish lagom into any convertible sports car. £250. hastens.com

SOUND MOVE The PaMu Slide noise-cancelling earbuds are a lifesaver for children who don’t like dad’s music. £60. padmate-tech.com

DOG GONE DRIVING Designed for dogs who ride shotgun, the Front Seat Extender from Orvis makes the passenger seat more comfortable for canine co-pilots. £79. orvis.co.uk

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Lady Katherine Colquhoun is revolutionising early education at home and abroad

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THE GUIDE

Matthew Bell meets educational gamechanger Lady Katharine Colquhoun Portrait by ALEXANDRA DAO

H

ow reassuring to find that Lady Katharine Colquhoun is every bit as formidable as you would expect of a leading London educationalist. She is the Mrs Chipsstyle figurehead behind Broomwood Hall and Northcote Lodge, the successful south London junior schools that she founded in 1984. Formidable in the sense of inspiring awe and admiration, with her can-do attitude and positive outlook, not because she is in any way frightening (though one probably wouldn’t want to find oneself on the Broomwood naughty step too often).

She arrives at Scarfes Bar with not one but two assistants, and in the course of conversation you get the sense she is more used to being the one who asks the questions. But even schools need a PR campaign these days, and she is not shy to promote hers. She makes a point of setting out Broomwood’s core values, which all sound sensible: ‘We want children to do their best, to work hard, to make friends, to be tolerant, to think of others…’ But why must they be called Town or country? ‘core values’? Surely the point of private schools Both. We’ve had 12 years of trying is that they don’t have to get bogged down to decide and still in national curriculum jargon. In fact, Lady haven’t made a Colquhoun is a big fan of the curriculum, which decision. she says ‘has been fabulous’. ‘I remember [in the Glass of wine or green tea?

1970s] being in staffrooms where teachers were A cocktail. insulted that there might be a consensus of how Cat or dog? and what should be taught, they were really quite Definitely a angry,’ she says, looking astonished. ‘But if you Dachshund. We have one. look at the way that standards have grown in all schools it has been really very good.’

Power breakfast or languorous She admits, though, that things were much lunch? I would simpler back in 1984, when she opened her say a family breakfast. We first school. Having grown up in Australia, love a long the daughter of two scientists, she had been breakfast in working as a supply teacher in Hampstead. She Scotland, they sometimes last spotted a need for a school somewhere between two hours.

Dulwich, Wimbledon and Garden House, Sharp suits or so she and a friend simply hopped in a car cosy knits? I love my clothes. It and drove around south London looking for would have to a site. They spotted a disused Methodist church be one thing hall on Broomwood Road, and that’s how it in London and another in the all began. ‘I told two people not to tell anyone country. But else, and from there the telephone started probably a lovely dress. ringing. I collected all their numbers and

IN BRIEF

names on an answering machine, and we opened six months later.’

Four years on, the school had outgrown its site, so they moved into the old vicarage of St Luke’s church. In 1989 she married her husband Malcolm, who has subsequently become very involved in the schools, running the finance and business side. When a former union headquarters came up for sale at 74 Nightingale Lane, they bought it and have been there ever since. This year, following years of demand, they plan to open their first senior school. However, she does not believe in expansion at all costs. ‘At one point I had a chance to buy a large ex-state school site, but there was something missing. I think the environment is very important to creating the right atmosphere, and in some ways our schools are not unfamiliar to home, in that they are carpeted and cosy, and we have proper gardens with trees and fruit and flowers.’

As parents know only too well, educating children privately is not cheap. Lady C’s advice on that is, if faced with a stark choice, to prioritise the early years over the later ones. ‘Nowadays people have to make decisions as to whether they’re going to do private or whether they’re going to do state, and when to do which. If they want to do a balance, I would say always start with independent.

Because if you can get good habits instilled in your children when they’re four, if they learn to read and to write, and they’re used to writing thank you letters, and you make them learn their sums and how to look after their pocket money, that will stay with them for ever; it’s a habit, they’re living it, breathing it, they can see a reason for it. Then, once those values are instilled in them, and you need to move them, they’re still going to thrive.’

In 2008, Malcolm’s father died and he succeeded as the 9th Baronet Colquhoun of Luss, a title that came with a 40,000-acre estate on the banks of Loch Lomond. Lady Colquhoun immediately got involved as a director of the board of the estate, and they divide their time now between Scotland and London. With so many responsibilities wherever she goes, I wonder if she finds it difficult to ever switch off. ‘I read,’ she says. ‘I have no difficulty switching off or sleeping.’

But perhaps the most impressive of all her many achievements is the primary school for orphans that she opened in Ethiopia in 2011.

Named St George, the patron saint of both Ethiopia and England, the school replicates the Broomwood model of education for children aged from four to 18 and is growing all the time. ‘We’ve always done fundraising,’ she explains. ‘But then the figures got so high we knew we could do something really significant.’ They plan to educate 700 children by 2022. Who needs a PR campaign with figures like that?

Formidable, and an inspiration to us all. northwoodschools.com n March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 71

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MERCURY RISING Beat the heat in bold hues and tactile touches Fashion director NICOLE SMALLWOOD Photographer DANIEL GRAHAM HACK

Dress, Bora Aksu.

Earrings and necklaces, Sam Ubhi. Anklet, Ancient Greek Sandals

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Top and suede trousers, Alberta Ferretti. Earrings and bracelets, Sam Ubhi

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Top and skirt, Ulla Johnson.

Sandals, Longchamp. Rings and earrings, Sam Ubhi

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Dress, Tibi. Scarf, Camilla.

Earrings, Sam Ubhi.

Necklace, Pebble London

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Gilet, Hermès. Bikini top, Zimmermann.

Earrings, Sam Ubhi

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Top and leather shorts, Longchamp. Necklaces and earrings, Sam Ubhi.

Ring, Pebble London.

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Top and skirt, Issey Miyake TEAM Hair and make-up: Lucy Gibson at Frank Agency using Kiehl’s and Sachajuan. Model: Sofie Theobald at The Hive Management Location: The team shot on location at Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi. jumeirah.com STOCKISTS: PAGE 124

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On Location

Go behind the scenes of our Abu Dhabi desert cover shoot

J

umeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa in Abu Dhabi – Jumeirah’s most recent arrival – opened its doors a year ago in February 2019, making it the group’s 24th property. A seven-hour flight from London to Abu Dhabi, thankfully then it’s only a short 40-minute taxi ride to the resort, which feels remote enough to provide complete escapism, while at the same time it’s ideally located as a base from which to explore the desert. And so the fashion team headed out to shoot its March travel story.

The resort itself resembles an historic desert village with its luscious courtyards and meandering walkways that allow for a real sense of discovery. There’s the constant sound of running water from the natural falaj (a water channel for irrigation) that creates a soothing energy enhancing the mood of relaxation.

The swimming pool is vast at 1,000sq/m, but the intelligent design allows for guests’ privacy with numerous secluded inlets and coves, including a pool bar with water seating.

The property sprawls over five acres of tranquil desert, comprising Arabian-style rooms and split-level villas with private pools. Each bedroom has its views of the dunes and the breath-taking sunsets over the desert.

The hotel has six restaurants and bars, offering food that draws inspiration from both Arabian flavours and the rustic traditions of Italy and the Mediterranean. Romantic pool-side dining can be enjoyed at Panache, while the hotel’s rooftop bar offers the perfect spot for a sundowner. You can also visit the resort’s remote desert camp, Al Mabeet, which offers an unforgettable dinner that captures the spirit of the region’s past.

Meanwhile, the Talise Spa is the place to go and get fully pampered. With 13 rooms, treatments include Turkish hammams, snow caves, hot and cold plunge pools, and crystal salt and IceLab Cryo Therapy rooms. For adventurous types, trips out to the desert dunes by car start before dawn to catch the epic sunrise. You can also enjoy desert treks, camel rides, archery and falconry shows every evening at the hotel.

For something slightly further afield, you can investigate the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Ferrari World, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and the garden city in Al Ain, a UNESCO world heritage site. Or time your stay to coincide with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November or the Sheikh Zayed heritage festival.

The beauty of this desert resort is not only the exquisite surroundings but also the weather – even in their winter it’s a winning destination for a holiday in the sun.

Doubles from £293 a night with breakfast. jumeirah.com n

Jumeirah Al Wathba was the perfect base for our desert fashion shoot

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SALE NOW ON

LUXURY BATHROOMS NATIONWIDE

To book a showroom appointment, call 0345 600 1950 or visit our website www.cphart.co.uk

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ON THE HORIZON From electric air travel to hotels without walls, Rebecca Cox counts down the top ten travel trends for 2020

W

ith ever-more attention paid to addressing issues like sustainability, the environment and wellness, the travel industry is undergoing a substantial – and exciting – transformation. Here’s what your two-week break looks like in the new decade.

OPT FOR ENERGY-POSITIVE HOTELS As more hotels strive for carbon neutrality, the new breed of eco properties is going further still.

Svart in Norway’s Arctic Circle will open in 2021 and is set to be the world’s first energy-positive hotel (unless someone else gets there first). With a 360-degree view across the Svartisen glacier and in prime Northern Lights country this circular hotel on stilts will produce more energy than it uses – which is already 85 per cent less energy consumption than a traditional hotel. It has 99 rooms, four restaurants and a 1000 sq/m spa, meaning the project isn’t exactly small-scale, with on-site facilities including a sustainable farm, an education centre and a design laboratory. Hotel rooms, restaurants and terraces have been strategically placed within a circular footprint to exploit the sun’s energy no matter the time of day or season, plus there are Norwegian solar panels cladding the roof. Find yourself an eco-responsible way to travel there and you’ve got one seriously planet-friendly holiday. svart.no March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 85

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SUPERSIZE YOUR SUPERYACHT

TAKE PART IN THE RAIL RENAISSANCE

UPGRADE YOUR VILLA The devil is in the detail when it comes to finding your perfect villa rental for 2020. If you’re spending two weeks in a home away from home in the summer, stock canvases and whitewashed walls simply won’t suffice. Check out The Thinking Traveller’s collection of contemporary design villas for the most beautiful backdrop to your next getaway (and an album of holiday snaps worth sharing). We love their DolceVita property in Sicily for its quirky design features and stunning sea views. thethinkingtraveller.com

As we give excess flights the swerve, train travel is increasing in popularity. You could start by exploring the UK by rail (it would take you around 14 hours of travel to get from Penzance to Inverness). But if it’s retro train travel that appeals, try the new Murder Mystery on the Orient Express Experience (ariodantetravel.com) or check out The Party with Belmond Hotel Cipriani, an immersive 1920s journey from Venice to London.(belmond.com)

While some of 2020’s travel trends call for downsizing (swapping four wheels for two, for example) there is one area where more is still more. Superyacht designer Espen Øino’s largest and most innovative project to date, as unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2019, has been dubbed the ‘world’s largest private superyacht’. The Njord (named for the god of seas and winds in Norse mythology) will contain 118 private, self-contained, two to six bedroom residences, all with sea views and private terraces, under development with Ocean Residences.

‘Green’ ship technology has been adopted on all propulsion and power generation systems.

Energy sources are also being developed with a mission to use the best possible practice when sailing to the world’s most beautiful locations. Residents can expect a programme of lectures and workshops, local cuisines, and cultural experiences to enhance their life on board. my-njord.com

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GIVE BACK As well as taking responsibility for the impact of our travels, we increasingly expect our tour providers to give back too. Luxury travel specialist Red Savannah is ahead of the curve, launching Green Savannah (redsavannah. com) to hammer home its eco initiatives, including sponsorship of Rainforest Trust UK and support of projects aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. In the meantime, Natural World Safaris is launching Expeditions for Change, a new series of philanthropic conservation safaris (naturalworldsafariscom).

STAY IN A HOTEL WITHOUT WALLS Inspired by the Null Stern concept hotel (now a museum) opened in 2009 by artists Frank and Patrik Riklin, open-air hotels will appear in eastern Switzerland from early spring. From Toggenburg to the principality of Liechtenstein there are plans to offer hotel rooms without walls or roofs, located in spots that allow guests to get closer to nature.

If this worries you, the presence of your personal butler should ease your mind. lake-constance.com

PREPARE TO BE TRANSFORMED Seventy per cent of consumers now opt for experience over object when spending their money so companies like Black Tomato have focussed on creating unique transformational experiences. Its Bring it Back series consists of seven tailor-made itineraries that encourage ‘existential epiphanies’ by examining some of life’s tough questions. For instance, its Work-Life Balance itinerary involves spending a day with a Danish journalist specialising in the field. blacktomato.com

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EXPERIENCE WELLNESS 2.0 The wellness travel sector shows no signs of slowing, with more ways to de-stress (before you re-stress) than ever. Our pick? A visit to the brand new 12-room Arctic Bath, a floating spa hotel on the Lule River in Swedish Lapland. Built in a circular shape on the water, it floats in summer and freezes in winter, with a giant ice bath in the middle ringed by three saunas, hot baths and a spa treatment room. Add in the Northern Lights and you’ve got a magical restorative experience. arcticbath.se

FIVE DESTINATIONS TO VISIT IN 2020

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO Marrakech has been named Africa’s very first Capital of Culture this year, so there’s never been a better time to visit the thousand-year-old red city.

Despite the push to achieve 2,000mph space travel, elsewhere on the globe things are slowing down. The slow travel trend is on the rise, with walking, boating and cycling breaks more popular than ever. The Slow Cyclist arranges small group cycling and walking holidays in Transylvania, Rwanda, and Northern Greece. E-bikes mean they’re suitable for all fitness and ability levels. theslowcyclist.co.uk

GO ELECTRIC

OLD SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO UNESCO World Heritage site Old San Juan celebrates its 500th year in 2020.

Weaving Taino, African and Spanish traditions, there’s a packed calendar of events, fairs and festivals taking place.

RIJEKA, CROATIA Rijeka, Croatia’s third largest city, is one of 2020’s European Capitals of Culture, with a host of exciting events and openings to mark the occasion.

Last year sustainable travel went global. But with a world waking up to the climate crisis, eco credentials in tourism are even more under the microscope. Rolls-Royce is planning a test flight of its first electric plane (the ACCEL) this year, with the E-Fan X, its collab with Siemens and Airbus, shortly behind. While we wait for emission-free flying, many of us are turning to alternative travel methods such as trains and buses. Apps like Omio allow users to compare journeys by cost, travel time and environmental impact. omio.co.uk GALWAY, IRELAND Also a Capital of Culture, Galway has a full programme in the works, including a reading of Homer’s Odyssey on its beaches and a celebration of influential Irish writer JM Synge.

For 2020’s hottest hotel openings check out What’s On by Country & Town House at countryandtownhouse.co.uk n

VIENNA, AUSTRIA In the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Vienna has planned a full year of unmissable celebrations, exhibitions and concerts.

PHOTOS: ©ANDERS BLOMQVIST, ©ALBERTO FERRERO, ©SNØHETTA PLOMPMOZES MIRIS, ©CHRISTIAN STEMPER, ©JUAN ENCALADA ON UNSPLASH

SLOW IT DOWN

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Harvard-educated Bensley wants to transform the travel industry one hotel at a time

WILD AT HEART Bill Bensley is the game-changing designer creating hotels with a difference all over the world, says Emma Love

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fter 33 years of designing more than 200 hotels for some of the industry’s biggest names – Four Seasons, Rosewood, Raffles, Marriott – globally-renowned, American-born and Bangkokbased architect and interiors visionary Bill Bensley launched the Bensley Collection hotel brand in Cambodia in 2017. Finally he had a no-holds-barred outlet for his most wacky creative ideas. These include giving guests the option of zip lining into his latest project, Shinta Mani Wild, a 400-hectare private nature sanctuary with just 15 elevated luxury tents in the Cambodian wilderness. Do many choose to arrive by whizzing through the tree canopy? ‘Everyone takes the zip line,’ he grins, wearing his trademark natty bow tie and braces when we meet in a London hotel for coffee one grey autumn morning. ‘My sister, who is 74, has the record for being the oldest. She was scared at first but we set up a gin and tonic bar at the top: then she loved it.’

Bensley describes the project, which took six years to complete, as ‘an exercise in trying to show Cambodians that conservation is better than extraction’. One of his biggest ongoing problems is poaching.

‘We operate a high-yield, low-impact model and it’s just enough to be able to sustain the 110 army guards we employ to protect the forest.’

Together with his business partner, Sokoun Chanpreda, he has also set up the Shinta Mani Foundation to support the local community. As well as offering dental services and schooling for children it provides water wells and emergency food aid where needed. ‘The future of hospitality should be that every single hotel has a purpose beyond putting heads on beds. Hoteliers have a responsibility to not just feed

guests pasta and margaritas but to inspire them to do the right thing in the places that they’re visiting,’ he continues.

Over the years Bensley has gained a reputation for persuading hotel companies to think more carefully about the environment. At Capella Ubud tented camp in Bali, for instance (which won Best Hotel Exterior 2019 at Prix Versailles, the prestigious international architecture and design awards), the original plan was for 120 rooms until he insisted on only 22, to lessen the impact. ‘That large a number would have decimated this sensitive, beautiful jungle valley. I suggested we create fewer rooms, without chopping down a single tree, and charge a higher price per night,’ he recalls. ‘The longer I do this, the easier it becomes to convince companies to do hotels with a purpose that build in sustainability from the word go. People expect that from me now and I get very little argument.’

This eco-minded way of thinking stems from a childhood spent growing up on a farm in California. ‘We were basically self-sufficient: we had chickens, quail, duck and all the vegetables we could eat.

When I hear people talk about sustainability now, I think, is that a new concept?’ Bensley’s early love of gardening led to a degree in landscape architecture, which he followed up with a masters’ degree in urban design at Harvard. ‘I’m a gardener first – man, you should see our nursery in Chang Mai,’ he enthuses, referring to the green space he owns with his husband, horticulturist Jirachai Rengthong. ‘We have probably 40,000 plants, which include a hundred species of bromeliads, flowering pineapples. We plant them en masse and they look fantastic.’

If sustainable living is one of Bensley’s passions, the other is storytelling. ‘I think history is important and I think a story is important. Whether guests are staying for one night or a week, hotels have an opportunity to influence. I love to do that by teaching guests something new. That way they remember the hotel.’ At Capella Ubud this means design inspired by the early European

Shinta Mani is paradise – with a social and environmental conscience

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GAME CHANGERS

ROSEWOOD LUANG PRABANG, LAOS ‘This is a favourite because it’s a time capsule of Laotian history, and I think that’s what I’m most pleased about.’ rosewoodhotels.com THE SIAM, THAILAND ‘At this hotel I have tried to transport guests back to the golden era of what Bangkok was like under King Rama V at the turn of the 20th century.

There are 39 rooms, each one different, and the space is filled with around 7,000 antiques.’ thesiamhotel.com CAPELLA UBUD, BALI ‘The design here broke ground in that it put conservation at the fore. It respects the environment and at the same time gives guests an insight into the history of the European settlers who came to Bali.’ capellahotels.com

PHOTOS: ©ELISEHASSEY, ©BJORN TEUFEL

around 40 hotels on the go at once – let alone stick to his daily routine, which involves leaving the office at 5.30pm, taking his five Jack Russells on a five-kilometre run, followed by a two-hour Thai massage while he checks his emails. Somehow he also manages to find time for his new hobby of drawing portraits (around 20 pastel sketches are strewn around the floor of his suite during our chat), and to go on holiday for three months of the year. He goes fishing in Mongolia annually and in April plans to tour Central Asia by train.

Bensley’s current game-changing proposals include working with the Saudi Arabian royal family on creating more than 2,000 hotel rooms across three sites, as part of the country’s new push to attract international tourists. He is also hoping to set up a school there, to teach girls about working in hospitality.

But in China he’s planning one of his most ambitious ideas yet: a zoo where the visitors are contained and the animals roam free. ‘Oh this is wacky, this is really good,’ he says excitedly. ‘The client gave us six square kilometres and asked me to build a zoo. But I hate traditional zoos.

So we are going to work with the zoos in China to release animals into this big park; then, on the periphery there will be seven hotels themed around Asian, Australian and African animals.’ Visitors will also be able to take a train around the park, stopping at seven conservation stations to learn about the value of having animals in the wild. ‘We’re going ‘The future of hospitality should be that every to be able to influence between five and ten million Chinese visitors per single hotel has a purpose beyond putting year on the idea of conservation and heads on beds. Hoteliers have a responsibility wildlife. Isn’t that cool?’ It is, to not just feed guests pasta and margaritas he concludes, his dream project.

‘If I can get this off the ground, but to inspire them to do the right thing in the I’m going to be a happy Billie.’ places that they’re visiting’ bensley.com n settlers in the 1800s (the narrative goes that each tent belongs to a different member of the Dutch Army, from the map maker to the captain). At JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa in Vietnam, the concept is a fictional Lamarck University, named after French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, where the Department of Physical Education is the trophy-lined gym and the Department of Chemistry is the bar. And at Rosewood Luang Prabang in Laos, guests discover a time capsule of Laotian history based around Bensley’s find of some original lithographs – historical manuscripts relating to the explorers of the 1866 Mekong Expedition.

Rather than buying new, wherever possible Bensley likes to reuse secondhand furniture and objects found at auctions, flea markets and antiques fairs in Europe, which get shipped to Asia and stored. ‘If you haven’t been to the Newark Antiques & Collectors Fair in Nottinghamshire, you haven’t lived,’ he quips. ‘The clients really like it: they get unique pieces, but it’s recycling on a big scale.’ As an example he cites the just-opened Fairmont Hanoi, which is themed around opera at the turn of the century. ‘There are perhaps 3,000 vintage items; some from France, some from England. I’ve collected 120 pairs of opera glasses and 50 pairs of opera gloves that we’ve put together in a display.’

It’s hard to imagine how Bensley finds time to source these pieces himself – his 120-strong team usually has

SHINTA MANI WILD, CAMBODIA ‘When I go on vacation I don’t sit by the pool and drink gin and tonics.

At Shinta Mani Wild, guests can do something different and active every day, from foraging for pink mushrooms in the acacia forest to kayaking and bird spotting.’ shintamani.com

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PHOTOS: ©ELISEHASSEY, ©BJORN TEUFEL

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A private villa at Shinta Mani, Siem Reap; exploring local temples; a Shinta Mani bedroom; nature and conservation are at the heart of each Shinta Mani hotel; spa treatments riff on traditional Khmer herbs and wisdom; an outdoor bath; the Butler’s Lounge is filled with art and artefacts handpicked by Bensley and his team

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C&TH ONLINE

THIS MONTH

by COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE This month, What’s On by Country & Town House brings you the hottest eco-travel trends for 2020 to help you lower your environmental impact as you continue to explore. Forgo imported souvenirs and tasting menus packed with flavours from around the planet and learn to live like a local’ to lower your carbon footprint while holidaying...

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TANJONG JARA, Malaysia There’s nothing that makes you feel quite like a local as taking responsibility for the mess you’re making on holiday. And when you start taking responsibility for other people’s messes, you know you’ve gone native. Don’t worry, there’s a full housekeeping service at Tanjong Jara Resort, but along with participating in the turtle protection programme, the resort encourages guests to join the local conservation efforts offered by the hotel, including regular beach cleans. tanjongjararesort.com

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ARISTI MOUNTAIN RESORT, Greece This award-winning eco lodge has multiple green policies in place, from wastewater reuse, zero plastic in room policies and energy consumption control. As well as protecting its environment (which happens to be spectacular mountains), the resort encourages visitors to live like a local and try their hands at activities such as traditional carpet weaving at the nearby Rizarios Handicraft School. aristi.eu

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SAFARI UNDER THE STARS, Laikipia Brand new for 2020, The Safari Collection has launched its first mobile camp experience, allowing visitors to ‘safari like a local’ off the beaten track. Siruai will be composed of seven cosy canvas tents, set up exclusively for guests over three nights. As well as bedding down under the stars, activities will include bush breakfasts, walks and game drives.

This eco-conscious safari will leave no trace of its visit after each stop. thesafaricollection.com

For more eco-travel trends for 2020 visit What’s On by Country & Town House at...

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AZURA RETREAT, Mozambique As Mozambique celebrates its 45th anniversary of independence, guests of Azura retreats are encouraged to not only live like a local and immerse themselves in everyday life but make an impact on the lives of local children and families, too. A member of the Pack for a Purpose initiative, they encourage guests to save a few kilos of luggage space to take supplies for local schools and medical clinics. azura-retreats.com

bit.ly/eco-travel-trends

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FOOTPRINTS

IN THE SKY PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Peter Hughes discovers luxury travel doesn’t have to cost the Earth

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OUR CONCLUSIONS

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footprint, what are the alternatives? With other commodities – electric cars, for example – demand for carbon reduction has been driven by the public. If the same happens with air travel, and the flygskam movement takes off, so to speak, how ready are the holiday companies to respond? In our experience, not very.

We challenged a selection of leading travel providers to think outside the box and come up with holidays that don’t involve aeroplanes. The rules were simple: devise a holiday with no air travel, and no cruise ships either.

The idea was to show public and professionals alike that good holidays don’t always need to start in an airport.

It’s a test the travel industry will increasingly have to face.

These holidays, all now on sale, take us to France, Slovenia, Holland, Greece and Croatia. One company, Sunvil, a niche European tour operator, was already on the case. The managing director, Chris Wright, had personally prospected a non-flying holiday to Corfu a couple of months before we got in touch. It’s now on sale. He said: ‘The response has been far greater than I expected.’ A similar trip has now been launched for Sivota and other destinations are in the pipeline.

Original Travel is another company that had already introduced a programme of European rail holidays prompted by client demand. Tom Barber, Original’s co-founder, said: ‘We see this becoming an increasingly big part of our business.’

The reaction of our selected companies to the challenge was revelatory. Some had obviously never previously considered abandoning flying; two relied partly on long road journeys. Only one declined to take part. Ironically, it trades specifically on the concept of ‘responsible travel’. Its apparent indifference hardly chimed with the pages on its website explaining at length the contribution flying makes to greenhouse gases. Hubris, naivety or greenwashing? I'm not sure.

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Rail travel is generally not as cheap as air travel. If governments are serious about encouraging holidaymakers to abandon flying, they should provide some cost incentives to get people onto trains.

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Trains do not provide a realistic option for long-haul travel. But this is where conscience comes in: one transatlantic return flight generates slightly more CO 2 per passenger than a family car does in three months.

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Flying is usually the most unpleasant part of a holiday, to be done with as quickly as possible. With surface travel, the journey will become an integral part of the holiday, with places and experiences of its own.

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Public opinion is on the move.

While Deloitte’s recent Global Millennial Survey confirmed travel was at the top of the list of millennials’ aspirations, nearly a third ranked climate change and protecting the environment as their biggest concern. As President Kennedy so nearly said, we should now be asking not what travel can do for us, but what travel can do for the planet.

PHOTO: VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS

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olidays used to be so simple.

You’d settle on a date, consider the cost and decide where to go. The only thing pricked was your bank balance – conscience didn’t come into it. Alas, no longer.

As with so much else that we buy, air travel is raising moral issues: the aeroplanes that transport us to distant holiday paradises are injecting the atmosphere with hundreds of millions of tonnes of noxious chemicals that contribute to climate change.

Today the very thought of flying is enough to light a series of blue touch papers that question where we go, how we go (a seat in first class has a nine-times greater carbon footprint than one in economy; business class is three-times greater), even whether we should go at all. The Swedes call it flygskam – flying shame – and it is reckoned to have reduced the number of passengers using the country’s busiest airports by up to ten per cent.

Flying’s annual carbon footprint is huge – it’s more than Germany’s. About 2.5 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases are attributed to aviation; in the UK it’s seven per cent. But those figures will rise as other industries de-carbonise faster and air passengers continue to multiply – traveller numbers are predicted to double to 8.2 billion by 2037.

There are calls for frequent flier schemes to be banned, for more fuel-efficient aircraft and for taxes on air fares and fuel to be raised. Airlines are countering that by introducing a worldwide carbon offset programme, mandatory on all international flights in 2027. Longer term there will be hybrid and electric aircraft and greater use of non-polluting biofuels.

In the meantime, if you want to reduce your holiday

First class travel, without the flying

The obvious substitute for air travel is rail. Another word the Swedes have coined is tagskryt – train bragging. But if there really is to be a significant move from air to rail, the national railway companies will have to get their acts together. As Sunvil’s Chris Wright says: ‘There need to be some joinedup rail booking systems.’

Incidentally, we’ve not included any existing rail holiday operators, such as Railbookers, since they have no box outside which they need to think.

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FLY-FREE HOLIDAYS

SUNVIL LONDON » CORFU

This holiday is on beautiful Corfu but the journey takes two days each way. Travel is by rail: first to Paris on Eurostar, then a night in Milan, and onward to Bari for the overnight ferry to Corfu. From around £1,600pp, based on two sharing and including return travel to London, B&B in Milan, overnight ferry and seven nights self-catering at Kalami Bay on Corfu. Hotels also available. sunvil.co.uk

CARRIER PARIS » ROVINJ » VENICE

This nine-night luxury trip starts by taking the Eurostar, business class, to Paris for two nights in the plush Hotel Le Bristol near the ChampsÉlysées. Next, you travel overnight to Venice aboard the high-speed Thello train. From Venice you drive by hire car to Rovinj for three nights at the Hotel Monte Mulini on the Croatian coast. Coming back, there are two nights in the Belmond Hotel Cipriani before returning to London on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. From £7,420pp sharing. carrier.co.uk

RED SAVANNAH LONDON » AVIGNON » PARIS

This 11-night trip includes business class seats from London to Avignon and seven nights at Crillon le Brave, a romantic hamlet-cum-hotel, plus winetasting at Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Return to Paris, with four nights at the boutique Relais Christine on the Left Bank, from £2,595pp sharing. Add four nights at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, plus travel and sightseeing, from £1,515pp. redsavannah.com

EXPLORE

PHOTO: VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS

LONDON » AMSTERDAM » DELFT

BLACK TOMATO LONDON » LJUBLJANA » INNSBRUCK

For this 11-day holiday the bespoke travel company suggests taking the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express to Venice and then travelling by chauffeur-driven electric car to Gredic in the wine area of Goriška Brda in Slovenia. On day seven you travel by road for three nights in Ljubljana, where one day is spent on activities at Lake Bled.

In the last two days you are driven to Innsbruck for a night in the Alps, before taking a train back to London via Zürich and Paris. From £8,700pp, based on two sharing, and including all transportation, accommodation and some meals. blacktomato.com

A leading adventure holiday company designed the trip with the smallest carbon footprint: a self-guided highlights of Holland by bike. Graded ‘easy’, and covering 196km, this eight-day trip starts with Amsterdam's picturesque network of canals and historic townhouses, moving on through meadows dotted with windmills to Haarlem’s Frans Hals Museum.

The next leg rolls past tulip and crocus fields to the blue and white crockery of Delft; then you cycle to Gouda for syrup waffles. The route back runs alongside the River Amstel, once used to chill its famed beer. From £975, including bike rental and B&B. The rail journey takes five hours, fares from £110. explore.co.uk n March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 97

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THE LONGEST RUNNING DRAMA RETURNS

16 – 20 JUNE

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Sip wine on the slopes of Mount Etna with Tasca d’Almerita

THE GRAPE ESCAPE Take wine tasting to the next level with these all-new estate hotels and tasting experiences, advises Alice Lascelles

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1 Cloudy Bay’s tasting shed 2 Four Seasons Resort, Napa Valley 3 Ripe French vines 4 Devon’s Lympstone Manor 5 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Sauternes 6 Sicily’s Tasca d’Almerita

including Cloudy Bay, Newton Vineyard in Napa and Argentina’s Cheval des Andes, it’s a one-stop shop for epicurean adventure.

Choose from a range of prêt-à-porter packages, or talk to them about arranging something tailor-made.

Bespoke travel specialists Black Tomato (blacktomato.com) has teamed up with online restaurant magazine Eater to create Eater Journeys, an exciting new series of itineraries taking in some of the world’s top eating and drinking destinations. The Paris & Burgundy trip begins with an urban safari through some of the capital’s most famous restaurants, bars and food shops, adding in ` a guided market tour, a cookery class and a cheese and wine tasting, before culminating in truffle hunting and more wine tasting in the heart of Burgundy.

Despite its glamorous reputation, Champagne used to be curiously short on good hotels, but that’s all changed since the arrival of the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa (royalchampagne. com), a sumptuous, creamy-coloured retreat among the vines, just outside Épernay. The panoramic views from the roof terrace are glorious, the spa is delightful and the champagne list to die for, but what this five-star hotel offers above all is the contacts to create a wine trip that’s really unique: a one-to-one champagne tutorial for instance, or a private visit to Hautvilliers, the spiritual home of Dom Pérignon, as well as access to the kind of cult, independent champagne houses that are not normally open to the public.

One of my favourite jaunts of last year was a visit to the sleepy but utterly enchanting appellation of Sauternes, in south Bordeaux. Oft overlooked in favour of its more high-octane

PHOTOS: © BENEDETTO TARANTINO, © DEEPIX

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ine and wanderlust have long gone hand in hand.

Now a fresh crop of hotels, retreats and tasting rooms offer oenophiles the chance to get straight to the heart of the action.

New for New Zealand is the Cloudy Bay Shed (cloudybay.co.nz), a beautifully appointed cellar door in Central Otago, the South Island region that famously served as the spectacular backdrop for the Lord of the Rings movies. Set in a lush garden among acres of vines, this state-of-the-art, glass-walled tasting room is the place to sample the Cloudy Bay vineyard’s celebrated pinot noir, before enjoying a barefoot barbecue under the stars. If that whets your appetite, Cloudy Bay also offers From Forage to Table, a six-day gourmet extravaganza of spearfishing, oyster shucking, foraging, wilderness picnics, vineyard tours, helicopter flights over fjords and glaciers, and private dinners at its HQs in Central Otago and Marlborough, accompanied by lashings of its top wines. I had a little taster of this, and all I can say is: prepare to be amazed.

The curator of this – and many other – exclusive wine trips is Clos 19 (clos19.com), an arm of luxury drinks company Moët Hennessy. With access to a whole portfolio of illustrious wine estates and distilleries around the world, including Krug, Ruinart, Hennessy and Glenmorangie, as well as New World wineries

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neighbours in the north of the region, Sauternes is now seeing major investment. Lalique CEO and wine magnate Silvio Denz has poured huge amounts of time, love and money into the 13th-century Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (chateau-lafauriepeyraguey.com), restoring its famous winery and adding a Michelinstarred restaurant and a crystal-encrusted hotel. Situated just a short bike ride from several other eminent châteaux – including the ravishing Château d’Yquem – this dramatic property is a wonderful base from which to explore this lovely region.

Just down the road from Lafaurie-Peyraguey, the luxury hotel group Six Senses (sixsenses.com) is also in the process of revamping accommodation at the Grand Cru Classé Château d’Arche winery.

An opening date has not been set, but having stayed at Six Senses, Douro – a hotel with a very cool, pared-back aesthetic, wonderful wine list and glass-walled room looking out on the valley’s vertiginous vineyards – I have high hopes for this one.

Sometimes simply looking at the vines is not enough. At the fivestar Castelfalfi (castelfalfi.com) resort in Tuscany, wannabe vignerons can now adopt their own vineyard (or olive grove) on the 1,100hectare estate. ‘Be a Farmer’ prices start at €260 (around £221) for a row of organically-farmed sangiovese vines and there’s a tailored package of extras that can include an invitation to join the harvest as well as personalised bottles of Tenuta Castelfalfi. Even if you’re not in it for the wine, this cluster of farmhouses, cottages and apartments in an 800-year-old medieval hamlet is well worth a visit.

If you’re heading down south to Sicily, be sure to arrange a visit to Tasca d’Almerita’s stylish new tasting room on the north face of

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Mount Etna (tascadalmerita.it). This sparingly renovated ‘palmento’ (a traditional Etnean wine cellar) lies just yards from the winery’s spectacular 99-terrace vineyards and is fully equipped for hosting private dinners and tastings, either in the lofty stone dining room or in the more cosy drawing room by the fire.

One of the most hotly anticipated openings in the US this year will be the Four Seasons Resort in California’s glitzy Napa Valley (fourseasons.com/napavalley). Blessed with its own vineyard, spa, garden-to-table restaurant, farmhouse-style lodgings (without the mud, of course) and views of the Palisades Mountains, it promises winemaking tutorials with the hotel’s winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, as well as tastings and vineyard tours by bike.

Closer to home, Lympstone Manor (lympstonemanor.co.uk) – chef Michael Caines’ romantic vineyard hotel on the Exe Estuary in Devon – will celebrate its first harvest this autumn. If you want to be sure of a front row seat (and you can literally see the vines from your bedroom window) book sooner rather than later. And leave room for a Michelin-starred dinner of truly epic proportions.

But why wait until you get to your destination to pop the cork?

Private jet company VistaJet (vistajet.com) now offers in-flight tastings as well as expert advice on buying and investing in fine wine. The company’s well-connected concierges can also arrange a spin around your favourite wine region: how about a three-day tour of Tuscany and Umbria including dinner with the Antinori family, helicopter vineyard tours and accommodation on the family estates? Oenotourism has well and truly had an upgrade. @alicelascelles. n March 2020 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 101

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VISIT US:

Design Centre East, Third Floor, Chelsea Harbour, London, SW10 0XF Harrods, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7XL

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LIVING INTERIORS DESIGN

THE INSIDER

PAPER PLAY Collage is back in a big way. Mark Alexander’s take are these beautiful handcrafted wall coverings, combining natural materials like printed glass cloth with appliquéd botanical fibres.

Grid wallcovering, £1,050 per roll. markalexander.com

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THE INSIDER

PURE MAGIC Abracadabra crystal and brass ceiling light by Atelier 001.

From £17,800. atelier001.com

I N T E R I O R S

DESIGN NOTES

GONE PEAR-SHAPED

Rugs to riches.

By Carole Annett

Spring has sprung with Cole & Son’s botanical Pearwood collection.

Aurora wallpaper, £110 p/10m. cole-and-son.com

DAYTIME DRAMA

Knot garden wallpaper, £75 a roll and chairs upholstered in Mansfield, £135 p/m. Both from Mansfield Park collection by Osborne & Little. osborneandlittle.com

RICH HISTORY

THROWAWAY STYLE Super soft and made from recycled plastic bottles.

Regimental rug, from £52. weavergreen.com

Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild is at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey from 14 February to 14 June 2020. A delve into the Designers Guild archive, changing interiors trends, and Tricia Guild’s early collaborations. ftmlondon.org

GEE WHIZZ The Smeg frother takes hot chocolate to a new level.

With a removable steel jug, anti-slip feet and 500 watt motor. £149.95. smeguk.com

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WA LL LIGHTS LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE

H E R E W E GO AGA I N Parker Knoll has relaunched its Norton recliner, now with static or power-tilt headrest and a concealed USB port. Norton 150 in Orion ochre, from £1,672. parkerknoll.co.uk

ON TRACK

Tangerine zig zag fabric

by Hermès, £195 p/m. dedar.com

DOOR TO DOOR

FRILL ME Inject some March madness to a bed or sofa with a flock of fresh cushions.

From £22 at Barker and Stonehouse. barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

Stephenson Wright is based in a converted post house in Horsley, Surrey, with a tiny cocktail bar upstairs for post-meeting drinks.

Take inspiration with this Vine sideboard with copper verdigris and antique brass detail from the Parcel Collection, £5,700. stephensonwright.com

1 Original BTC Hector wall light, from £165. originalbtc.com 2 Charles Edwards Gilt lacquer shell wall light, £936. charlesedwards.com 3 Elnaz Namaki Studio Obsidian, stone and gold leaf wall light, £1,300. elnaznamaki.com 4 Christopher Wray Wexford wall light, £345. christopherwray.com 5 Visual Comfort Leeds small round sconce in Oslo blue, £419.99. visualcomfort.com

DESIGN PARTNERS Salvesen Graham’s new seat has many guises – as a window seat, a bed-end or at a table. £1,520 (plus five metres of fabric) at David Seyfried (davidseyfried. com). Henry Fabric by Raoul Textiles, £421 p/m. (turnellandgigon.com).

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Liberty London Peacock Lasenby cotton, £15.95 p/m. libertylondon.com

Mind The Gap Wildlife of Papua wallpaper, £149 for three rolls. mindtheg.com

Tori Murphy Hamilton throw, £180. torimurphy.com

Halcyon Days Leopard cup and saucer, £55. harrods.com

Nina Campbell Lion napkin, £20. ninacampbell.com

T R E N D

JUNGLE LOOK

Go wild, says Sofia Tindall

Eichholtz Ottoman, £425. uber-interiors.com

Quail Elephant vase, £60. libertylondon.com

The wild is calling; add a splash of savannah to your study with peacock-hued velvets, bold animal prints and bronzed creatures peeping between books.

Tropical textures and wallpapers revitalise any reticent room or corner, while flamingo-pink leopard spots may not be de rigeuer for a wardrobe they’re all the rage on a notebook.

Farrow & Ball Duck Green Estate emulsion, £47.95 for 2.5 litres. farrow-ball.com

Jessica Russell Flint Velvet cushion, £58. wolfandbadger.com

Papier Notebook, £19.99. papier.com

Neptune Dominic chair in Isla Mallard, from £985. neptune.com House of Hackney Cheetah Lampstand, £645. houseofhackney.com

William & Son Patrick Mavros Silver Hippo, £795. williamandson.com

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THE INSIDER F O C U S

HEART OF STONE From marble to mosaics, this season we’re embracing the hard stuff

1 Bathroom designed by architect John Pawson, featuring polished plaster and John Pawson by Cocoon taps in brushed inox, from £773 at CP Hart. cphart.co.uk 2 The cloakroom at The AllBright club was designed

by Suzy Hoodless and features Drummonds basins, from £462, and mixer from £1,170. drummonds-uk.com 3 A bespoke mosaic panel crafted from Mutaforma nano mosaics, £3,750 per sq/m by Fameed Khalique. fameedkhalique.com 4 Eclipse porcelain wall tiles by Ca’Pietra, £2.51 each or £75.24 per sq/m (capietra.com). Duck egg blue concrete basin by Aston Matthews, from £1,290 (astonmatthews.co.uk).

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THE INSIDER

C A S E

S T U D Y

A BLANK CANVAS

Francis Sultana has filled his Georgian flat with modern masterpieces. By Sofia Tindall

A

rchitect Sir William Chambers is a formidable act to follow – but Francis Sultana is more than up to the task.

When he joined the list of owners of his Georgian apartment, designed by the 18th-century architect behind Somerset House and the pagoda at Kew, it already had a colourful history. Once the home of editor and socialite Fleur Cowles, its spectacular salons must have hosted some legendary parties in their time. However, despite an address book bursting with famous international faces, plus a few major art collectors, Sultana prefers the quiet life. ‘My favourite place is sitting on the sofa reading a book – or actually, lying in bed with my phone on mute!’

Flushes of sorbet shades, lemon-zest yellow, blue and vernal green in sumptuous silks and satins greet you in the salon, but it’s Sultana’s impressive art collection – alabaster busts, captivating abstract art on the walls and curious glass constructs – that is brought to the foreground. ‘Art is often where I begin a project,’ he explains. ‘I am lucky to be the designer for many major art collectors and so I have had to learn to work with some major pieces of contemporary art and design. Now it seems like second nature to use my collection as the starting point.’

Another leitmotif comes from closer to home. Originally from Malta, the designer was appointed the country’s Ambassador for Culture in 2017 and the Mediterranean is ‘never far’ from his heart. Evidence can be found in the greens and browns woven throughout, in a palette that evokes the country’s verdant forests and natural water pools, while pale blue walls of the salon are inspired by the building’s Georgian roots.

Adhering to an ‘art first’ principle, Sultana also sourced and commissioned artists and artisans from around the world to realise his vision. Mattia Bonetti designed the mirrors and the rug covering almost the entire floor in the largest of the two salons – Sultana’s hero item. ‘Get the biggest and best rug you can afford. You can take it with you when you move, and a good quality rug will elevate even the most humble of furniture!’

At the end of the day, though, it all comes down to design principles of honesty, originality and skill. ‘I like to find materials that will last, have longevity stylistically and have integrity. I hate anything faux,’ he adds. Needless to say Chambers would thoroughly approve.

Francis Sultana, Designs & Interiors (Vendome, £50) n

Art and colours of the Mediterranean reign supreme in Francis Sultana’s regal Georgian flat

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MAURITIUS

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EAT DRINK ESCAPE

FOOD & TRAVEL B H U T A N

LESSONS IN ZEN Emma Love discovers the world’s only carbon-negative country one temple at a time

Dochula Pass has a 360-degree view of the Himalayas

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I

t’s early morning on a hillside above Thimphu, the tiny, low-key capital of landlocked Bhutan. One of the country’s chief lamas is sitting on the floor BOOK IT wearing red robes, wooden beads held loosely in his From £9,970pp, hands, encouraging my small group to stop our whirring based on two sharing, for minds from wandering and instead to focus on nothing. a 13-night Not to think about the stillness of the ornamental pools round trip to surrounding the wooden prayer pavilion, which reflect the Bhutan via Delhi, including slow-moving, billowy clouds, nor to think about the views flights, transfers of the majestic mountains and the low-lying green valley and some stretched out enticingly below. And definitely not to ponder excursions. audley the nitty-gritty of life back in London. travel.com This is Six Senses Bhutan, a new circuit of lodges that took more than five years to build and which now connect a handful of western and central valleys.

Thimphu, Punakha, Paro and Gangtey are already open; Bumthang is slated for spring.

Here in the master lodge in Thimphu (nicknamed the Palace in the Sky), white stonewashed walls and a shingle roof take their cues from local architecture. Rooms are simple, with Himalayan hemlock floors, tan leather armchairs and cosy wool rugs, plus a bukhari (woodburning stove) for chilly nights. There’s a spa and a main social space divided into a living Finding peace in Thimphu room, restaurant and bar, all with

the same mesmerising views. At the entrance a mandala of the Medicine Buddha symbolises positive energy.

Buddhism was first introduced to the country

by Indian guru Padmasambhava in the eighth century (although it’s Tibetan Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal who’s considered the founder of modern-day Bhutan).

Its spiritual teachings are embedded in everyday life, from the clusters of 108 white prayer flags fluttering on the hills, which are said to protect the soul after someone passes away, to daily offerings for the deities.

‘Bhutan is full of belief,’ confirms our driver later, as we pass a house with incense burning outside, wisps of smoke curling up and disappearing into the warm afternoon air. Then there’s the Gross National Happiness index, a term coined in the 1970s by the Fourth Dragon King of Bhutan, to sum up the nation’s wellbeing philosophy of putting people rather than material possessions first.

A handful of key fortresses are scattered throughout Bhutan but the Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu, rebuilt many times after fire, is particularly impressive. It houses the offices of the current king, as well as monks’ quarters and a temple decorated with traditional thangka paintings and colourful ritual cakes at the altar. We spend our time there marvelling at the huge golden Buddha Dordenma statue with its meditation hall underneath, and strolling through the Centenary Farmers Market, where stalls are stacked high with foods like popped rice and dried yak’s cheese.

Across Bhutan many men and women are required to wear the distinctive national dress to work (for the

PHOTOS: © ELISA HASSELKJAER

Meditation comes easily at Six Senses Thimphu

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FOOD & TRAVEL

former, that means a kneelength plaid robe held in place with a woven cloth belt; for the latter, an ankle-length dress called a kira). This is a visual reminder of how life has remained unchanged for centuries, despite Bhutan opening up to tourism 45 years ago – thanks to its sustainable, high-value, low-impact model.

This is especially true of the lush Punakha Valley, known as the larder of the country.

As we drive over the Dochula Pass, pine trees give way to a tropical canopy and terraced rice paddies. More than 70 per cent of land in Bhutan is forested, absorbing more than six million tonnes of carbon a year. This, alongside the fact its hydropower is exported to India, explains its status as the only carbon-negative country in the world.

Hiking through fields of red chillies and aubergines to a tucked-away 17th-century temple is peaceful and uplifting. This rural landscape is reflected in the intimate, rustic design at Six Senses Punakha, where a typical farmhouse was the inspiration behind the wooden living room and bar, which cantilevers dramatically over the pool.

On the way to Paro, our final stop, lunch is chive and potato momos (dumplings) with seriously spicy ezay sauce, as well as spinach jaju soup with rice, and dry chilli and cheese (the Bhutanese love chilli and cheese).

Everything is surprisingly delicious.

Paro town itself is really just a main street lined with shops selling singing bowls and the softest wool shawls. Like us, the majority of Chilli and cheese – a people who visit use it as a base to climb Tiger’s dish the Bhutanese love Nest, Bhutan’s most famous monastery, perched on a sheer cliff face 3,120 metres above sea level.

Setting off at 7am next morning, it feels as if the entire trip has been leading to this moment. After 45 minutes of huffing and puffing up a steep dirt track, the monastery emerges like an apparition through the mist. Thanks to our early start we’re the only visitors privileged to witness nearly 30 monks filing into the main temple to begin ten days of rhythmic chanting, music (played with conch shells, trumpets and drums) and praying for world peace. It’s soul-stirring stuff.

Before dinner on the last evening at Six Senses Paro, (this property is different again, with a design inspired by the ruin of a neighbouring dzong), we visit its small on-site temple, where the resident monk guides us through meditation one last time.

Floorboards creak, candles flicker and, for a few minutes at least, my mind is finally clear. n It’s all about that fresh mountain air at Six Senses Paro

MORE THAN 70 PER CENT OF LAND IN BHUTAN IS FORESTED, ABSORBING MORE THAN SIX MILLION TONNES OF CARBON A YEAR. THIS EXPLAINS ITS STATUS AS A CARBON-NEGATIVE COUNTRY

PHOTOS: © ELISA HASSELKJAER

Rooms are designed to make the most of the awe-inspiring views

Perfect your warrior pose

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EUROPE

UPGRADE YOUR CITY BREAK

Make your next weekend escape the best yet with these six super-luxurious hotels in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations. Edited by Daisy Finer Belmond Cadogan Hotel

PRICES ARE PER NIGHT ONLY UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

Bringing a whole new level of chic to Chelsea, Belmond Cadogan Hotel swung open the doors of 75 Sloane Street last year to reveal a 54-room hotel that brims with the best of British, from its cocktails (try the breakfast martini – London gin, orange marmalade) to its collection of original art, led by artist Simon Casson, and its in-room libraries, curated by Chelsea’s John Sandoe Books. The latter is a nod to its literary heritage through the flamboyant Irish playwright, Oscar Wilde, whose arrest here was immortalised in John Betjeman’s poem, The Arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel. Expect the same level of detail in the menus, where chef patron Adam Handling delivers seasonal, sustainable, modern British dishes, from black pudding, Scotch eggs and lamb Wellington to a finale of English sherry trifle. Do indulge in his chicken butter, a serious temptation spread on warm sourdough bread at the start of the meal. Design is also a defining feature BEST FOR of this elegant hotel, and draws on its links with Lillie HISTORY Langtry, a one-time resident who was famously friends with the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), referenced in the original Prince of Wales feather detailing in the restaurant’s glorious Russell Sage interiors. A true British gem.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £438. belmond.com

BUFFS

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FOOD & TRAVEL

Bless Hotel, Madrid This isn’t just the Spanish capital’s latest luxury hotel, it’s one of the first offerings from a new brand, Bless Collection Hotels. The emphasis is on its Experiences menu, such as the Bathology offer: you can summon up daily bath oils and soaps to match your mood, alongside (if you wish) a butler to run your bath for you. Scent is important here, used to enhance a sense of wellbeing, with different fragrances selected for different spaces. If exploring Madrid hasn't worn you out, there's a spa and gym in the basement, and an emerald green rooftop pool with amazing views over the city. The acclaimed Basque chef, Martin Berasategui, oversees all the hotel’s food, and you can experience some of his signature dishes in the hotel’s main restaurant, Etxeko, which is less formal than you might expect from a chef who’s been awarded ten Michelin stars over his career so far.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £236. blesscollectionhotels.com

BEST FOR

BEST FOR

LAZY WEEKENDS Sant Francesc, Palma

EXPLORING

Originally the seat of an exalted Majorcan family, this typically Spanish mansion, with wood-carved inner courtyard and a cavernous, monastic feel, has been designed with true class. Steel and wood frame the vast glass doors and windows; succulents and miniature formal hedging juxtapose traditional 12th-century yellow stonework.

Rooms are generous, elegantly modern and with a deep sense of peace that allows for proper rest. The pièce de résistance is the bird’s nest rooftop pool and bar, part of a wistfully historic skyline.

Food here is sourced with care and intricately crafted: a delicious tiny black pig burger as an amuse-bouche followed, perhaps, by lobster tagliatelle with exquisite volcanic wine. The manager hails from a decade at Claridges and opened Soho House in Barcelona; don’t miss his city guide packed with the only addresses that count. Palma is beckoning; so too this understated hotel haven.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £172, B&B. hotelsantfrancesc.com

BEST FOR

PRICES ARE PER NIGHT ONLY UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

Royal Savoy Lausanne The Royal Savoy is vibrant Lausanne’s latest five-star hotel. Set in gardens in the Ouchy district, it's walking distance from Lake Geneva and Lausanne’s biggest attraction, the inspiring Olympic Museum. There are views of the lake from rooms in the original building, while those in the new wing have balconies for sitting out.

All rooms come with Bulgari toiletries, Nespresso machines and very comfortable beds. Use of the hotel’s stylish spa, with interlinked, heated indoor and outdoor pools, is free for guests. Service throughout is friendly and efficient, and food in the brasserie, overseen by French chef Marc Haeberlin – also of the two Michelinstarred restaurant l'Auberge de L’Ill in Alsace – is not only excellent, but good value at lunchtime, drawing many locals. In summer the Sky Lounge, on the top floor, with its 360-degree view over the lake and town, is the place to eat and drink.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £250. royalsavoy.ch

FINE

FOOD

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Palazzo Montemartini, Rome The Radisson Collection's first hotel in Rome’s city centre is a handsome lemon and cream villa yards away from the stunning Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli and the Baths of Diocletian, and strolling distance from the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain (where around £20,000 in coins is fished out every week), and Via Condotti, the city’s equivalent to Bond Street. There’s a touch of la dolce vita about this former baronial retreat built in 1881 – a new playground for Rome’s glamorous nobiltà, where cool minimalist interiors and post-modern styling meet touchstones of the eternal city's antiquity: Doric columns, enough marble to please a Caesar and a contemporary take on classical indoor fountains. The 82 bedrooms have glittering gold ceilings and some boast their own pools. The penthouse Skyline suite – so spacious the uber-rich summon Gucci and Valentino here for private fashion shows – offers a rooftop panorama of ancient buildings that speak of Rome’s 2,500 years of turbulent history and bunga bunga parties. Italians adore food culture as much as amore and chef Simone Strano’s signature dish in Senses Restaurant, stuffed squid with buffalo mozzaralla, olives and spinach, delights the cognoscenti. After a day roaming Rome (as so many of the city’s greatest hits are outdoor glories like the Colosseum, it’s best to explore on foot) energy is replenished in the Wellness Centre with its heated hydrotonic pool, salt room and treatment bays, which guests are urged to experience.

BOOK IT: Doubles from £205. radissoncollection.com

BEST FOR

ROMANTIC

ESCAPES

BEST FOR

OLD-SCHOOL

CHARM

PRICES ARE PER NIGHT ONLY UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

Baur au Lac, Zürich Just moments from Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s glitzy shopping district, and founded in 1844, this old-world icon, which has been in the same family for six generations and has welcomed everyone from Richard Wagner (who premiered the first act of his Die Walküre here accompanied by his father-in-law, Franz Liszt, on the piano) to Marc Chagall and Henry Moore, elegantly overlooks its own private park with undulating views of the lake and the Alps beyond. While away lazy summer evenings on the Terrasse bar with a chilled glass of local chablis, watching the city's beau monde at play, before heading to one of Zurich’s most celebrated restaurants, the Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed Le Pavillion, to dine on head chef Laurent Eperon’s contemporary take on Haut Cuisine. Try a fusion of pumpkin and trout soup followed by lobster under glittering vintage Lalique chandeliers.

Elegant Art Deco, Louis XVI and Regency rooms (try to book one with a lake view) offer custom-made light fittings and furniture and the finest bedlinen, with attention to detail being the mainstay. In fact, it’s this level of detail that pervades the entire hotel. Relax and enjoy.

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FOOD & TRAVEL On top of the world in the Atlas Mountains

THE ESSENTIALS

DO Visit the beautiful Tin Mal Mosque and stand in awe of the architecture, before driving to the Tizi n’Test Pass, an ancient link between the Berber cities of Taroudant and Marrakech.

W E E K E N D E R

ATLAS MOUNTAINS Morocco’s peaks are a hidden gem for year-round sun, says Jessica Harris

M BOOK IT Fly to Marrakech with British Airways from £85 return. britishairways. com Stay at Kasbah Tamadot in Asni, Morocco.

Doubles from £475 per night. virginlimited edition.com

orocco’s the kind of place you visit once and immediately know you’ll be back. It’s impossible not to be seduced by the burnt orange skies, cumin-filled air and simple way of life sans technology and smartphones. While the dusty tracks and barren desert landscapes may have you fooled, a quick trip into the Atlas Mountains will present a very different story. Lush green hillsides, flowing rivers and picturesque waterfalls provide locals with an oasis to swim and bathe before the muezzin’s melodic call to prayer rings out over the valley. An assault on the senses, it’s hard to believe that it’s just a three-and-a-half hour plane journey

The small mountain town of Asni

Ouzoud Falls

from London – no wonder tourism has more than doubled since 2002, to over 12 million visitors in 2018.

While typical hotspots such as Marrakech and Tangier remain popular with the masses, smaller towns like Asni, where I stayed at Kasbah Tamadot in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, hold all the charm of old Morocco. Wander among the laden-down mules, haggle for trinkets and immerse yourself in the local Berber culture in this hidden gem. For the more adventurous types, trek along a scenic route to the Tarabzeg Plateau or walk onto Mount Ouarhir and ascend the Aguersioual and Tamatert passes.

Then rest with a cup of mint tea with only the soaring birds for company. n

EAT One night at Kasbah Tamadot’s Kanoun restaurant and you’ll be hooked on the heady mixture of African spices and sophisticated local offerings. Ingredients are sourced from the hotel’s garden.

SEE Be prepared to lace-up and enjoy the view on guided treks (Mount Toubkal is a popular choice for hardcore hikers), mule rides and cycling trips across dusty tracks and rocky terrain.

BUY Beauty junkies can’t leave Morocco without snapping up some argan oil from Aitma Sens. Located in Province d’Al Haouz, the pit-stop is an Aladdin’s cave of homemade soaps and flower-infused oils for every ailment and beauty whim.

STAY For authentic Berber style with a hint of contemporary design, Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot hotel is a no-brainer.

Only an hour from Marrakech, it’s a sanctuary for weary travellers with panoramic views of the mountains.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

T H E

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STU DI O N EW K I TC H E N D ES IG N by CH ARL I E S M ALL BON E

The Metallics Collection 4b Ledbury Mews North Notting Hill London W11 2AF 020 7566 6794 ledburystudio.com

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HIGH SOCIETY

Rejoice! For Notting Hill’s favoured brunch spot, Chucs, has opened its (nautical themed) doors in the leafy streets of Belgravia. The only place to be sipping a Bellini this spring. chucsrestaurants.com

THIS MON TH...

VISIT Practice sobriety in style at Shaman, London’s latest addition to the thriving boozefree bar scene. shamancoffee.com

N E W S

GASTRO GOSSIP

WASTE NOT Are you zero waste curious? Get in on the action at Parker’s Tavern in Cambridge. Chef Tristan Welch has launched a new monthly supper club ‘Rubbish Cooks’, teaching diners how to use leftover food to make a delicious three-course meal. parkerstavern.com

SNACK On chocolate greens. £17.95 for five. fortnumand mason.com

Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

By Sofia Tindall

COOL CLEANSE

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Tune in to Honey & Co’s new podcast series Who Run The World?, celebrating women in the food industry – just in time for International Women’s Day. honeyandco.co.uk

DRINK Senser’s three cleverly blended alcohol-free spirits, £25. senserspirits.com

CARAT CAKE Finally, you can emulate Holly Golightly as Tiffany launches its Blue Box Café in Harrods.

Croissants, diamonds and champagne?

We’ll see you there for breakfast. harrods.com

PHOTOS: © CHRIS ROBERST; © PATRICIA NIVEN

Nosh’s Detox Winter Cleanse makes beating the winter bulge easy as pie – and almost as delicious. Its smoothies and soups are packed with antioxidents and superfoods. noshdetox.com

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FOOD & TRAVEL

R E C I P E

LET THEM EAT CAKE Myles Fensom brings back a Georgian luxury

RECIPE EXTRACTED FROM THE ART OF COOKING: A CONTEMPORARY TWIST ON GEORGIAN FARE (SOTHEBY’S, £40) PHOTOS: © NICOLA BUSHNELL; © SIMON SMITH

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

P

ineapple upside-down cake is certainly a 1970s classic, but its main ingredient was held in very high regard in Georgian society. Imported from the New World, this treasured fruit was notoriously difficult to cultivate in the cold British climate. Only the wealthiest could afford gardeners with the skill to produce a fine pineapple, and it became the ultimate status symbol. However, those who couldn’t grow their own could rent one for parties to wow their guests. Pineapple-mania endured into the late 1800s and the King of Fruit appeared in works of art, architecture, and even on the top of the men’s singles cup at Wimbledon.

METHOD

INGREDIENTS SERVES EIGHT » 435g tin of » pineapple rings » 100g golden syrup » 325g unsalted » butter, softened » Zest of 1 lime » 275g light brown » soft sugar » 5 free-range » eggs, beaten » 275g self-raising flour » Cherries to garnish

FOODIE TA L ES

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC). Line the bottom of a 30cm cake tin (if you don’t have one that big, use a 25cm one, you will simply have a deeper cake) with a double layer of greaseproof paper, extending 5cm up the sides. Make sure there’s no gap so the syrup can’t leak. Heat the golden syrup, 20g of the butter and lime zest in a saucepan, over a low heat so it doesn’t burn, until melted. Mix, pour into the cake tin, and let cool for 10 minutes or so. Then place the pineapple rings on top of the syrup mixture, pressing ever so slightly down: typically seven or eight rings. If you have any leftover pineapple, chop it up and put it in too, and set aside. Make the cake mix by beating the sugar and remaining softened butter till light and fluffy. Then add the beaten eggs, little by little so the mixture doesn’t separate – I always add a little flour halfway through to stop this happening.

Once the egg is mixed in, fold in the flour in two or three stages. Spoon the cake mix into the tin, and give the tin a few taps to settle it and push any air out so you get a nice even cake. Cook for around 45–50 minutes.

Check after 35 minutes by inserting a sharp knife – if it comes out clean, it’s ready. Once done, remove from the oven and let it settle for 15 minutes until cool. Then take it out of the cake tin, peel off the greaseproof paper and rest on a wire rack. Garnish with cherries. n

MYLES FENSOM, HEAD CHEF OF SOTHEBY’S RESTAURANT Food philosophy? I always use seasonal produce and make my food as British as can be. We change our menu on a fortnightly basis, so I speak with my suppliers every day so we can incorporate the freshest of ingredients.

Most vivid childhood food memory?

It has to be curries. I spent many Sundays with my uncle and his mother who would cook us delicious Pakistani food.

Favourite ingredient in season right now? This season, I would say the kalette.

A cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, they’re delicious.

Biggest mistake you’ve made in the kitchen? When I was working as a commis chef for Gordon Ramsay, I went into the walk-in freezer where the pastry chef had just placed a cake base for someone’s birthday. I lifted the freezer lid and the cake splattered all over the floor.

Most memorable meal out? It would have to be one of my trips to Gymkhana in Mayfair. It’s a fantastic Indian restaurant with a Michelin star.

When was last time you sent something back? I never do! If I don’t like it, I won’t eat it, I guess I just don’t like to complain!

When you’re not the kitchen, where are you? Fishing. I love to go carp fishing in Farlows or in St Albans.

What’s in your fridge right now? What isn’t in my fridge! I tend to only use seasonal ingredients when cooking at home. If it isn’t in season, why are we eating it?

Least favourite ingredient? I really can’t stand oysters.

Who would you most like to take out for dinner? I would love to take Ray Charles to The Greenhouse in Mayfair. It’s on the way to three Michelin stars, so seems like a good enough place to take the father of soul music.

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FOOD & TRAVEL

RESTAUR A NT REVIEWS

GRANTLEY HALL

NORTHERN STARS WHAT’S NEW UP NORTH

Shaun Rankin’s restaurant brings back happy memories for Anastasia Bernhardt

DARLINGTON One of just a handful of two Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK, you might recognise its chef patron James Close from MasterChef: The Professionals.

In a grade II-listed boozer he bought with his parents ten years ago, James cherry-picks dishes from all four corners of the globe and weaves them together with a real sense of theatre. rabyhuntrestaurant.co.uk

Taste of Home menu, £125. grantleyhall.co.uk n

SOUTH DALTON Husband and wife team James and Kate Mackenzie breathed life back into an old coaching inn and have since been awarded a Michelin star and The Good Pub Guide’s National Dining Pub of the Year for their efforts. This is the ultimate comfort food spot – potted pork with sticky apple, roast lamb shoulder with boulangère potatoes, and bangers with bubble and squeak. The sort of food you always want to eat. pipeandglass.co.uk

PHOTOS: © JACK HARDY; © FRASERSHOT STUDIOS

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t’s fair to say that Valeria Sykes has a saviour complex. While most people driving past a rundown 18th-century mansion would see a quick way to set fire to their cash, she decided to take on the monumental project – in her 70s – because she can’t bear to see old buildings waste away. An unconfirmed £70 million later, and Grantley Hall is an all-singing five-star hotel with a high-tech spa, restaurants and its own nightclub.

As Yorkshire’s only Relais & Châteaux member, the food offering needed to match Valeria’s ambition. Local boy done good Shaun Rankin has returned to his northern roots having made his name on Jersey with Bohemia, and later with Ormer in Mayfair.

The 12-course Taste of Home menu at his eponymous restaurant is grounded in nostalgia for his County Durham upbringing. He takes humble dishes and reworks them into something more attuned to his diners’ palettes .

‘Beef tea and dripping’ is a refined consommé served in a glass teapot, with smoky bone marrow dripping and a malty homemade loaf so delicious I had to be very strict with myself to not ruin the other 11 courses by tearing through it all.

The ‘scampi’ is nothing like the pub classic: I’ve never seen batter behave this way before, as if the langoustine has pushed out its own

wild wig like a Play-Doh barber set. I’m told it is achieved by some sort of wizardry with tapioca. It’s served with seaweed clippings that pleasingly burst in your mouth like a cross between aloe vera and caviar.

The absolute highlight of the meal had to be the cheese course.

Local Moorland Tomme cheese (like Parmesan in its texture and nuttiness) is paired with crumbly parkin and a sample of Black Sheep Best Bitter from the brewery in nearby Masham. We used to serve it in the pub I worked at as a student in Leeds and it reminds me of coming home late after my shift to find my French housemate had laid out a wedge of comté and a beer for my return.

The décor is more far traditional than the cooking, and the strings soundtrack makes the dining room feel stuffier than it needs to. But a special shout out to the sommelier, who managed to utter phrases such as a ‘whipcrack of acidity’ without sounding at all pretentious. Try it yourself – it’s impossible. Almost as impossible as the idea of taking on a £70 million restoration project well-past retirement age. But that turned out to be a pretty good idea after all.

LINCOLNSHIRE You might not think ‘Scunthorpe’ and ‘romantic meal out’ belong in the same sentence, but this spot on the banks of the Humber has newly earned a Michelin star for its mostly one-mile radius menu.

I hate making choices as I always get food envy, so the eight-course ‘surprise’ menu is a blessing.

Don’t skip the cheese trolley. winteringhamfields.co.uk

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PROPERTY

HOUSE OF THE MONTH Sell it to us in a sentence… The Martha’s Vineyard retreat of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, the estate includes over a mile of private Atlantic Ocean beachfront.

Who built it? The main house was designed by architect Hugh Newell Jacobson and completed in 1981, while Jackie commissioned her close friend, Rachel ‘Bunny’ Mellon, to design the estate’s landscapes. In 2000, Jackie’s daughter, Caroline, commissioned Deborah Berke, Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, to renovate it.

Red Gate Farm, Aquinnah, Massachusetts, United States Price: $65m 5 bedrooms 5 bathrooms 6,456 sq/ft

How big is the estate? The estate sits on a 340-acre plot of land.

What’s unique about it? It’s an ecological treasury of windswept dunes, freshwater ponds, heath and wetlands with native trees and thriving wildlife.

Does it have any juicy history? Jackie’s first husband, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963. You can just imagine the conversations that were held here, and the famous faces who stayed.

Best room in the house? The deck at the rear where you can unwind and enjoy your exceptional surroundings.

What’s special about its location? It’s a quiet spot easily accessed by ferry or plane from most areas on the East Coast.

The current owner says… ‘My mother fell in love with Martha’s Vineyard. The dunes and ponds and rolling hills of Aquinnah gave her the chance to create a world where she could be close to nature, close to her family, her friends, and her books.’

– Caroline Kennedy. +1 212 468 7140; christiesrealestate.com n

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L E T ’ S

M O V E

T O

GREECE

With 6,000 islands and 9,000 miles of coastline, there’s a spot in Greece for you to call home, says Anna Tyzack FROM ABOVE: There are plenty of small houses ripe for renovation in Greece; Fteri beach in Kefalonia; Nobu in Mykonos Town

BEST FOR...

Family time Kalami Bay in Corfu attracts beach-loving families and yachties. Book a table at The White House, the Durrells' former home. thewhitehouse.gr

Athens, believes Greece is becoming one of the most dynamic second home markets in Europe.

‘Properties are appreciating at a healthy rate and rental incomes are strong,’ he says.

The Bank of Greece reports that apartment prices rose by 9.1 per cent in the third quarter of 2019 compared to 5.3 per cent in the first quarter. According to Iliakis, many Brits are lured by Greece’s Golden Visa scheme, whereby a €250,000 (£212,837) property entails a residence permit in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

According to Marcus Gondolo-Gordon of Incognito Property (incognitoproperty.com) it’s a safe market: tourism is forecast to grow 15 per cent each year.

That said, some property values are still less than half

Party time Wander the streets of Little Venice, a small neighbourhood in Mykonos Town with the only open-air Nobu sushi bar in the world (below). belvederehotel. com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

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n the south-eastern fringe of Europe, Greece is a land of mythical heroes, gods and poets, pretty fishing villages, crystalclear seas and purple mountains. It has more than 6,000 islands and islets in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, a 9,000-mile coastline and a balmy climate to match that of the South of France or southern Spain – but none of the crowds or traffic.

This is why, according to Andrew Langton of Aylesford International (aylesford.com), more British families are buying beach houses on the islands, or villas in the olive groves of the Peloponnese. ‘The wonderful thing about Greece is that you can decide what kind of lifestyle you want to lead. For a glamorous, fast-paced life you can go to Mykonos,’ says Langton. ‘For quieter family time there is Corfu and Ithaca.’

The Greek second home market has been strong for the past 18 months, with sales of up to €12m (£10.2m) on Mykonos and Corfu. Yoannis Iliakis of property company Leptos Greece (leptosgreece.com), which sells properties in Crete, Santorini, Paros and

Downtime The villages of the Livatho peninsula to the south of Kefalonia are perfect for anyone looking for a slower pace of life. They're all surrounded by pretty beaches and stunning views.

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PROPERTY those of 2007. Greece is still considerably more affordable than other European hotspots such as the south of France and Tuscany in Italy – you can still buy a villa with a pool for less than €750,000 (£638,500) in even the most fashionable parts of Greece.

With so many islands – 60 have facilities for tourists – house-hunting in Greece can be overwhelming, particularly when you find not all properties are a sustainable investment.

‘You’ve got to think how you’re going to survive – you don’t want to be somewhere where the boats can’t come in winter,’ Langton warns.

He points buyers towards areas with airports, hospitals and good hotels, as these have the longest seasons and therefore the most attractive rental returns. ‘You can buy a cottage on a remote island for nothing, and write your memoirs, but it will be like living in the Outer Hebrides,’ he says. ‘The safest places to buy are those where you can genuinely see yourself living for nine months of the year – with fast internet, regular ferries to the mainland and flights back to the UK.’ For those looking to buy on the mainland, he recommends the Peloponnese, a couple of hours from Athens, or the west coast Ionian islands, which include Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Corfu.

The most exclusive properties are found on Mykonos and Corfu, where state-of-the-art villas on the water cost between €8m to €12m (£6.8m to £10.2m). On the sleepier islands of Kefalonia and Ithaca buyers can expect to pay less than a million for a beach house in good condition.

‘British buyers can enjoy the Greek island idyll of beachside tavernas, cicadas and the sound of lapping waves, without the fanfare of party islands such as Ibiza,’ Gondolo-Gordon says.

One of the most rewarding ways to buy Greek property, Langton believes, is to invest in a rundown farmhouse or olive mill and transform it into something wonderful. ‘In the south of France these opportunities don’t exist anymore but in Greece you can still find them,’ he explains. More than 30 years ago Langton bought a house on Corfu that hadn’t been lived in since 1943. ‘It took two or three years to restore it but now it’s something quite magical – and a place that I relate to more than anywhere else in the world.’ He admits there are fewer opportunities on Corfu these days but on nearby Zakynthos you can still purchase land for around €100,000 (£85,135). ‘It’s ten or 15 years behind; you can buy a ‘spiti’, which is a small house, in a good position and it won’t cost you a fortune to rebuild it.’

So often the process of restoring a property in a foreign country proves to be a challenge, but Langton insists the whole experience was trouble-free. The locals were friendly and there was an abundance of skilled and dedicated craftsmen. ‘Once you’ve put your feet under the table, so to speak, they adopt you and make you feel part of the community – they’re incredibly family-oriented,’ he says. ‘I’d recommend Greece over any other part of Europe.’ n

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

A statue of Achilles in the gardens of the Achilleion Palace, Corfu

The Minoan palace of Knossos, Crete

FOR SA L E

KASSIOPI, CORFU, £7.2m Villa Linamia is a beautifully presented five-bedroom villa in the north-east corner of Corfu, just minutes from Kassiopi and San Stefanos. The property is surrounded by olive groves and all the rooms and terraces overlook the Ionian Sea, with the mountains of the mainland beyond. aylesford.com

ZAKYNTHOS, £3.2m A family home in an enchanting seafront position, close to the Peligoni resort.

The main house has six double bedrooms and a pool. There’s also a separate villa with a plunge pool and three double bedrooms, plus another one-bedroom house, and a further villa with three double rooms. aylesford.com

LAKKA, PAXOS, £3.5m Set on a hillside above the pretty harbour village of Lakka, this property is made up of two houses, with gardens and grounds that run right down to a jetty on the water – perfect for a morning swim. The upper house has four bedrooms and the lower one has two. This spacious property sleeps up to 12 and has airy, light-filled interiors. incognitoproperty.com

KISSAMOS, CRETE, £702,600 One of 16 custom-built houses for sale at Viglia Beachfront Villas in Kissamos, this detached stone villa hugs the idyllic sandy bay of Viglia. The properties are designed in rustic style to blend with local scenery, and have views of the Aegean sea. Revered Falassarna beach is only 6km away. leptosgreece.com

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PROPERTY

F I V E

O F

T H E

B E S T

HOMES IN THE SUN Your slice of overseas paradise. By Amy Wakeham

MAUVEZIN, MIDI-PYRÉNÉES, £1.495m

Escape to your very own château with this beautiful house that dates all the way back to the 13th century. Reworked in the 18th century in the classic French style, it has five bedrooms over three floors, a hexagonal tower and a belvedere offering views over the rolling hills of Gascony.

Outside there’s acres of formal gardens and parkland, and a 15-metre infinity pool to enjoy. knightfrank.com

KEALIA, HAWAII, $8m USD

If you’re a fitness aficionado with a taste for island life, this one’s for you. Currently owned by Greg Glassman, co-founder of CrossFit, this private three-bedroom, 5.88-acre estate is an exercise lover’s heaven. As well as a home gym and a tennis and basketball court, there’s also a 50ft swimming pool. The path to Kuna Bay – one of Hawaii’s top surfing beaches – is only steps away. The sea view is hard to beat, too. sothebysrealty.com

MONTESPERTOLI, TUSCANY, €2.5m Only a 30-minute drive from Florence in the lush Chianti hills, this Tuscan villa embodies la dolce vita.

The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house was recently renovated by an Italian architect and his Australian wife, and features open-plan living areas, a library, and a huge kitchen – just the thing for cooking up the exceptional local produce. French windows lead from the kitchen to a paved terrace, separated from the saltwater pool by a manicured lawn. savills.com

SUGAR HILL ESTATE, BARBADOS, £6.745m Your chance to live in a piece of music history. This Bajan villa, owned by Sir Cliff Richard, has sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea from all six of its en-suite bedrooms. The interiors are sumptuous, with several dining and entertaining areas, all with beautiful aspects over the glorious blue water. It’s set in 2.6 acres of private land and is part of the Sugar Hill Estate, which has tennis courts, club house, gym and a restaurant. hamptons-international.com

LA CALIFORNIE, CANNES, POA Offering picturesque views over the Bay of Cannes, this three-storey, five-bedroom villa is perfect for entertaining. As well as an infinity pool, multiple terraces, dining areas and sun decks, it also has a wine cellar and a pool house with a state-of-the-art Sonos sound system and a fully equipped kitchen and bar. There’s even a top-of-the-range fitness suite with a gym, steam room, sauna and massage room, for sweating it all off afterwards. beauchamp.com

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PROMOTION

FROM ABOVE: Nestled in the Swiss Alps, Institut auf dem Rosenberg has an international outlook; students gain unique skills and benefit from state-of-the-art equipment; menus are created by a team of world-class chefs

EDUCATING THE FU TURE Institut auf dem Rosenberg, the Swiss boarding school redefining education

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nstitut auf dem Rosenberg has gained a reputation for offering the most forward-thinking school environment, true to its mission to educate responsible leaders for the 21st century.

Despite its 131 years of history, this is a school firmly rooted in the modern age. Skills such as adaptability and innovation, which are often overlooked in traditional education systems, yet prized in the world of work, form the backbone of Rosenberg’s educational concept. ‘We believe success should be based on a holistic and individual approach, emphasising creativity and real-life contexts,’ says headmaster Bernhard Gademann, who is the fourth generation of his family to pioneer Rosenberg’s extraordinary ethos.

Gademann’s unique approach is underpinned

by the school’s Talent & Enrichment programme, which runs alongside an impressive offering of five different academic paths. The selection of over 60 co-curricular courses gives some indication of the school’s response to present-day demands.

Subjects range from Applied Robotics and Molecular & Culinary Lab to Sustainable Design with the Monaco Yacht Club and workshops at the Norman Foster Foundation.

Rosenberg students can also immerse themselves in courses such as Creative Intelligence & Informatics, Corporate Finance and Diplomacy & Leadership – each providing them with unique skills to meet their aims and ambitions.

When it comes to facilities, teachers are supported by stateof-the-art equipment, meaning students are encouraged to seize the opportunities of technology from an early age. The Rosenberg Future Park, a dedicated future science and engineering park designed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading universities, is just one example of the many ways experimental and interdisciplinary learning is facilitated at the school.

Students are empowered to carve out their own world at Rosenberg, from the academic path they choose for themselves to the dietary plan they set with the resident nutritional chef.

School dinners are a far cry from traditional boarding school fare; menus feature a selection of international dishes made with locally sourced ingredients and all dietary requirements are catered for by a team of world-class chefs.

Additionally, with its Individual Development Plan, IDP® Department, each student at Rosenberg receives personal guidance. Balancing academia, innovation, and student wellbeing, it’s no surprise this is the school of choice for many international families who want to ensure their children reach their full potential and are placed ahead of the curve, equipped with the tools they need to take on the unique challenges of the 21st century.

Institut auf dem Rosenberg, Höhenweg 60, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland. For more information, please visit instrosenberg.ch

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1 PARKSIDE , WIMBLEDON VILLAGE

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fabulous detached house that has been rebuilt and extended to a high standard behind the original period facade. Approached via a gated carriage driveway, this impressive property has magnificent proportions with a master bedroom suite that runs the entire width of the house, as well as a lovely terrace and garden to the rear.

7 B E D R O O M S | 9 B AT H R O O M S | 5 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S C I N E M A R O O M | G A R A G E | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 1 ,7 8 4 S Q F T | E P C B I D E A L LY L O C AT E D FA C I N G D I R E C T LY O N T O W I M B L E D O N C O M M O N

Guide price ÂŁ12,500,000 Freehold Knight Frank Wimbledon diana.wormal@knightfrank.com 020 8946 0026

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PHILLIMORE TERRACE , KENSINGTON

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family house which has been thoughtfully refurbished to provide an abundance of natural light throughout this contemporary home. The house benefits from beautiful hardwood floors throughout all the reception areas and an integrated audio system and air conditioning.

6 B E D R O O M S | 4 B AT H R O O M S | 4 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | P R I VAT E PA R K I N G F O R T W O C A R S GA R D E N | GY M | JAC UZ Z I A N D ST E A M RO O M | E P C D 0 . 2 M I L E S H I G H S T R E E T K E N S I N G T O N U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ10,950,000 Freehold Knight Frank Kensington jessica.bishop@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2698

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3 CHELSEA PARK GARDENS, CHELSEA

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beautifully presented low built double fronted family house that has direct access to a private garden square, which is at the centre of this highly regarded address.

The accommodation is set over four floors and has been designed to maximise light and a sense of width within the property.

4 - 5 B E D R O O M S | 5 B AT H R O O M S | 2 - 3 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | A C C E S S T O C O M M U N A L G A R D E N W I N E C E L L A R | L A U N D R Y R O O M | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 4 , 4 3 3 S Q F T | E P C E 0 . 8 M I L E S F R O M S O U T H K E N S I N G T O N U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ8,450,000 Freehold Knight Frank Chelsea james.pace@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6172

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3 OLD CHURCH STREET, CHELSEA

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newly refurbished Georgian townhouse in the heart of historic Chelsea.

The property has undergone extensive alterations and offers modern luxury and period detail throughout. The house is located just off the King's Road, with access to the many amenities and excellent transport links that Chelsea has to offer.

4 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S | S E PA R AT E S T U D I O L A N D S C A P E D G A R D E N | U T I L I T Y R O O M | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 2 , 8 9 0 S Q F T | E P C D 0 . 9 M I L E S F R O M G L O U C E S T E R R O A D U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ7,600,000 Freehold Knight Frank Chelsea sarah.rose@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6172

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GOLF CLUB DRIVE , KINGSTON UPON THAMES

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n attractive family house set in wonderful landscaped gardens that back onto the renowned Coombe Hill Golf Club. The property has been built to the highest standard providing fantastic facilities, including a cinema room and gym.

9 B E D R O O M S | 6 B AT H R O O M S | 6 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S I N D O O R S W I M M I N G P O O L A N D S A U N A | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 9 , 0 74 S Q F T | E P C C L O C AT E D I N T H E E X C L U S I V E , P R I VAT E C O O M B E H I L L E S TAT E

Guide price ÂŁ7,000,000 Freehold Knight Frank Wimbledon diana.wormal@knightfrank.com 020 8946 0026

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3 ROYAL CRESCENT, HOLLAND PARK

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beautiful Grade II* listed house benefiting from a private west-facing garden, grand proportions and plenty of period features. The stucco fronted terrace sits on one of the few remaining crescents in London which was designed by Robert Cantwell in 1839.

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Guide price ÂŁ4,000,000 Freehold Knight Frank Notting Hill arthur.lintell@knightfrank.com 020 3641 1701

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WILTON ROW, BELGRAVIA

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n exceptionally well located mews house situated in this lovely, private position.

Wilton Row is a highly sought-after address, situated between Wilton Crescent and Grosvenor Crescent. The property is presented in good condition and has plenty of natural light.

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Guide price ÂŁ3,825,000 Freehold Knight Frank Belgravia & Westminster stuart.bailey@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5908

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3 MONTAGUE ROAD, RICHMOND

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well-presented period house set on the highly sought-after Richmond Hill. The four-storey property provides excellent living space and features a master bedroom with en suite and dressing area.

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Guide price ÂŁ3,750,000 Freehold Knight Frank Richmond richmond@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0691

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3 MARTINEAU DRIVE , TWICKENHAM

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his family house is set in an exclusive gated development located close to the River Thames. The property has been finished to an exceptionally high standard throughout and features landscaped gardens to the front and rear.

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Guide price ÂŁ3,000,000 Freehold Knight Frank Richmond richmond@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0691

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BRECHIN PLACE , SOUTH KENSINGTON

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n immaculately presented duplex penthouse apartment situated in the heart of South Kensington. The apartment comprises a large open plan kitchen and reception room with southerly views occupying the whole fourth floor.

3 B E D R O O M S | 2 B AT H R O O M S | R E C E P T I O N R O O M P E R I O D B U I L D I N G | R O O F T E R R A C E | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 , 5 7 0 S Q F T | E P C D 0 . 2 M I L E S T O G L O U C E S T E R R O A D U N D E G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ2,875,000 Freehold Knight Frank South Kensington michael.sands@knightfrank.com 020 7368 0985

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PALACE GARDENS TERRACE , KENSINGTON

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n attractive stucco-fronted period conversion which has been stylishly refurbished, occupying the entire second and third floor. The open-plan kitchen, dining and reception room enjoys an easterly aspect and charming views over the cherry tree-lined street.

3 B E D R O O M S | 2 B AT H R O O M S | R E C E P T I O N R O O M | U N D E R F L O O R H E AT I N G A C O U S T I C S O U N D P R O O F I N G S Y S T E M | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 1 , 2 0 8 S Q F T | E P C D 0 . 5 M I L E S T O K E N S I N G T O N C H U R C H S T R E E T | 0 . 3 M I L E S T O N O T T I N G H I L L G AT E U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ1,850,000 Share of freehold Knight Frank Kensington michael.sands@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2698

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HIGHLEVER ROAD, NORTH KENSINGTON

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pacious and beautifully presented family home in a sought-after location. The property benefits from a private west-facing garden, well-proportioned rooms and an abundance of natural light throughout all three floors.

3 B E D R O O M S | 3 B AT H R O O M S | R E C E P T I O N R O O M PAT I O A R E A T O T H E F R O N T | E P C C 0 .7 M I L E S F R O M L AT I M E R R O A D A N D L A D B R O K E G R O V E

Guide price ÂŁ1,700,000 Freehold Knight Frank Notting Hill chelsea.whelan@knightfrank.com +44 20 3910 9736

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BELGRAVIA COURT, BELGRAVIA

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newly refurbished apartment in a prime location, benefits from new herringbone wood floors, built-in wardrobes and a lift. The property is located in this popular portered building conveniently situated between Eaton Square and Victoria Station.

2 B E D R O O M S | 2 B AT H R O O M S | R E C E P T I O N R O O M LEASEHOLD 134 YEARS REMAINING | EPC C S L O A N E S Q U A R E U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N 0 . 5 M I L E S AWAY

Guide price ÂŁ1,450,000 Knight Frank Belgravia & Westminster matthew.armstrong@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5908

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COURTFIELD ROAD, SOUTH KENSINGTON

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luxurious, newly refurbished apartment finished with high-end furnishings and fittings with the added benefit of access to Harrington Gardens. An ideal pied-a-terre located within close proximity to the many local amenities of Gloucester Road, South Kensington and Knightsbridge.

B E D R O O M | B AT H R O O M | R E C E P T I O N R O O M L I F T A C C E S S | P E R I O D P R O P E R T Y | A P P R O X I M AT E LY 4 0 3 S Q F T | E P C D 1 3 0 YA R D S F R O M G L O U C E S T E R R O A D U N D E R G R O U N D S TAT I O N

Guide price ÂŁ800,000 Share of freehold Knight Frank South Kensington michael.sands@knightfrank.com 020 7368 0985

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THERE IS ONLY

Until April, you can earn Harrods Rewards points when buying or renting through Harrods Estates

REWARDS PROMOTION

AA beautifully finished three bedroom Awell-presented well-presented three-bedroom apartment three-bedroom apartment apartment at this premier Belgravia address inthis this exclusive exclusive Knightsbridge block in Knightsbridge block Trevor Square, Knightsbrigdge SW7 Chesham Street, Belgravia, SW1 Trevor Square, Knightsbrigdge SW7 • • • •

• Spacious reception Double reception room room • Spacious reception room • Three bedrooms Three double bedroom suites • Three bedrooms Large kitchen/breakfast room • Two en-suite bathrooms • Two en-suite bathrooms Newly refurbished & interior designed

• Car parking • Separate storagespace vault • Car parking space • 24-hour concierge andliftsecurity • Porter, security and direct access • 24-hour concierge and security • Comfort cooling system • Approx.

1,575sq ft / 146sq m Approx. 1,575sq ft /ft/174.2sq 146sq mm 1875sq • •Approximately

GUIDE GUIDEPRICE PRICE GUIDE PRICE £5,950,000 £8,350,000

£5,950,000 LEASEHOLD EPC Rating B LEASEHOLD APPROXIMATELY 984 YEARS APPROXIMATELY 984 YEARS EPC RATING CONTACT EPC E RATING E KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE CONTACT + 44 (0)20 7225 8044 CONTACT KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE jake.irwin-brown@harrodsestates.com KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE +44 (0)20 7893 8343 +44 (0)20 7893 8343 leila.dyominova@harrodsestates.com leila.dyominova@harrodsestates.com

H A R R O D S E S TAT E S . C O M H A R R O D S E S TAT E S . C O M

Harrods.indd 1

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THERE IS ONLY

Until April, you can earn Harrods Rewards points when buying or renting through Harrods Estates

REWARDS PROMOTION

AAA newly built threethree-bedroom bedroom penthouse well-presented three-bedroom apartment well-presented apartment apartment in the Knightsbridge heart of Belgravia inthis this exclusive exclusive Knightsbridge block in block Trevor Square, Knightsbrigdge SW7 Chesham Street, Belgravia, SW1 Trevor Square, Knightsbrigdge SW7 • • • •

• Spacious reception Double reception room room • Spacious reception room • Three bedrooms Three double bedroom suites • Three bedrooms Open planen-suite kitchen/breakfast bar • Two bathrooms • Two en-suite bathrooms Newly refurbished & interior designed

• Car parking • Separate storagespace vault • Car parking space • 24-hour concierge security • Porter security & directand lift access • 24-hour concierge and security • Comfort cooling system • Approx.

1,575sq ft / 146sq m Approx. 1,575sq ft /ft/163sq 146sq m m • •Approximately 1754sq

GUIDE GUIDEPRICE PRICE GUIDE PRICE £5,950,000 £7,350,000

£5,950,000 LEASEHOLD EPC Rating B LEASEHOLD APPROXIMATELY 984 YEARS APPROXIMATELY 984 YEARS EPC RATING CONTACT EPC E RATING E KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE + 44 (0)20 7225 6509 CONTACT CONTACT KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE michael.harte@harrodsestates.com KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE +44 (0)20 7893 8343 +44 (0)20 7893 8343 leila.dyominova@harrodsestates.com leila.dyominova@harrodsestates.com

H A R R O D S E S TAT E S . C O M H A R R O D S E S TAT E S . C O M

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Fabulous Mews House Marylebone, London, W1G Baker Street Underground Station: 0.4 miles Beautifully presented mews house refurbished to an excellent standard. Open-plan reception/ kitchen/dining room, further reception room, master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom, further bedroom and shower room. EPC=D Leasehold, approximately 117 years remaining | 1,269 sq ft | Guide ÂŁ2.45 million Alex Ross Savills Marylebone & Fitzrovia 020 3925 1835 ahross@savills.com

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Architectural Excellence Axmouth, Devon Axminster: 6 miles, Exeter Airport: 19.5 miles Outstanding Grade I listed William and Mary house proudly overlooking the Axe Valley and the surrounding rural countryside. 5 reception rooms, 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, ancillary lodge with 3 bedrooms, old stable block with numerous outbuildings, 3 walled gardens, pastureland, woodland.

About 20 acres I Guide ÂŁ4.5 million George Nares Savills London Country Department 020 3925 9085 george.nares @savills.com

Hamish Humfrey Knight Frank Country Department 020 7861 1717 hamish.humfrey @knightfrank.com

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Kent, Faversham

An innovative development of 14 Passive House homes. One of the UK’s first private domestic developments of its kind, each house having between 3 and 5 bedrooms Choose from 3, 4 or 5 bedrooms, each with a single or double garage | Each home features its own spacious open, south-facing garden | Built with natural materials and incredibly energy-efficient | Natural peace and quiet and safe environment for family life | Eco-conscious design Amy Taylor Canterbury Office | 01227 451 123

Edward Church Canterbury Office | 01227 451 123

/struttandparker

@struttandparker

struttandparker.com

60 Offices across England and Scotland, including prime Central London.

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www.robertholmes.co.uk

Parkside, Wimbledon Common SW19 POA A magnificent, newly built house constructed to the highest specification overlooking the Common and close to the Village high street.

Reception hall • Drawing room • Formal dining room • TV room/snug • Kitchen/breakfast/family room • Cinema room • 2nd floor games room • Wine cellar & utility room • Master bedroom suite • 5 further double bedroom suites • Family bathroom & shower room • Landscaped garden • Garage and carriage driveway.

Approximately 11,484 sq ft (1,076 sq m). EPC B

Parkside, Wimbledon Common SW19 POA A superb newly built double fronted residence with outdoor swimming pool with views over Wimbledon Common.

2 formal reception rooms • Spacious kitchen/ breakfast and family room • Cinema room and gymnasium • Master bedroom suite with dressing room • 5/6 further double bedrooms • 6 further bath/shower rooms • Landscaped garden with swimming pool • Pool room with shower and room for sauna • Garage and gated driveway parking.

Approximately 6,626 sq ft (615 sq m). EPC B

Wimbledon Village Sales & Commercial 020 8947 9833

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Wimbledon Village Lettings 020 8879 9669

30/01/2020 16:28

Eltisley Avenue, Newnham – Station 2 Miles £985,000 A most impressive bay fronted Edwardian residence with well-proportioned accommodation over three floors with attractive enclosed gardens, situated within the ever popular and desirable Newnham village district of the city. Accommodation comprising: entrance hallway, cloakroom, sitting/dining room, kitchen/breakfast room. On the first floor: 3 bedrooms, bathroom. On the second floor: bedroom. Outside: front and rear garden with patio for al fresco dining. EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Orwell – Station 3.5 Miles £1,400,000 A rather special and substantial Grade II Listed detached period barn conversion providing extensive accommodation extending to about 4,800 sq. ft., in a delightful location on the outskirts of this sought after village enjoying breathtaking views over adjoining countryside, together with a detached annexe, tennis court, outdoor swimming pool, and range of outbuildings, standing within its own grounds of about 1.24 acres. Accommodation comprising: reception hall, cloakroom, kitchen/breakfast/sitting room, family room, dining room, drawing room, living room, laundry room, utility/boot room. On the first floor: 3 bedrooms – 1 with en suite shower room and drawing room. On the second floor: 2 bedrooms, bathroom. EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

cheffins.co.uk 01223 214214

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Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London

29/01/2020 12:59

Little Gransden – Station 8 Miles £2,500,000 A wonderful recently built country residence of significant contemporary style and character, in this idyllic location towards the edge of this picturesque, quaint village, standing within its own grounds in all extending to around 4.8 acres comprising formal gardens and fenced paddocks with stables and a range of outbuildings. The property also benefits from direct access to a large network of bridleways and woodlands. Accommodation comprising: reception hall, spiral wine cellar, cloak/shower room, day room, living/games room, gymnasium, sitting room, plant room, kitchen/laundry room, boot room, 4 bedrooms – 2 with en suites. On the first floor: cloakroom, master bedroom with en suite and dressing room, kitchen/dining/drawing room, snug.

Contact: Richard Freshwater | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London

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01223 214214 cheffins.co.uk

29/01/2020 12:59

Whittlesford – Station within walking distance £990,000 A most impressive and substantial detached residence providing vast and versatile living accommodation arranged over four floors, extending in all to about 3,050 sq. ft. and occupying a most convenient and prominent non-estate position towards the edge of this highly sought after village and just a short walk from Whittlesford’s own mainline station. Reception hall, cloakroom, sitting room, bedroom with en suite bathroom. On the ground floor: open plan kitchen/living room, dining room, utility room, cloakroom. On the first floor: 3 bedrooms – 1 with en suite shower room, bathroom. On the second floor: 2 bedrooms, cloakroom. Outside: detached double garage, enclosed gardens. EER:C Contact: Martin Walshe | Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 | martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk

Hadstock – Station 8 Miles £1,200,000 A unique and substantial detached residence offering accommodation of approximately 3,000 sq. ft. over three floors. The property is set in mature grounds of approximately 2.4 acres in a tucked-away location with stunning views over the surrounding rolling countryside. Accommodation comprising: reception hall, boot room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom. On the first floor: 3 bedrooms – 1 with en suite, further bedroom/ games room, bathroom. On the second floor: 3 bedrooms, shower room. Outside: driveway parking, detached double garage, extensive gardens, workshop, office. EER:F Contact: Bruce King | Saffron Walden Office: 01799 523656 | bruce.king@cheffins.co.uk

cheffins.co.uk 01223 214214

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Cambridge | Saffron Walden | Newmarket | Ely | Haverhill | London

29/01/2020 12:59

FryerningOutskirts Essex Brentwood Fryerning Essex

Guide Price £1,200,000 Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide Price £3,850,000 An historic farmhouse c.1530 being Grade II Listed striking five double bedroom, reception Grade II AAstriking five double bedroom, fourfour reception Grade II offering character features throughout including listed period property thought to date backback 500 years. listed period property thought to date 500 years. carefully selected fittings, original exposed timbers This charming residence is originally thought to be 3 charming residence originally thought andThis ceiling beams and mullioniswindows, set on a to be 3 cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of interesting cottages, now providing a fantastic flow of plot of approx. one third of an acre overlooking interesting and extensive family living space over two two floors.

The The and extensive family living space over floors. open countryside, well placed for Brentwood main 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed line station and road links. Detached double-height sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting from a barnsympathetically with workshop with and adjoining offi ce/leisure from a paddocks (benefitting second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake. room.

EPC exempt. second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake.

Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage Numerous court, double garage and detachedoutbuildings, one bedroomtennis annexe.

Equestrian and detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian potential.

EPC Exempt

potential. EPC Exempt

Country && Village ce 01277 Country VillageOffi Office 01245350614 397475

Country & Village Office 01245 397475

Fryerning Essex Brentwood Stondon Massey, Guide GuidePrice Price £3,850,000 £850,000

Fryerning Essex A striking character bedroom detached A five3double bedroom, fourcottage reception Grade II offering potential to extend on500 twoyears.

Guide Price £3,850,000 listed period property thought(STPP) to dateset back acrescharming of gardens in a semi-rural location, well This residence is originally thought to be 3

A striking fivefor double bedroom, four reception Grade II placed Brentwood centre, main road cottages, now providingtown a fantastic flow of interesting listedand period property thought to date back 500 years. linksextensive and openfamily countryside.

Main reception with living space over two floors.

The This charming residence is originally thought to be woodburner, Conservatory, country-style kitchen 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed 3 cottages, now providing apaddocks fantastic flow of interesting with range cooker detached garage.

EPC sympathetically withand (benefitting fromE. a and extensive family living space over two floors. Thelake. second separate access), ponds and a substantial 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds Numerous outbuildings, tennis court,mixed double garage sympathetically with paddocks from a and detached one bedroom(benefitting annexe. Equestrian potential.

EPCaccess), Exemptponds and a substantial lake. second separate Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage and detached bedroom annexe.

Equestrian Countryone Village Offi ce01245 01277 350614 Country &&Village Office 397475 potential. EPC Exempt

Country Village Office 01245 397475 Sales •&Lettings • Mortgages Beresford.indd 157 Sales • Lettings • Mortgages

29/01/2020 12:58

CTH Ad SP 01.20.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:26 Page 1

Falmouth, Cornwall Truro 10 miles, Newquay Airport 28 miles One of the finest houses in this seaside university town, occupying an exceptionally private setting close to the beach, amidst glorious gardens and grounds of over 1.2 acres. 5/6 bedrooms, garaging, studio, 3656 sqft, 1.28 acres, EPC – F Guide £1.65m

J O N AT H A N CUNLIFFE Jonathon Cunliffe.indd 1

jonathancunliffe.co.uk

22/01/2020 14:26

Alfred Homes.indd 1

30/01/2020 13:46

Hamptons Haywards Heath

LEWES, EAST SUSSEX Price on Application Freehold The majority of the main house is thought to date from the early 1800’s, the current owners have fully refurbished and extended the property.

7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 5 reception rooms, EPC: E

hamptons.co.uk |

@hamptonsint

Hamptons.indd 2327 HAM CaTH1Magazine 2pp Ad Feb 2020 v2.indd 1

Darren Middleton | 01444 360 169 | MiddletonD@hamptons-int.com

29/01/2020 27/01/2020 13:00 10:03

hamptons.co.uk

WINSCOMBE, BRISTOL Guide Price £1,225,000 Freehold A charmingly presented detached Victorian family house, offering over 5,600 sq ft of accommodation, stables and garage. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 4 reception rooms, EPC: D Christopher Firth | 0117 369 1004 | FirthC@hamptons-int.com

OLD KIDLINGTON, OXFORDSHIRE

MISLINGFORD, HAMPSHIRE

Offers in region of £1,100,000 Freehold

Guide Price £1,850,000 Freehold

Sitting in the middle of Old Kidlington is Tower Hill Farm, a Grade II Listed farm built approximately 250 years ago.

A fabulous contemporary property in 1.5 acres, totalling 7,100 sq ft including a self-contained annexe/home office.

4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms

7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 8 reception rooms, EPC: C

Charles Wellbelove | 01865 575 607 | WellbeloveC@hamptons-int.com

Alexandra Weller | 01962 920 413 | WellerA@hamptons-int.com

hamptons.co.uk

Hamptons.indd 2327 HAM CaTH2Magazine 2pp Ad Feb 2020 v3.indd 2

@hamptonsint

29/01/2020 27/01/2020 13:00 14:40

Hamptons Bath

INGLESBATCH, BATH Guide Price ÂŁ1,250,000 Freehold A wonderful barn converted into an elegant family home with breath-taking views from the large garden.

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, EPC: D

hamptons.co.uk |

@hamptonsint

Hamptons.indd 2327 HAM CaTH3Magazine 2pp Ad Feb 2020 v3.indd 3

Chandra Devadason | 01225 220 546 | DevadasonC@hamptons-int.com

29/01/2020 27/01/2020 13:00 14:40

If you’re looking at properties outside London, then an hour or two spent at our Roadshow will be invaluable. Experienced agents from across our network will be at five branches in the capital to answer questions on property, locations, schools, transport - whatever you want.

The Hamptons Roadshow. Saturday 21 March | 10am - 2pm

For more information contact your local branch: Battersea 020 3151 2428 | Islington 020 3151 9396 Notting Hill 020 3369 3294 | Richmond 020 3369 3348 | West Hampstead 020 3369 2155

Hamptons.indd 2327 HAM CaTH4Magazine 2pp Ad Feb 2020 v2.indd 4

29/01/2020 27/01/2020 13:00 10:04

LAST WORD

TALES OF OUR TIME

It’s time to join the pyjama party, says Michael Hayman, a keen advocate of flannel

D

eep beneath Britain’s bedsheets a secret simmers. Every night a difficult choice is made but rarely discussed – and the consequences divide the nation. For these evening escapades reveal a naked truth: your membership, or not, to the pyjama party.

To be fair, in recent times, it’s not been a popular choice.

But the exit polls suggest a surprising uplift in the popularity of a garment that its critics might want to equate with, say, Bertie Wooster bench pressing or even a fetching double-breasted night-time number for Jacob Rees-Mogg.

‘I’ve never seen a man fall asleep while wearing pajamas,’ is the cruel charge of Olga Khazan in a column for The Atlantic. And to rub salt into the wound, she even evokes Marilyn Monroe’s missive that the only thing she ever wore to sleep in was Chanel No. 5.

But not so fast, PJ-phobes.

On either side of the pond things are changing. It’s time for pyjama wearers of the world to unite because our days in the shadows of shame are over: the fun is back in flannel.

And it’s a celebrity choice too.

Take the Hollywood A-lister Robin Wright who, as Claire Underwood in House of Cards, donned a pair of blue silk power PJs. She went on to create an ethical pyjama company, Pour Les Femmes, because, as she told Vogue, ‘We love being in bed’.

And more time at home might explain part of the renaissance in sleepwear. The Danes have a word for it: hygge. Simply put, it evokes a cosy lifestyle and feelings of warmth and comfort. Back in Blighty, we are turning this urge to feel good in our homes into big business. Take PJ Pan, a Perthsire-based firm which pitches ‘luxury nightwear: made in Britain’.

This patriotic take on the PJ is the passion of its founder Pandora Stormonth Darling, who says that over the last five years there has been nothing short of a revolution in pyjama sales and that they have ‘become a thing’ because we ‘want to feel good at home.’

In recent times pyjamas have burst out of the bedroom onto the catwalk – and even gone as far afield as convenience stores. They’re so popular that a Tesco in Cardiff even tried to ban them from its aisles.

But, vive la revolution: once insurgencies start, they are very difficult to stop. So, if you are reading this in bed, perhaps in the buff, it Haute couch-ure: PJs are here might be time to cover to stay thanks to brands like Robin Wright’s Pour Les Femmes up and join the party.

The pyjama party.

Michael Hayman is co-founder of Seven Hills and co-author of Mission: How the Best in Business Break Through. He is a pyjama wearer. n

TA L K ING POIN TS STAY The George Hotel & Beach Club, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, a glorious 17th-century townhouse on the water’s edge (thegeorge.co.uk).

LISTEN You’re Dead To Me, a podcast from Greg Jenner that brings together the best names in comedy and history (bbc.co.uk). WATCH The Biggest Little Farm, for those who want to live their dreams (biggestlittlefarmmovie.com). READ Feel Better In 5 by Dr Rangan Chatterjee, for tips on the good life (drchatterjee.com). EXPERIENCE Davies and Brook, a new landmark on the London restaurant scene (claridges.co.uk).

160 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2020

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baume-et-mercier.com

Baumatic In-house self-winding Steel 40mm

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BORN IN LE BRASSUS

RAISED AROUND THE WORLD

AU D E M A R S P I G U E T B O U T I Q U E S LO N D O N : S LOA N E S T R E E T | H A R R O D S F I N E WATC H E S A P H O U S E L O N D O N : N E W B O N D S T R E E T ( B Y A P P O I N T M E N T O N LY )

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17.01.20 15:36 17/01/2020 17:32