Destinations of the World News - August 2011

August 2011

STOCKHOLM STYLE

Effortless cool in the Swedish capital

RHODE TO SUCCESS Gary Rhodes’ recipe for success

BOUTIQUE INDIA

India’s new wave of luxury hotels

Gold Coast

With endless, unspoiled beaches and big plans for development, Australia’s Gold Coast just got richer

FINAL WORD

Virginia Casale - Les Clefs d’Or

HISTORIC HOTELS

Mystery and intrigue at Pera Palace

SUITE DREAMS Four Seasons Kuda Huraa

JUMEIRAH HIMALAYAS HOTEL, SHANGHAI, NOW OPEN

Maldives Now Open

Frankfurt Fall 2011

Abu Dhabi Fall 2011

YOU ARE THE INSPIRATION You are different.

That’s why Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts are opening new hotels around the world, inspired by your individuality.

STAY DIFFERENT™ AT JUMEIR AH HOTELS & RESORTS FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR TR AVEL PROFESSIONAL OR VISIT JUMEIR AH.COM

Dubai / London / Maldives / New York / Shanghai & Opening Soon: Abu Dhabi / Azerbaijan / Frankfurt / Kuwait / Mallorca

Sectiony

title

Contents

August 2011

On the cover 40 Gold Coast The affluent family traveller’s favourite

playground is undergoing a tourism renaissance, says Scott Lang

50 Style in Stockholm The ultra-trendy Swedish capital keeps on innovating, says Andy Round

56 Boutique India A new wave of luxurious boutique hotels

is reshaping India’s travel scene – Jo Foley shares her favourites

64 Historic hotels Istanbul’s Pera Palace has always been a haven for writers and celebrities, says Dorothy Waldman

56

Seeing red The modern lobby of Devi Ratn in the ancient city of Jaipur is a welcome contrast

11

July 2011

dotwnews.com

dotwnews.com

August 2011

11

Sectiony

Contents

title

August 2011

70 In the news 18 Retrospective St. Basil’s Cathedral celebrates 450 years 20 Europe Could tourism be the lifeline Greece needs?

22 Middle East & Africa Al Ain joins UNESCO World Heritage List 26 Asia & Oceania Richard Branson opens private island to public 30 Americas Panama: Central America’s new business hub?

34 Trends New travel and tourism concepts making the news 38 Interview Master chef Gary Rhodes talks taste

22

38

76

Insider 68 Diary Out and about this month? Don’t miss these events 70 Spend it The latest itineraries from the world’s top travel companies 74 Debut Keeping tabs on the latest hotel openings around the world 76 Suite dreams Four Seasons Kuda Huraa’s Royal Beach Villa 78 Connoisseur Mary Gostelow scouts Germany’s financial hub 80 Album Ian Walker, skipper of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team 82 Final Word Virginia Casale, president of Les Clefs d’Or

dotwnews.com

August 2011

13

Letter from the Editor My MeMories of faMily holidays fall into two categories. The first is all-inclusive trips to places like the Balearic islands, in family-friendly hotels where my sister and I would spend the day tiring ourselves out at the kids’ club or splashing around in the family pool while our parents roasted themselves and overindulged in fruity cocktails. We rarely left the hotel, and my parents would inevitably return from the trip looking more deflated than when they left.

The second kind was the occasional villa holiday in the Canaries, where my sister and I would grow increasingly frustrated with the lack of things to do and the boring day-trips to volcanoes and other local attractions in a tiny rental car. My parents invariably preferred these trips – there were no other tourists, plenty of privacy and, most importantly, peace and quiet. But from a seven-year-old’s point of view, they were dull as dishwater.

If only our parents had had the sense to take us to australia’s Gold Coast, it seems our problems would have been solved. Rarely has a destination been blessed with so many reasons for visiting, and enough to appeal to everyone, no matter what your priorities.

With hundreds of kilometres of unspoiled coast, a gleaming modern city, a catwalk of luxury hotels and one of the largest collections of theme parks, water parks and other kids’ attractions on the planet, I struggle to think of a suitable rival.

Thousands of families seem to agree, as does contributor Scott Lang, who discovered his inner big kid when researching the must-visit beach city for Destinations of the World News last month. Read why he’s a fan of the Gold Coast on page 40.

Also in this issue, our man in Europe Andy Round gets a lesson in style in stockholm, where the new fotografiska Museum, located in a restored 1906 Art Nouveau-style building on the waterfront, has made the city an important centre for contemporary photography and art.

Understated is the order of the day in the Swedish capital, where Michelin-starred restaurants, celebrity-owned hotels and some of europe’s best new designers enjoy a confident, low-key existence without the need for the high-brow showmanship of other trendy capitals. Read more on page 50.

Another red-hot destination that has caught our eye this month is india, where a seemingly endless list of new boutique hotel concepts has emerged silently over the last few years. Many of these new properties seem to be in the historically rich state of rajasthan, from hotels in ancient restored palaces in the Blue City of Jodhpur, to modern white cubic tented-camps in Jaipur.

We haven’t overlooked the city properties, and we’re pleased to highlight the reopening of the Heritage Wing in the taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, which has undergone a thorough restoration after it was badly damaged in the tragic bombings of 2008. Jo Foley frequents India’s vast landscape more often than anyone we know, so we asked her to share her thoughts on the majestic land’s top new boutique hotels on page 56.

Our Historic hotels series returns this issue with Pera Palace hotel in Istanbul, which has been a home away from home for writers and politicians for more than a century, and still holds several mysteries within its hallowed walls. Dorothy Waldman moved to istanbul last year, and has already decided that the Oriental Bar and Terrace is her favourite place to sit and pen her literary thoughts. Ready her story on page 64.

Whether you’re travelling with kids, as a couple or on your own this summer, we hope you find some inspiration over the next 82 pages. Happy travels,

Joe Mortimer Editor joe@dotwnews.com

Vintage hitchcock One of thousands of treasures at Stockholm’s fantastic Fotografiska Museum

Destinations of the World News would like to express its condolences to the families of those killed during the horrific attacks in Norway last month. Our hearts go out to the friends and families of those who lost their lives in the shocking incidents in Oslo and Utoya Island, and we wish those who were injured a speedy recovery.

14

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Contributors August 2011, Issue 62

Andy Round

Andy Round works between the Middle East and Europe as the senior editor of Destinations of the World News. He has worked as the editor of a daily newspaper in Malta, run a portfolio of magazines in Dubai and got lost looking for gorillas in Rwanda. Slightly closer to home, Andy recently visited the Swedish capital Stockholm, where über-trendy museums, effortless style and one very large boat are very much the order of the day. Find out what it is that makes Stockholm Europe’s sexiest city on page 50.

Scott Lang

Scott Lang is an editor and journalist who has spent the last six years working on business, consumer and newspaper titles in Australia, America, Europe and the Middle East. He currently lives in Brisbane, Australia and freelances for a number of domestic and international lifestyle magazines, specialising in travel and hospitality. Scott recently hoisted the Destinations of the World News flag and travelled to the Gold Coast to find out why it’s one of Australia’s top holiday destinations. Read his story on page 40.

Publisher Anna Zhukov anna@dotwnews.com Senior Editor Andy Round andy@dotwnews.com Editor Joe Mortimer joe@dotwnews.com Deputy Editor Caitlin Cheadle caitlin@dotwnews.com Assistant Online Editor Nicci Perides nicci@dotwnews.com Sales Manager Karla Toledo karla@dotwnews.com Assistant Sales Manager Andrea Tsiachtsiri andrea@dotwnews.com Art Director Kris Karacinski kris@dotwnews.com Multimedia Director Salimah Hirji salimah@wnnlimited.com Advertising Art Director Fami Bakkar fami@wnnlimited.com Multimedia Executive Vandita Gaurang vandita@wnnlimited.com United Kingdom Sales Representative David Hammond david@dotwnews.com Circulation department circulate@dotwnews.com Cover image Gold Coast - iStockphoto

Jo Foley

Jo Foley is a freelance writer, editor and consultant who lives in London. A former magazine editor, Jo has also worked on UK newspapers including The Times, where she was executive editor and the Daily Mirror, where she was managing editor.

She has been travelling to India for over 20 years and has written about it for everyone from the Financial Times to Harpers Bazaar. The Himalayan Kingdoms are some of her favourite places on earth. Read her story on India’s new wave of boutique accommodation on page 56.

Dorothy Waldman

As a native Texan who spent summers fishing and swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, Dorothy Waldman has enjoyed most of the oceans and seas around the world. Minus her Stetson, she now travels and writes about exotic ports of call, architecture, lifestyle and business. Dorothy relocated from Dubai to Istanbul last year and loves her new life on the crossroads of Asia and Europe. One of her favourite places to watch the world go by is the historic Pera Palace hotel. Read about its past of intrigue and espionage on page 64.

16

August 2011

dotwnews.com

International Commercial Representations Destinations of the World News’ network of international advertising sales and editorial representatives are based in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America. Destinations of the World News is published monthly by WNN Limited and distributed globally to the world’s premier airport lounges, our subscriber network and a select number of five-star hotels in the UAE. The title Destinations of the World News is a registered trademark and the publisher reserves all rights.

All material in Destinations of the World News is compiled from sources believed to be reliable and articles reflect the personal opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the publisher. Destinations of the World News is not responsible for omissions or errors that result from misrepresentation of information to the publisher. Advertisers assume all liability for their advertising content. All rights of the owner and the producer of this conceptual development and artwork design are reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be imitated, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of WNN Limited.

Principal Offices WNN Limited, Reuters Building 1, Office 106, Dubai Media City, PO Box 500661, Dubai, UAE Tel +971 4 3910680 Fax +971 4 3910688 WNN limited, 31 Archbishop Kyprianou Street, 3036, PO Box 51234, zip 3503, Limassol, Cyprus To subscribe to Destinations of the World News at an annual rate of $99 visit the website at www.dotwnews.com and hit SUBSCRIBE. Images used in Destinations of the World News are provided

by Gallo Images/Getty Images/Corbis/iStockphoto/ Photolibrary unless stated otherwise.

DOTW News is printed by J G Cassoulides & Sons Ltd, Nicosia, Cyprus and Al Nisr Publishing, Dubai, UAE

Published by

Sectiony

18

title

December August 2011 2010dotwnews.com dotwnews.com

Sectiony title Retrospective Retrospective

M

oscow’s famed St. Basil’s Cathedral celebrated its 450th anniversary last month, after years of restoration work that cost nearly 390 million rubles (US$14 million).

Originally named the Intercession of the Virgin by the Moat, today the iconic structure is known as St. Basil’s Cathedral, in reference to Basil the Blessed, Muscovite leader of the “holy fools”, a group of wandering peasants who uttered prophecies, refused to sleep indoors, performed healings and even walked on water according to some reports.

The “holy fools” were also the only individuals who stood up to the Kremlin rulers and voiced the frustrations of the people in response to the tyrannical and violent czar Ivan the Terrible.

St. Basil was buried on the site of the building before it was completed in 1561. The ornate cathedral, with its nine onion-shaped, multicoloured domes, has survived several attempts to destroy it.

In 1812 Napoleon Bonaparte tried to blow it up during his army’s retreat from Moscow, but heavy rains extinguished the fuses. In 1917 it was drastically shelled during the Bolshevik takeover of the Kremlin.

Early Communist leaders wanted the building destroyed, but Soviet dictator Josef Stalin ordered his comrades, “don’t touch the cathedral, leave it alone”.

Today St. Basil’s Cathedral attracts thousand of tourists every year and is seen as an iconic symbol of Russia. A special exhibition detailing the lives of St. Basil and the “holy fools” was launched last month as part of the ongoing anniversary celebrations.

dotwnews.com

May 2011

19

08.11 News

Greece pins economic hopes on tourism Travel and tourism could be the answer to Greece’s economic problems, according to a bullish Culture and Tourism Ministry, which is confident that the nation’s tourism economy will continue to thrive, despite its ongoing political and economic woes.

While the EU decides whether to grant Greece another multi-billion Euro bail-out package, the Ministry has reported a significant increase in tourism arrivals in the first half of the year, largely as a result of holidaymakers looking to take advantage of reduced hotel rates.

With the exception of the national Museum of Archaeology, which was still closed due to lack of funding at time of press, all tourism sites are open for business, says the Ministry, which took a 20 percent hit to its budget earlier this year.

According to Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Yeroulanos, the government’s decision to relax the rules and restrictions on foreign investment will have a positive impact on tourism in Greece.

“The government is cutting down all the processes that kept people from investing in Greece,” he recently told Bloomberg.

20

August 2011

dotwnews.com

“I believe that as the processes are simplified and people start looking at Greece as an opportunity, tourism will be one of the first sectors that they will look into.”

Deputy Tourism Minister George Nikitiadis echoed his optimism, but highlighted the improvements they had to make to take full advantage of the potential opportunity.

“Tourism could become the engine of the economy on the condition that the country improves the quality of its tourism services, extends its tourist season and takes advantage of its sea tourism potential,” he told news agency ANA-MPA. According to reports in the British press, the Greek government is offering potential investors longterm leases for plots of land on some

of its 6,000 islands to develop and operate luxury tourism complexes, in a bid to raise capital. According to the Guardian newspaper, plots of land on both Mykonos and Rhodes are up for grabs.

Deputy Minister Nikitiadis dismissed the claims, but stressed that foreign investment in the Greek Islands was welcome.

As well as reduced hotel rates, Greece is enjoying positive publicity around the world. The island of Santorini (pictured top) was recently named the world’s number-one island by readers of Travel+Leisure magazine, topping Bali, Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Boracay in the Philippines and the Great Barrier Reef Islands in Australia to the number-one spot.

Europe

News

Mary says...

The latest in luxury travel

Dial ‘V’ for Vertu Concierge so, you’ve got the private jet, you’ve got the E-Type Jag and you’ve got the US$10,000 mobile phone – what’s next?

How about a little help putting them to good use?

Vertu’s new range of musthave handsets all feature the around-the-clock Vertu Concierge service, which provides assistance with travel necessities such as transportation, hotel bookings and restaurant reservations, as well as more complicated requirements such as adding to your property portfolio.

There are three levels of “lifestyle assistance” available, all of which are connected to a team of lifestyle managers in various global hubs – London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and San Francisco.

Vertu Concierge Dedicated comes with a private lifestyle manager on call 24/7 to ensure you can always find that bottle of Châteauneufdu-Pape, even if it is 2am on a Monday morning, which to us seems well worth the US$6,400 annual subscription fee.

Did we mention that your lifestyle manager comes in a choice of English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin and Cantonese?

Top-level users will need Vertu Concierge Ultimate, which is tailored to suit each customer, from a dedicated concierge service for a oneoff project, to a full-time personal assistant for a designated period. This is seriously personalised service, so the price is determined on application.

IN FOCUS

The perfect airline food (or any-time snack) is surely a boxed avocado, rocket, edamame and sticky-rice salad from Itsu (by Prêt-à-Manger founder Julian Metcalfe). Look out for the brand at London’s Heathrow Airport and locations around the English capital. (itsu.com)

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan , directed by Wayne Wang, was launched at the Carlton InterContinental Cannes during the Cannes International Film Festival. A second opening party was held during the Shanghai International Film Festival at The Peninsula Shanghai, and part of the movie, which stars Li Bing Bing, Gianna Jun and Hugh Jackman, was shot there. The movie is co-produced by Wendi Deng Murdoch (wife of man-of-the-moment Rupert) and is taken from Lisa See’s novel. I adore her writing: I could not put Shanghai Girls down, and neither could the man in my life. (lisasee.com) No wonder Lady Gaga has so many followers. When in a hotel, she orders hundreds of hamburgers for the ‘Little Monsters’, as her fans are called.

My own favourite burger would be sent out from any hotel where Daniel Boulud has a restaurant – his DB Moderne Burger is filled with shredded shortribs and duck foie gras. (danielnyc.com) Keep an eye out for David & Scotti’s softest of leather bags, as favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge. Italianbased Scottish designer David Dewar McMillan’s unisex collection would look good on, well, even a male bodybuilder. (davidandscotti.com)

Suite treat Welcome to the new Ludovisi Suite in the Regina Hotel Baglioni in Rome, where even a Roman emperor would feel at home. Named after the famous Villa Ludovisi, which once stood where the Via Veneto runs today, the suite offers guests 300 sq m of living and sleeping space in the heart of Rome. As well as the seventh-floor views and private elevator, guests will enjoy art deco floors in alternating black Marquina and white Carrara marble, pure silk tapestries and Louis XVI antique furniture. Nice.

Anyone in Italy, of course, knows his gelati and ice creams. Eponymous gun maker Franco Beretta adores Officina Cucina in Brescia, where chef Andrea Mainardi makes your chosen flavour right in front of your eyes. (officinacucina.com)

By Mary GosTelow

dotwnews.com

August 2011

21

News

Middle East & Africa

Duty free, profits high

With half-year sales results topping US$698 million, Dubai Duty Free may well be one of the most recessionproof businesses in the region.

The staggering figures represent a 16.6 percent increase in sales from the same period last year. MD Colm McLoughlin said the company had seen “significant spikes in luxury sector products” and that the top three most popular product categories were perfumes, liquor and gold. Sales of the latter increased by 24 percent to $79 million this year.

Ritz-Carlton enters Oman

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has taken over management of the Al Bustan Palace hotel – one of Oman’s most prestigious hotels and a popular choice among visiting heads of state and foreign dignitaries.

The celebrated property, which features a 38-metre high domed atrium lobby, recently underwent a multi-million dollar refurbishment to keep up with newer properties coming onto the market. The 26-yearold resort, which features 250 rooms and suites, was originally built by the government to host the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in 1985.

Oman events sector

Oman is building a US$1 billion conference and exhibition centre in the capital city, Muscat, in a bid to attract more event organisers, international congresses and business travellers to the city. Tourism generates $1.93 billion for Oman each year, and the government hopes to increase that figure as part of its ‘Visions for Oman’s Economy: Oman 2020’ development plan. The Sultanate has ambitious plans to attract 12 million visitors per year by 2020, and has already approved $8 billion of tourismrelated property developments throughout the country.

22

August 2011

dotwnews.com

The Green City Al Ain Has been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List

Al Ain makes UNESCO World Heritage List The cultural sites of Abu Dhabi’s second city, Al Ain, were among 25 new natural and man-made wonders added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and the first site in the UAE ever to make the list.

UNESCO said it selected Al Ain because of the important cultural sites located within the city, and the archaeological and geological sites of great historical importance.

Al Ain’s heritage sites include Bronze and Iron Age sites in Al Hili, tombs around Bida bint Saud and the city’s oases, which are still watered using the traditional Al Falaj system, a method that’s been used to irrigate palm groves and farms for centuries.

Just outside the city centre, Jebel Hafeet – the highest mountain in the emirate – features 500 burial tombs dating back 5,000 years.

“This long-sought accreditation will do much to lift the tourism potential of Al Ain and ADTA (Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority) will move to leverage the listing as wide as possible,” said His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman, ADTA.

World heritage Wadi Rum in Jordan is one of 25 new sites on the list

“We also look to our expanding stakeholder base to leverage its own entrepreneurial instincts and skills to ensure that the anticipated increasing visitor demand for Al Ain is met in the most professional and respectful way possible.”

Other Middle Eastern sites that have been added to the list include the Wadi Rum Protected Area in Jordan and the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria.

Several African sites were also recognised for their heritage status, including the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, the Konso Cultural Landscape in Ethiopia, Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Saloum Delta in Senegal and the Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe.

The complete World Heritage List now features 936 entries, including 183 natural sites, 725 cultural and 28 mixed sites.

FRENCH & ORIENTAL… SO YOU

SOFITEL CAIRO EL GEZIRAH BEHIND EVERY PLACE IS A RAISON D’ÊTRE. SOFITEL CAIRO EL GEZIRAH, A FRENCH CONTEMPORARY AND ELEGANT HOTEL WITH AN ORIENTAL INSPIRATION, OFFERS 433 LUXURIOUS ROOMS AND SUITES, INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANTS, AND A STUNNING OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL OVERLOOKING THE NILE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH CONVIVIALITY AND COMFORT. AT SOFITEL, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE BOTH FRENCH & ORIENTAL AMBIANCE FULL OF RICH CONTEMPORARY DÉCORS AND THE SURROUNDINGS OF A 5-STAR HOTEL. EXPERIENCE THE TRUE LUXURY AT SOFITEL CAIRO EL GEZIRAH 3 EL THAWRA COUNCIL STREET - ZAMALEK - CAIRO - EGYPT TEL: (+202) 273 73737 - FAX: (+202) 273 63640 H5307@SOFITEL.COM - WWW.SOFITEL.COM

News

Middle East & Africa

IN FOCUS

“Afghanistan is a beautiful country, but tourism needs stability. For now best to heed FCO travel advice #askFS.” British foreign secretary William Hague answers a question from Destinations of the World News in a live Twitter Q&A on the topic of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Follow us on Twitter at @DOTW_News

“Snoring contributes to poor sleep and takes away from necessary uninterrupted rest for the snorer and the person in the environment.”

Dr. Raymond H. Hamden, Clinical & Forensic Psychologist explains why Crowne Plaza Hotels has introduced a ‘snore absorption’ room in hotels in the Middle East and Europe. He said that 23 percent of couples have to sleep in another room because the noise gets too annoying, which can result in potential health issues, affect psychological alertness, and work-related performance due to tiredness.

“Erbil is an encouraging destination with a lot of economic and commercial opportunity.”

Marriott International Lodging president and managing director Ed Fuller on the decision to open two hotels in Erbil in the north of Iraq in 2014.

24

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing – the 11-man team that will take part in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 – has revealed its stateof-the-art Volvo Open 70 racing yacht, Azzam, which will carry the team around the world from Alicante in Spain to Galway in Ireland. The 39,000 nautical mile race will see the teams race between 10 major cities around the world between October 2011 and July 2012, with in-port racing, celebrations and festivals planned in each of the host cities. Visit abudhabioceanrace.com to see more images of Azzam and learn more about the Abu Dhabi team.

Say hello to the world’s 193rd country The United Nations last month welcomed the world’s youngest country, the Republic of South Sudan, as its 193rd member.

In a countrywide celebration on July 9, the declaration of independence was read out before new president H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit and a crowd of thousands of spectators, including Sudan’s president Omar Hassan Ahmed Bashir and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

More than 30 African heads of state, as well as foreign ministers and foreign dignitaries, attended the celebrations, marking the end of a 55-year struggle for independence, which ended with the lowering of the Sudanese flag and the raising of the new South Sudan flag in the

country’s new capital, Juba.

“It will be a historic occasion for all our people who have travelled a long and difficult road to the birth of this nation. We all know we face many challenges ahead – we will face them as united, peaceful and independent and build a stable and prosperous country,” said information minister Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin.

The country has since been allocated its own dialing code (211) by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the official currency – the South Sudan pound – was due to come into circulation any day, at time of press.

The country is blessed with plenty of natural resources in the form of vast oil reserves, but all the pipelines,

refineries and ports are in North Sudan – a factor the new country needs to take into consideration when planning its foreign policy with regard to its neighbour to the north.

There is little in the way of non-oil economy, although the new government is now focusing on building the agriculture industry, which has huge potential, according to H.E. Dr. Anne Itto, minister for Agriculture and Forestry, who said South Sudan could become the region’s breadbasket.

Tourism was also highlighted as an area for growth, although it’s likely to be some time before people start booking tour packages. Juba Grand Hotel, Logali House and the Eastern Pearl Hotel and Business Centre are the main accommodation options.

News

Asia & Oceania

Bangkok named World’s Best City

Readers of US travel magazine Travel + Leisure have voted Thailand’s capital Bangkok as the best city in the world, as part of its annual ‘World’s Best’ issue for 2011. Despite a period of civil unrest last year, this is the second year in a row Bangkok has been ranked number one. The runners up are Florence, Italy; Rome, Italy; New York City, USA; Istanbul, Turkey; Cape Town, South Africa; Siem Reap, Cambodia; Sydney, Australia; Barcelona, Spain and Paris, France.

Angkor attraction

In a project described as the “world’s largest puzzle”, French archaeologists completed the restoration of the Baphuon temple, part of the Angkor Complex in Cambodia. The US$14 million project, which involved reassembling over 300,000 sandstone blocks, began in 1960 but was halted during the Cambodian civil war in 1975, when the Khmer Rouge destroyed the original plan of the temple. Baphuon is now open to the public.

Elephant polo

Anantara Hua Hin will hold its annual Kings Cup Elephant Polo charity tournament from September 4-11. This year they are launching the Pachyderms and Polo package, which features accommodation, daily buffet breakfast, VIP access to all areas, daily lunch on the polo pitch, round-trip transfers between the hotel and the pitch, photos with the players, and one mini spa treatment on the pitch.

Six Senses Yao Noi reopens

Following a month of renovation work, the Six Senses Yao Noi in Phuket, Thailand has reopened.

The improvements include restoration of the resort’s 51 villas, plus extensive landscape work, and the resort’s Hill Top Reserve restaurant is now open to all guests as an all-day restaurant.

26

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Party lover Richard Branson wants the pubic to share his Australian hideaway

Sir Richard Branson opens private island to the public The Virgin Atlantic boss has recently thrown open the doors to his private-island luxury estate in Australia’s Noosa region.

The secluded 10-hectare heartshaped Makepeace Island sits in the middle of a river and is a 10-minute boat ride from Noosa town’s bustling Hastings Street, which contains bars, shops and restaurants.

The private island retreat is owned by Sir Richard and Brett Godfrey, co-founder of Virgin Blue (now Virgin Australia), and was originally developed for the occasional use of Virgin Blue staff.

The resort can be booked by up to 22 guests at a time, who will have access to a two-storey open-aired Balinese wantilan, a lagoon pool, expansive bar, tennis court, spa facilities and lush oriental gardens.

Three private bures offer guests a place to relax away from the main wantilan, and feature volcanic boulder bathtubs, private terraces

everyone’s welcome Sir Richard Branson has opened his Noosa resort to the public

overlooking the river, and furniture sourced from Bali and Java.

Sir Richard has described Noosa as his “favourite place in Australia”.

The famous entrepreneur said, “When neither Brett nor myself are visiting Makepeace, we will make the island and its facilities available for others to enjoy the tranquillity of what is a very special place.”

Noosa, on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, has been gaining international attention as a destination for travellers of all ages.

The region has world-class golf courses, diving, surfing and fishing sites, some of Australia’s best beaches and a thriving shopping and restaurant scene, all within an idyllic natural setting.

Living Life Angsana Style Savour life at Angsana Ihuru, where a true island getaway beckons.

Ideal for doing only as much as your heart desires, discover the beauty of the Maldives here.

At Angsana, live your life at the most ideal pace.

For more information please call: +960 664 3502 or email ihuru@angsana.com North MalĂŠ Atoll, Republic of Maldives

www.angsana.com

News

Asia & Oceania

New Zealand gets creative for Rugby World Cup

IN FOCUS

With an estimated four million people expected to travel to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup 2011, the country is doing its best to ensure visitors will never want to leave.

The REAL New Zealand Festival, running alongside the World Cup, from September 9 until October 23, will bring together a multitude of arts, culture, history, wine and cuisine-based activities and events throughout the country, all designed to incorporate elements of New Zealand’s historical Maori culture with its increasingly sophisticated food, wine and arts scene.

Just a few of the hundreds of activities taking place during the World Cup are the Miromoda Fashion Extravaganza in Wellington, the Christchurch Arts Festival, the Wellington Festival of Sails, the Marlborough Wine and Cuisine at Brancott Vineyard, Auckland Racing Day, the Whitianga Scallop Festival, the Auckland International Boat Show and the Wellington on a Plate culinary festival.

With hundreds of events to choose from all over the country during the World Cup, it’s a great way to enjoy the event with your family and friends in tow.

A model showcases the work of Indonesia-based fashion designer Espen Salberg on day two of Hong Kong Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Now in its 18th year, many of Asia’s hottest up-and-coming designers show their collections at the biannual trade show, which draws some 15,000 visitors and buyers.

Chinese talent is the priority, however shows are staged for designers from across the Asia Pacific region including India, Korea, Macau, Thailand, and Taiwan. While not yet on the same scale as New York or Paris Fashion Week, the glamorous event continues to grow and attract an increasing amount of international attention with each passing year.

the mONth IN NUmberS

US$0

The cost of non-alcoholic minibar snacks, local telephone calls and internet access at all Andaz Hotels

by Hyatt, the latest of which is the Andaz Shanghai, set to open this summer. Now that’s luxury.

28

August 2011

dotwnews.com

US$325

Starting rates per night at the newly-opened Leela Palace New Delhi Hotel, the ‘most expensive hotel ever built in India’. Pretty reasonable considering it houses a $5 million collection of Indian art.

0

Number of screaming children you’ll have to tolerate/ stressed-out parents you’ll have to pity when you plan your next holiday using website www.vacationsforadults.com.

News

Americas

Luxury cycle

In an extension of its partnership with BMW Group, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts worldwide are now offering guests complimentary BMW cruise bicycles during their stay, allowing guests to explore their surroundings in an environmentally sound and physically active way.

Panama’s luxurious new look

Glide over Rio

The first cable car of the crimeridden Complexo do Alemao in Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated last month. The car, which stretches across 3.5 kilometres and contains six stations, each with a post office, bank and library, is the latest effort by Brazil to clean up its favelas in the lead-up to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games.

President Dilma Rousseff said, “People used to consider leaving the neighbourhood because of drug trafficking and insecurity, but now that will change.”

Alaskan paradise

American Cruise Lines has been awarded a contract to operate in Glacier Bay, Alaska, a designated World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Cruises for seven to 11 nights will travel between Juneau, Alaska and Seattle, Washington. Vessels will also host special guests including a National Park Service Ranger and a Native Cultural Interpreter to provide passengers with a background of Glacier Bay.

Luxury goes to the dogs

The Barkley is a brand new luxury hotel in Los Angeles, situated just across from the Four Seasons LA in a prime location.

Guests can order breakfast in bed, slip into a comfy robe after a massage, and dine on highquality health conscious cuisine - until they are picked up by their owners. That’s right, the Barkley luxury hotel is for dogs and cats. And we thought we’d seen everything…

30

August 2011

dotwnews.com

National treasure Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower offers generous waterfront access and views

The latest hotel in the Trump International portfolio of properties, the US$430 million Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower, opened its doors to guests last month.

The 70-storey property, at 932 feet, is the tallest building in Latin America and features 369 rooms including 47 suites, 37 elevators, a spa, a marina, a casino, an island with private beach, and a 4,200 sq m convention centre.

It’s expected that Americans will occupy roughly 50 percent of the hotel’s rooms, due to Panama’s proximity to the US, and its increasing demand as a holiday destination, Latin American business hub and retirement haven.

Trump Hotels obviously sees the growing potential of Panama City as the business and tourism capital of Latin America and jumped in to capitalise on what is today an underserved market in terms of luxury hotel accommodation.

Boom town Panama’s thriving financial district

Currently there are few bigname luxury hotels in Panama City. The Le Meridien Panama opened in December 2009, and the InterContinental Playa Bonita opened in 2006. The Westin Playa Bonita is slated to open in October 2011, while the 1,499-room Hard Rock Hotel Panama Megapolis is expected to open in December of this year.

The Panama government has been efficiently boosting economic growth and controlling debt – so much so that Fitch Ratings last

month raised its investment grade debt rating to one of the highest in Latin America.

“Many others have discovered this is a place that represents great potential,” Trump Hotel Collection chief Jim Petrus said.

“It’s the ripple effect of the canal itself. On an annualised basis, $5 billion of revenue is pumped into the Panama economy by the canal.

It’s a commerce-friendly environment. It’s attracting companies like Caterpillar, Procter and Gamble; the free-trade zone helps.”

News

Americas

“I mean for a person who 25 years ago was scared to death to fly… Now it’s evolved to a time where if I go a week without a flight, I just feel something is not right.”

IN FOCUS

United Airlines frequent flyer Thomas Stuker, who reached 10 million air miles (the equivalent of 400 trips around the globe) and now has a UA plane named in his honour.

“It is the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen in Latin America or anywhere in the Caribbean.

Even as it crumbles, even given the very evident state of disrepair, it is beautiful.”

Celebrity chef, author, TV host and American citizen Anthony Bourdain reflects on his recent trip to Havana, Cuba

“I have to admit I’m a little worried… Let’s just hope I don’t get kidnapped.”

American actress Brigitte Nielsen on her upcoming weeklong trip to Colombia. A British man was shot and killed in neighbouring Venezuela last month.

32

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Fire in the sky Fireworks light up the New York skyline and the Hudson River during the Macy’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display. This year the show featured more than 40,000 shells exploding at a rate of 1,500 per minute, with fireworks reaching 1,000 feet in the air. Six barges were positioned between 20th and 55th streets along the Hudson River for the 26-minute display, providing two full miles in which the explosions took place. The Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks display has been a muchcherished part of Independence Day celebrations in NYC, ever since its debut in 1958.

Cuba gets into the swing of things When Cuba’s militant leader Fidel Castro took power in 1959, one of his first orders of business was to demolish its existing golf courses, as he considered the sport a representation of the capitalist West.

Now, more than 50 years later, the Cuban government has given preliminary approval for four luxury golf resorts, with more than a dozen to follow – one of Cuba’s main schemes to attract new tourists.

The first to break ground, in September 2011, will be a US$410 million development at Guardalavaca Beach along the island’s north coast, about 500 miles from Havana. The development firm, a Canadian company called Standing Feather International, confirmed they signed a memorandum of agreement with the Cuban government in April.

The Estancia de Golf Loma Linda complex will comprise 1,200 villas,

Links with a view Site of the upcoming Estancia de Golf Loma Linda

bungalows, duplexes and apartments, plus a shopping centre.

London-based Esencia Group is planning a $300 million country club in Veradero, the Carbonera Club. In addition to an 18-hole golf course, the 170-hectare development will offer villas, apartments and residences for sale, plus a hotel and spa, a beach and watersport club, a tennis club and a yacht club.

Vancouver-based investment firm Leisure Canada Inc. meanwhile has submitted plans for three

proposed resorts in Cuba, one of which, Jibacoa, situated on 5.5 sq km of ocean-front property 65 km east of Havana, will comprise 1,400 rooms including 600 bungalows and villas, connected to two championship golf courses.

The resorts are geared towards attracting Canadian, European and Asian tourists and investors.

Residences at the Estancia de Golf Loma Linda will average at roughly $600,000 to buy, while rooms at the hotel will start at $200 per night.

Origin Destination

Flight

Departure Arrival

Dubai

Seoul

KE952 KE8952 KE5952

2255 2255 0330

1205 1205 1635

Seoul

Dubai

KE951 KE8951 KE5951

1500 1520 2355

1920 1940 0425

Day Mon,Tue,Thu,Sat Sun Daily Mon,Tue,Thu,Sat Sun Daily

Trends

SKY-HIGH INNOVATIONS Private jet set

The problem with touring round the States is that it’s just so time consuming. And if you don’t like driving that’s a real drag. Fortunately, help is on hand in the form of Mauriva, a company that likes to fly travellers around by private jet, avoiding the long queues and hassles associated with commercial carriers. Offering packages such as the ‘All-American East Experience’ (Niagara Falls, Toronto, Amish country in Lancaster and Washington DC), the company says it will shave off 23 to 37 hours of travel time when visiting these places. Now you’d think this would cost an arm and a leg, but the company says prices start from US$1,500.

r 1s oc t lo k se r

Military disservice di az

co rp s

Baby ban in first class Biofuel breakthrough It’s a bad-news month for babies – no more allowed at the pointy end of the plane on Malaysia Airlines.

The airline said there was no room for those handy hanging baby cots because MAS had used up all the space giving extra legroom to first class passengers. However, MAS CEO Tengku Azmil had previously said the airline had been flooded with complaints from passengers who “spend money in first and can’t sleep due to crying infants”.

Then in a twitter exchange with ABA (brilliant – a CEO who actually responds to tweets!) he said the hanging baby cots were available in business and economy. www.malaysiaairlines.com

34

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Dutch national carrier KLM has revealed plans to launch its first biofuel-powered flights between Amsterdam and Paris next month, subject to approval from airline regulators. The airline says that about 200 flights will be powered by the super green fuel, which they say is made from a mixture of used cooking oil and kerosene.

Apparently the aircraft don’t even need modifying. We’re not fully sure of the technical details behind the green stuff, but we like to imagine that it involves lots of Dutch people running round The Netherlands collecting large vats of used cooking oil. www.klm.com

Pathetic loser award of the month goes to Rock Diaz, who got himself upgraded to first class on American Airlines by impersonating a US Army soldier. AA staff thought they were being patriotic and helping out a serviceman when in fact said ‘serviceman’ was on the lookout for a free dinner. He was caught after the flight from the Dominican Republic touched down at JKF and a customs officer discovered Diaz didn’t know his rank and number. And he’d ‘forgotten’ his military ID. In a country that can be so fiercely patriotic, you certainly wouldn’t want to be in his ‘military-issue’ boots now. www.aa.com

iPad pilots

As you probably don’t fly for a commercial airline, you won’t appreciate the huge amount of paperwork and flight manuals used by the front of the plane.

Our pilot insider tells us that flight bags containing flight documents can weigh up to 16 kilos. To help lighten their load, Alaska Airlines is issuing pilots with iPads (American Airlines is also experimenting with the idea). We are sure an iPad is infinitely cooler than a big school satchel full of paper, but we don’t want our pilots distracted by playing Angry Birds or updating Facebook while they should be doing something else. Like landing. www.alaskaair.com

Live in an airport

Around the world in 80 days? Are you kidding? When there’s a chance to live in an airport for 80 days?

The concept has been launched by Vancouver International Airport and is a competition designed to tell the ‘airport’s story through video’. It seems so left-field we are convinced it will be a winning idea (remember Alain de Botton’s book about Heathrow?). It’s great publicity for Vancouver and a great opportunity for airport geeks. The winner gets all the cameras and software they will need, not to mention 80 free nights at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, where they will document their ‘behind the scenes’ experience. www.yvr.ca

A weekend away or a summer vacation is all about memories and at the 5 star Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, we’ve got you covered. With Dubai’s friendliest staff and an Arabic theme, we know it’s the kids that really count.

Stay & Play at the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel this summer from AED 395 and receive the following beneďŹ ts: Ă?Ăż$ININGĂżANDĂżSHOPPINGĂżDISCOUNTSĂżANDĂż-ALLĂżSHUTTLES Ă?Ăż#OMPLEMENTARYĂżACCESSĂżTOĂżTHEĂż+IDSĂż#LUB Ă?Ăż&REEĂż)CEĂżCREAMĂż ĂżSOFTĂżDRINKSĂżFORĂżTHEĂżKIDS *Terms and Conditions apply. Offer valid until 30th August 2011.

Rate is per room per night and subject to 10% municipality fees and 10% service charge.

>Wc 7ViijiV <ViZ =diZa DeZgViZY Wn BÂ&#x17D;kZce^X` =diZah GZhdgih E#D# 7dm '&&*%-! 9jWV^! Jc^iZY 6gVW :b^gViZh E]dcZ .,& ) ))) %) )% gZhZgkVi^dch#^WcWViijiV5bdZkZce^X`#Xdb

lll#bdZkZce^X`"]diZah#Xdb

Create new summer memories from AED 395

Trends

HOT Favourite food Spoontrip.com links travellers with producers, ateliers, cooking classes and gastro-themed holidays. A deliciously simple idea.

Tsunami holiday Inside Japan Tours has launched a fourday volunteering tour to Tohoku starting from US$725 for volunteers who want to help those devastated by the recent tsunami.

Virtual food London’s Inamo restaurant is helping you make up your mind on the menu by projecting images of meals onto dishes.

Projectors are in the ceiling and diners control the images via an ‘e-table’.

World

Political tours

New travel company Political Tours has just set up shop and promises to take you right into the heart of the news headlines. They organise trips to headline-making places like DPRK, Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Turkey (the highlights of Egypt’s uprising are also on the agenda). But the best bit is that those leading the tours are people who really, really know what they are talking about, like foreign correspondents for The Economist, Telegraph, Guardian and the BBC, including the incredible Kate Adie. www.politicaltours.com

Back to the future The hotel of 2030 will monitor our energy levels, health and mood to ensure we get a good night’s sleep, so quoth a report commissioned into future hotels

by Travelodge.

NOT Most clichéd holiday photos We love and hate The Telegraph’s pick of the most clichéd holiday photographs. Top of the popular picks were pushing the leaning tower of Pisa and straddling the equator.

World

france

uk

Ultimate takeaway

iPad Eiffel

Two wheels good

To promote their SPICE events – the Singapore International Culinary Exchange – the Singapore Tourism Board loaded up a shipping container with 10 chefs and a kitchen and shipped it around the world. Genius.

The chefs will visit a total of 10 cities during the year-long promotion, and they will also partner up with local culinary experts around the world to push the tasty Singaporean message. Keep an eye out for a big branded container in your city. www.yoursingapore.com/spice 36

August 2011

dotwnews.com

At the Eiffel Tower you can rent an iPad loaded with an official tower guide for EUR 7 (US$10) an hour. Fire it up and it gives you all sorts of useful information, from a historical video of the city explaining the 120-year history of France’s favourite monument, to a 360-degree panorama view of the city highlighting 80 points of interest in Paris. The iPad guide, available from the shop on the second floor, is your essential virtual multilingual pal, who will explain why the capital is so cool. www.tour-eiffel.fr

Forget the car rental, if you want to get around London avoiding Tube breakdowns or selling your soul for a taxi ride, nip along to Hertz at Marble Arch, where they are experimenting with renting electric bikes. So much better than having to pedal around yourself – like all those capital city bicycle rental schemes – and only US$30 a day. Bargain.

The bikes only go at up to 15mph, but Hertz promises to include a lock, helmet, some training and a guide map. www.hertz.co.uk

Last resort Turkmenistan’s newly minted resort Avaza has been organising ‘familiarisation’ trips for people to come and experience it. The feedback? ‘Ornate to the point of kitsch’; ‘you can taste the smell of petrol’; ‘it’s not Dubai’ and ‘what’s that dangerous-looking thing in the water?’

Security nightmare Big boo to the police in LA who subjected 2,000 elderly cruise passengers to a seven-hour security check, “herding them like animals with no water or toilet access in 80-degree temperatures”.

Pregnant turtle impasse More than 150 pregnant turtles crossing a runaway at JFK forced several aircraft to divert. We snickered when we heard this, but we imagine passengers were not so amused.

People

IntervIew Gary rhodes

T

here are few men who wouldn’t allow three decades of international success get in the way of being an all-round good guy. Gary Rhodes is not like many men. Since deciding on a career in cooking in his teens, Rhodes has authored 19 books, appeared in numerous TV series and opened a host of successful restaurants around the world, each with its own unique identity. Since his first job at the Amsterdam Hilton, Rhodes has won six Michelin stars and travelled across the globe exploring new cuisines. But he has always returned to his British roots, making a name for himself by reinventing the once-maligned concept of British cuisine and setting himself apart as the master of ‘Great British Classics’.

You would think that with such a successful empire, Rhodes would be comfortable hanging up his apron, but anyone who eats in his restaurants regularly knows that it’s not unusual to spot the man himself in his chef’s whites making the rounds and chatting to diners. Here he tells DOTW News about his early days on TV, the evolution of British cuisine and what’s next on the Rhodes menu.

The Rhode to success With a portfolio of popular restaurants, several TV series and a two-decade career that has sent him around the world, Gary Rhodes knows a thing or two about good taste Interview: Joe Mortimer

38

August 2011

dotwnews.com

You earned your first Michelin star at the age of 26 – how important were those early years in shaping your future career?

The early years in anybody’s career are the most important of all. It’s almost like preparing a new dish, making sure the early preparation is just right so I can reach that final result. In the same sense, I’m always wishing to develop each dish a little more.

When you returned to London in the 1990s, you began to earn a reputation for reviving British food – can you share a bit about this period?

I have to be honest, it was one of the most exciting times of my career. I was working ridiculous 18-hour days and feeding over 100 people for lunch and dinner every day. The kitchen was manic but I loved it. I was also so delighted that the British food we were creating was making such a statement.

You opened your first restaurant in 1997 and called it City Rhodes. At this time did you see the potential of “Rhodes” as a global brand?

It’s funny because in my early years as a young trainee chef, I felt I should possibly change my surname – why didn’t it have a French accent on the end, I thought! I never realised how well it could work for me, not just in the London market but anywhere – so thanks mum!

You are one of Britain’s first great celebrity chefs – how has the TV chef phenomenon spread since you first appeared on the screen?

I do wonder whether it has been spread slightly too thin. It’s great to encourage others and hope others are going to add a new personality and style of cooking to the screen. However, I think the era of chefs like Fanny Craddock, the Galloping Gourmet Graham Kerr, Delia Smith and Keith Floyd, just before I hit the TV as a professional chef, were such great years and that identity has been slightly lost. There are many on TV today I don’t even recognise.

How did you first get involved in TV and what do you enjoy about it?

I simply did a cookery demonstration for one of the first TV cooks, a great man called Glynn Christian, at his cookery school which he videoed. He said he thought I had a future in TV. He passed it on to a TV network and literally 48 hours later I was asked if I wanted to make five programmes. The great thing about TV is it provides that time and space to really explain to the viewer how a dish should be prepared and cooked, whereas in the kitchens it can be a little more frantic, with the members of the brigade not quite absorbing what you’re saying.

You often appear in the kitchens of your restaurants around the world – why is it important for you to have a physical presence?

It’s simply because it’s my name above the door.

I certainly can’t be in the kitchen every day but when I can, I am.

Design is almost as important as the food in your restaurants – what is your philosophy towards creating the perfect dining environment?

The restaurant for me is a theatre to put on a great show – and let’s not forget that first impressions last.

Your restaurants are certainly considered luxury establishments – what, to you, makes a restaurant luxurious ?

Not all of our restaurants are a pure luxury concept, as we have a brasserie in London, which is kept simple and classic. I’ve been very lucky in the opportunities that have come my way but, for me, restaurant designs are very much like my appetite – one moment I want to experience the ultimate and the very next day I may want a simple pizza. So, even with the ‘luxury’ restaurants I’m involved with, each one has its own identity and style, which for me is very important.

British classic Gary Rhodes is synonymous with ‘Great British Cuisine’

“Filming the TV series Rhodes Across India was one of the greatest culinary adventures of my life. It introduced to me a whole new understanding of true Indian cuisine” What plans do you have for expansion and can you tell us how much the Gary Rhodes food empire is worth?

There are seven restaurants I’m involved with at present, and we are taking on other projects in the Middle East, along with the UK. I hope one day to possibly also be involved in China or Australia. How much the Rhodes empire is worth, I’ve no idea – I’d have to ask my wife!

Giving up the well-paid job and pouring the life savings into a new restaurant concept seems to be en vogue in the UK these days – why do you think this is?

I think because UK eating habits have changed so much, the British public is becoming far more conscious of what they want to eat and where they want to eat it. Without a doubt, it is for me the most exciting career I could have ventured into. I learnt a lot of lessons as a young boy at school and realised at a young age that if I didn’t do my homework I would never pass the exams. So my advice to anyone is to make sure you’ve done all your homework on the area you are opening in, the quantity and style of restaurants that already exist, and make sure you are sourcing and introducing yourself to possible local suppliers. All of these things will help you understand exactly the culinary market you are venturing into.

Where in the world would you most like to open a restaurant?

I’ve opened restaurants now in more places I ever dreamed I would, so I feel very privileged.

However, I have a dream that one day I would

love to have a restaurant in the middle of Paris or deep in the South of France, offering purely great British cuisine, so I could convince the French the British can cook!

What do you think of airline food today?

I think airline food has improved dramatically over the years. I travel with Emirates on my trips to Dubai and they always have a great menu and good quality food on offer. The crew always have high level of care and great attention to service.

One of the features in this issue is luxury travel in India. Do you have a favourite place to eat there?

Filming the TV series Rhodes Across India was one of the greatest culinary adventures of my life. It introduced to me a whole new understanding of true Indian cuisine and quite often the highlights were simple market food created in front of you and then and served, which was really quite exquisite to eat.

rhodes’ restaurants rhodes W1 Cumberland hotel, London rhodes 24 tower 42, London rhodes Calabash Calabash hotel, Grenada rhodes Mezzanine Grosvenor house, dubai rhodes twenty10 Le royal Meridien Beach resort and spa, dubai arcadian rhodes P&o cruise liner arcadia oriana rhodes P&o cruise liner oriana

dotwnews.com

August 2011

39

Indulge

Gold Coast

AustrAliAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite plAyground

Currently undergoing a billion-dollar facelift, the Gold Coast has plenty of luxury adventures for families in search of something different WORDS: Scott Lang

Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doorstep The beach is never far away on the Gold Coast

dotwnews.com

August 2011

41

Indulge

Gold Coast

Q

ueensland’s premier coastal tourist town has long been a family favourite for Australian and international travellers alike, and for the first time in more than 10 years it’s getting a renovation of epic proportions.

Investors have committed a mighty $US1 billion to renovation projects throughout the coast, and the hotel sector stands to be a substantial beneficiary of the re-vamp.

Already, the $850 million, five-star twin residential towers of Peppers Broadbeach are now fully operational, while the $700 million, twotower Hilton Surfers Paradise is due for completion this month and is already welcoming guests through its first stage, Boulevard Tower.

Add to the mix an array of associated retail precincts, refurbishment projects at Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, Watermark Hotel & Spa, Jupiters Hotel and other properties, and there’s a real sense of anticipation in the air.

Surfers’ Paradise WIth 57km of beach, there’s plenty of room for everyone

42

August 2011

dotwnews.com

WWW.PAULSMI TH.CO.UK

Indulge

Gold Coast

“New projects and renovations have gone a long way in giving the Gold Coast a luxury vitality, without ruining its laidback surfer soul”

Close to nature The city is surrounded by kilometres of golden beaches and lush vegetation

This unreserved effort to revitalise the Gold Coast’s accommodation and attractions is not only in response to the need to compete with other Australian hotspots. It’s also intended to widen its appeal to a growing family luxury market and add some collateral clout to an ambitious Commonwealth Games bid for 2018.

Stretched out along 57kms of pristine white sands, the Gold Coast occupies Queensland’s southern coastal corner, 94kms south of its capital Brisbane, just north of the border to New South Wales.

The best way to get your bearings is to scope out the terrain from the air, so I took to the skies with Gold Coast Helitours for a bird’s-eye view of the up-and-coming action. Sailing high into

44

August 2011

dotwnews.com

a cloudless blue sky, I set off from Sea World Drive and veered inland towards the towering trees of Mount Tambourine.

Sweeping down over Robina Town Centre and on towards Bondi University, Australia’s passion for any sport involving a ball was abundantly apparent. We passed over three colossal stadiums which house the local football, rugby and AFL teams, including the recently renovated 25,000-seat Metricon stadium.

The most striking and unlikely revelation of this joyride in the sky was the amount of inland tributaries that merge and flow between suburbs. Apparently there are more waterways snaking through the Gold Coast than Venice and Amsterdam combined.

Grand dame Palazzo Versace – one of the Gold Coast’s top hotels

I craned my neck towards the southern headland tip of Coolangatta and absorbed the beauty of the landscape. The Gold Coast is big on gardens. Miles of greenery merge seamlessly into buildings while peak-hour traffic trickles between them like docile sheep.

Lunging into the breeze, we soared northward past the golden sands of Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise, the main tourist thoroughfare, which is neatly wedged between the waves of the Pacific Ocean and a crescent of rolling hinterland rainforest.

Even from a few hundred feet up on a windy day, you can see 20 feet to the bottom of the ocean, and spot the occasional shoal of fish darting about.

A left turn over the Broadwater inlet brought us onto the home straight. As we veered into a sharp descent, a cluster of bronzed bodies lounging atop a gleaming white yacht tilted their heads to watch us land.

Ten paces from the helipad is one of the Gold Coast’s premier shopping centres, Marina Mirage. The complex features a modest two floors that curl around a central sun-lit courtyard flanked by fountains and youthful, coffeeswilling citygoers.

All of the standard high-end boutique names can be found at its edges including Gant, French Connection and Mimco, most of which showcase a huge range of hats, scarves and jackets, which seemed excessive, considering the average temperature on the Gold Coast hovers near 20 degrees centigrade.

While the retail experience is geared more towards shoppers with a penchant for Louboutins, silk tailored jackets and artworks

by Charles Bromley, it is surprisingly familyfriendly. Most of the restaurants feature menu options for children and many visitors pass with strollers and children in tow.

Similar precincts and malls can be discovered throughout the coast, while the most established brands can be found at Surfers Paradise and the southern end of Tedder Avenue.

The night markets on the esplanade complete the main shopping options. Unlike many tourist-centric markets around the world, the Gold Coast has an exceptional heritage in quality arts and crafts, which is reflected in the wares on offer at the night market.

Gold Coast

Indulge

WINE AND DINE With more than 600 restaurants and an annual influx of international travellers, it’s relatively easy to find a style of cuisine to suit any taste on the Gold Coast.

Animal attraction Cuddly koalas, majestic tigers and high-adrenaline rides at Dreamworld

Waterfront Restaurant, Southport Yacht Club The Waterfront Restaurant is tucked inside Southport Yacht club off Sea World drive. It occupies two tiers of the club’s interior dining space and overlooks the shimmering super yachts parked in the Broadwater Marina. Other than exceptional views, the open-plan kitchen delivers an impressive and ample range of local favourites including rib-eye fillet freestone gold steak, Mornay Seafood Pie and grilled Barramundi.

1 Macarthur Parade, Gold Coast QLD 4217 T: +61 7 5591 3500

“Between the rollercoasters and logflumes is one of the largest native wildlife parks in Southeast Queensland” It’s an excellent spot to test new products and often you’ll find young designers and artists flaunting their latest lines and collections at very reasonable prices. If you believe shopping is a pleasure best enjoyed alone then there’s no better place to indulge without dragging the family baggage around with you.

The easiest way to relinquish the children for the day is to send them to the beach. There is an almost baffling selection of water sports to keep them occupied, including jet skiing, snorkelling, surfing, body-boarding and kayaking.

Hilton Surfers Paradise even offers guests an exclusive beach valet service. Those lacking the will to prep their own picnic and carry it to the esplanade themselves can have deck chairs, sunshades, beach toys, towels, cold drinks and snacks set up for them.

Beyond the water, thrill-seekers can take a short drive northward up the Pacific Highway to theme-park central, where five of the world’s best can be found a stone’s throw from each other. These include Movie World, Whitewater World, Wet’n’Wild, Sea World and local favourite Dreamworld.

Although the parks are out of town, limousine services, taxis and shuttle busses are easily arranged through hotel concierges, and operate throughout the day.

With such a diverse international visitor demographic, parks cater to the majority of family needs, offering halal-certified eateries, nondenominational prayer rooms and multilingual service staff.

At Dreamworld, visitors can even bypass the dreaded queue at its most popular rides with a beeper system that holds your place so you’re free to enjoy other attractions while you wait.

In keeping with the coast’s plan to update and impress, Dreamworld has added 30 new rides and shows in recent months and has another grand attraction in the works, scheduled to open later this year.

But it’s not all splashes and screams – no trip to Australia is complete without seeing some of the indigenous wildlife, and Dreamworld offers visitors the chance to enjoy intimate encounters with some of the world’s most elusive creatures.

Woven between the folds of rollercoasters and log-flumes is one of the largest native wildlife parks in Southeast Queensland. Dreamworld is heavily invested in the conservation of native animals, and provides a home for kangaroos, koalas, dingoes, and over 500 species of birds.

It’s also not uncommon to see a tiger or two wandering about the park, doing a bit of promotion for Tiger Island. Thankfully, they’re always accompanied by experienced handlers.

Chill Dining and Wine Bar Chill is one of many award-winning eateries that occupy the illustrious frontage of Tedder Avenue on the Gold Coast’s main beach. It specialises in contemporary Australian fine dining and has a well-deserved reputation for excellence. Under the expert direction of chef Daran Glasgow and partner Leesa Huth, the kitchen delivers seasonal menus, clean personable service and a selection of very fine wines.

10/26 Tedder Avenue, Main Beach, QLD, 4217 T: +61 7 5528 0388 Waves restaurant, Watermark Hotel & Spa The Watermark’s signature outlet has reinvigorated interactive causal dining at Surfers Paradise. Friendly chefs are on hand to create bespoke dishes before your eyes in the Gold Coast’s largest open-show kitchen. Highlights include a fresh seafood station that exhibits the best daily hauls direct from local shores and a seemingly endless selection of cakes and deserts.

3032 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise, QLD 4217.

T: +61 7 5588 8304

dotwnews.com

August 2011

45

Indulge

Gold Coast

Work, rest and play luxury marinas, miles of golden sand and a modern city centre make for an ideal getaway

A PLACE TO STAY The Gold Coast is also home to some of Australia’s most prestigious five-star hotels, which have expanded in recent years to incorporate a new and varied range of accommodation options to suit families of all sizes.

The Palazzo Versace, while being one of the older properties on the coast – celebrating its tenth anniversary this year – is still an international leader in decadence and luxury.

From the diminutive colonnade borrowed from St Peters Piazza in Rome to the towering bronze-gilded Corinthian columns dotted around the lobby, the arrival experience feels positively Roman. True to Versace’s penchant for opulence and ornament, every element of its design is dressed in an exotic array of materials plucked straight from the Renaissance.

The bathrooms shimmer with Italianimported marble, dinnertime is celebrated with the clinking of limited-edition cutlery and glassware, and artwork and photography borrowed from Gianni and Donatella Versace’s collections adorns the walls.

Somehow amidst this lavish assault, the hotel manages to retain an air of intimacy that is complemented by a level of service you would expect to find at the court of Roman emperors.

While the property has a reputation for housing honeymooners and the mega-earning elite, it also accommodates a healthy family market, “especially during the winter”, says marketing communications manager Stephanie Manning.

“We have a high percentage of long-stay guests between June and September as we receive many Arabic travellers, most of which use the Versace as a base to explore the Gold Coast. Many of them stayed here as children and now return every year with their own children.”

There are a few dedicated adult-only zones to give visitors a break from rowdy youngsters, including a day spa and brand new Fitness and Wellbeing centre, complete with personal trainer and Versace emblazoned dumbbells.

46

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Hilton Surfers Paradise The two towers (right) offer unbeatable views

The golden book gold Coast Tourism www.visitgoldcoast.com

Palazzo Versace T: +61 7 5509 8000 www.palazzoversace.com.au

hilton Surfers Paradise T: +61 7 5680 8000 www.hiltonsurfersparadise.com.au

Deeper into the far end of the coast at Surfers Paradise, you’ll find a new set of towers tucked behind the esplanade.

Hilton Surfers Paradise is the first leisurefocused hotel and residences of its kind in Australia, and the latest five-star hotel to arrive on the Gold Coast since.

It is unique in that it offers a seemingly endless blend of accommodation options to suit all travellers and groups, in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations. More importantly, each room has a breathtaking vantage to enjoy spectacular views of the beach, rainforest hinterland or city.

Clean white lines, glass façades and neutral colours dominate the residential suites amid an occasional set of navy blue stripes. All of these subtly tuned features accentuate the true drama of a magnificent view.

While Boulevard tower is in full swing and already enjoying a seasonal array of long-stay guests, Orchid tower – the taller of the two – is on schedule to open in early September. The suites come complete with fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities and open-plan living and dining areas.

New projects and renovations have gone a long way in giving the Gold Coast an undeniable luxury vitality, without ruining its laid-back surfer soul. And whether or not it wins its Commonwealth Games bid, it’s sure to retain its place as Australia’s favourite family playground.

Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa T: +61 7 5592 9800 www.marriott.com.au

Peppers broadbeach T: +61 7 5665 4426 www.peppers.com.au

Watermark hotel & Spa T: + 61 7 5588 8333

www.watermarkhotelgoldcoast.com.au

gold Coast helitours T: +61 7 5591 8457 www.goldcoasthelitours.com.au

Corporate limousines T: +61 07 5597 6567 www.corporatelimousines.com.au

dreamworld T: +61 7 5588 1111 www.dreamworld.com.au

Metricon stadium T: +61 7 5644 6200 www.metriconstadium.com.au

Marina Mirage T: +61 7 5555 6400 www.marinamirage.com.au

Movie World T: +61 7 5573 3999 movieworld.myfun.com.au

Get away for less and get more family time With Rotana summer rates from just AED

200

Make this summer a special one for the whole family with Rotana.

Enjoy your time together with summer rates starting from AED 200 per room, per night, across Rotana Hotels & Resorts in the region.

Take a well deserved break with the people who matter the most, and enjoy great savings at the same time. Give yourself a summer of precious memories to keep for a lifetime.

Treasured Time. Our promise to you.

For reservations or more information, visit rotana.com, contact your preferred travel agency or call the hotels directly.

When booking, please quote promotional code SR11.

Terms & Conditions: Rates are subject to local tax and service charge and are valid from 15th of May till 31st of August, 2011.

Rooms are subject to availability as a certain number of rooms are allocated for this promotion. Rates are based on Single or Double occupancy unless specified differently. Rates are commissionable at 10% to bona-fide travel agents.

style in

Fresh as a Baltic breeze, Stockholm is effortlessly cool and bursting with energy WORDS: Andy Round

July 2011 2011dotwnews.com dotwnews.com 50 August 42

Stockholm

City

stockholm dotwnews.com

August 2011

51

“Stockholm doesn’t like to boast. The Swedish capital may be home to more than 100 galleries and 70 museums, but modesty is the most prized exhibit on show here”

Works of art Vintage Hitchcock at the Fotografiska Museum (left) and the painstakingly reconstructed Vasa warship in its museum (below)

D

eep in the heart of Stockholm’s old customs house was the best A-list party in town. There was Alfred Hitchcock with a plucked turkey; Jack Nicholson blowing smoke rings; David Bowie decapitated in a box; Kate Moss and Mick Jagger dressed to kill and, best of all, a chimpanzee brandishing a revolver. Tragically, however, they were an alternative photographic reality – two-metre images by über-cool photographer Albert Watson as part of an exclusive Stockholm exhibition.

But there was something else going on here.

The star of the show was the venue itself, the brand new Fotografiska Museum. With its beautifully restored industrial brick, its endless art nouveau exhibition spaces, lounge-style bistros, Annie Leibovitz side shows and DJs playing as the sun went down, the place was effortlessly cool.

52

August 2011

dotwnews.com

In fact, within just a year of being open, the museum has raised the Swedish capital’s cultural currency to dizzying heights, but Stockholm doesn’t like to boast, and neither does Sweden. The city may be home more than 100 galleries and 70 museums, but modesty is the most prized exhibit on show here.

You can see it in the way urban Stockholmers dress. It’s expensive but simple. This is the capital of anti-bling, and that’s heart-breakingly attractive, like the city’s statuesque platinum blondes. In the rest of the world, simplicity is criminally underrated, but Swedes dash off cool in their coffee break.

Take the section of the National Museum known as 19002000 – it’s overflowing with Swedish design from the last century, produced by visionaries with lots of complicated vowels in their names. The smooth ceramics, bold textiles, crystal-clear typography, pop art

chairs, angular furniture and industrial design (even the road drills are conceived to be goodlooking) all appear freshly minted, even the items that are over a century old. Just one look here and you can see why IKEA’s no-nonsense designs became such a global phenomenon.

A self-confident sense of style is rolled out everywhere. There are five Michelin-starred restaurants; venues like Lux Stockholm that wear their accolades lightly thanks to a fiendish reputation for contemporary Swedish cuisine.

There is some of the world’s best design at Malmsten (featuring Carl Malmsten’s rural classics) or Svenskt Tenn (bright sofas and elegant furniture) and there are surprises.

Bjorn Borg’s underwear collection is unexpectedly tremendous (as are the adverts) and even the hotel Rival, opened and conceived by Abba’s Benny Andersson, is chic and cheerful.

Every dish, every hotel, every item of clothing

Stockholm

City

Cultural riches The popular Riche bar attracts an affluent crowd (left) much like the city’s riverside Grand Hôtel (below)

“Every dish, every hotel, every item of clothing and every stick of furniture in Stockholm looks like it was designed by a master engineer”

and every stick of furniture in Stockholm looks like it was created by a master engineer.

But culturally, Stockholm has always been ahead of the game. For instance, the hottest venue in town for more than 50 years has been the Modern Art Museum. It’s been at the cutting edge since it introduced pop art to a liberalminded Stockholm in the early 1960s. Today it’s fresher than ever.

Quietly demonstrating its cultural muscle, the museum has had a rummage in its archives of more than 100,000 images from 1840 to the present and come up with the most staggering exhibition of photography you will see anywhere this year.

The result? One thousand carefully curated images on show until the end of 2011. If you ever wanted to see what happened when Vogue’s Irving Penn photographed Picasso or took on an advert for L’Oreal, you must visit. If

you ever wondered about the freakish attraction of Diane Arbus, the sensuality of Jeanloup Sieff, the Parisian insight of Henri Cartier-Bresson or the brutal tragedies of Robert Capa; visit. It’s genuinely unmissable.

So what powers Stockholm’s cultural cool?

Perhaps it’s a fresh perspective bred from breathing crisp Baltic air. Perhaps it’s being surrounded by all that calming water. There are 14 islands here, lots of bridges but only 850,000 people, so there is plenty of space to breathe, space to move and plenty of boats to sail.

There’s also lots of fairytale architecture that’s been dipped lovingly in comforting colours of fawn, russet, sepia, chocolate, mahogany and ochre. When the sun goes down, the high roofs and spires glitter. Stockholm in the early evening is as unforgettable as an Abba melody.

And there’s a lot of history packed into these tiny islands. Saunter the old streets of Gamla

Stan in the shadows of the ancient merchant houses, churches, restaurants and the bright baroque of the palace and you soon discover you are never more than three minutes away from a medieval square, café or bar. Never more than five minutes away from cool lapping water, bridges and photogenic boats. It all feels wonderfully manageable and easily walkable. And it’s been like that since 1252. No wonder the city became known as the Venice of the North.

Stockholm has not always been so at ease with itself. In the 17th century it set about aggressively gobbling up half of Europe in sustained campaigns of invasion, and the most poignant symbol of those times is sealed in the Vasa Museum.

Here, in this giant low-lit space, is the Vasa, the 17th century look-at-me flagship of King Gustav Adolf. When it set sail on its maiden voyage it was a fearsome symbol of Sweden and

dotwnews.com

August 2011

53

City

Stockholm

“Hire a bicycle and head deep into the verdant green heart outside the urban capital. Here you’ll find the wooden holiday homes of the weekender city folk fringed by tall trees”

Fotografiska Museum Already a cultural hub in the city

Swedish touch Abba superstar Benny Andersson’s Hotel Rival

the king’s power. With 64 guns, 300 soldiers and blazing with hundreds of colourful warrior sculptures, it was a terrifying battleship that took more than two years to build. Unfortunately, it took only a few minutes to sink. After setting sail it promptly keeled over and went under, leaving several red-faced naval officers with no small amount of explaining to do.

In 1961 the ship was raised from the soft silt that had protected it for centuries and gingerly towed to shore. Once docked, a mammoth jigsaw operation to piece together its hundreds of thousands of shattered wooden components was set in motion. The result is really pretty incredible. The rebuilt ship is mesmerising, the reconstruction work that brought faces to the broken skeletons discovered onboard deserves its own CSI series, and the story behind the salvage operation is an Indiana Jones movie waiting to happen.

54

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Like everything else in Stockholm, the museum is surrounded by lush parkland.

The city fiercely defends its open spaces – these were the first modern park systems in Europe – and more than a third of the capital is given over to greenery. And where the parkland ends, the lapping waters of the Baltic begin. Spiritually, socially, and significantly, these open spaces deeply inform the character of Stockholm.

Hire a bicycle and head deep into the verdant green heart outside the urban capital. Here and there, past the joggers, the hikers and the ice-cream eating families, are the wooden holiday homes of weekender city folk fringed by tall trees. Stop off somewhere, anywhere close to the shore, and you’ll see the little boats of afternoon sailors and always a convenient marina bar serving the coldest beers this side of the Baltic.

In the evening, after perhaps a herring platter or plate of fried elk and potatoes (garnished with pickled beetroot) beneath the handpainted ceiling of the Pelikan beer hall or maybe some sea-fresh fish in the market venue of Lisa Elmqvist, it’s time to experience Stockholm’s infamous nightlife, in the epicentre of the city’s lounge club heartland, Stureplan.

For the coolest of the cool that speak VIP access fluently and understand the delicate machinations of negotiating bouncers, the long queues that snake around the block to the likes of I Spy or Hotellet are irresistible. However, for those whose clothes don’t scream A-list, there is an abundance of snug bars and relaxed lounges.

A personal favourite is Riche. It’s been around for decades but looks like it opened yesterday.

The clientele is relaxed and the music cooler than John Coltrane’s fridge, and by 1am, the party is just getting started.

Boutique india A new generation of luxurious properties is reshaping Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism landscape, providing a pampered path to enlightenment WORDS: Jo Foley

Devi Ratn, Jaipur The interiors at Devi Ratn are bold and striking, like modern Rajasthan itself

56

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Boutique India

Luxury

I

ndia is renowned for its luxury hotels, most of which are encased in princely palaces, huge forts and opulent historic houses. Here, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boutiqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in a hotel context generally means a comparatively large property of 100 rooms or more, but lately this has changed as newer, smaller, trendier and yet still sumptuous arrivals open to welcome the traveller on business or pleasure. Some are in re-vamped historic gems, but many are built from scratch and designed to take Indian hospitality to a whole new level.

dotwnews.com

August 2011

57

Luxury

Boutique India

DEVI RATN Devi Ratn, on the outskirts of Jaipur, takes its name from the Navratna – the nine pure gemstones that focus all cosmic energy. A short drive from India’s gem city, the entire structure pays homage to Jaipur’s arts, crafts and jewels, using spectacular colours of sapphire, ruby and gold throughout its suites and villas. From the entrance through a red rose atrium to its gold and silver dining room, the hotel is a jewel in itself. The architecture takes its lead from the city’s famous observatory, the Jantar Mantar.

The spa is a partnership with Provence beauty brand L’Occitane and offers Indian and Mediterranean treatments. As well as having the architectural joys of Jaipur to investigate – such as the Palace of the Winds and the City Palace and Museum – Devi Ratn also offers croquet, mini-golf, camel safaris and horse riding in the nearby Aravali hills. www.deviresorts.in

Devi Ratn All the splendour of an Indian palace

Rasa Futuristic canvas ‘tents’ allow every modern luxury in natural surroundings

RASA Also on the outskirts of Jaipur, in the shade of the Amber Fort, is Rasa – a futuristic tented camp where the tents are pure white canvas cubes, exquisitely decorated for a modern Rajput prince. The 40 spacious tents offer every luxury, from WiFi and satellite TV to air-conditioning and heating. Each has its own outdoor pavilion, while the large dining room at one end of the camp serves a fusion of Indian and international food using ingredients from the hotel’s own organic garden. There is a black stone swimming pool, bicycles to explore the area, and bird-watching and kite-flying. Best of all, the Amber Fort, hovering above you, beckons for an early-morning visit by elephant. www.rasaresorts.in

58

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Luxury

Boutique India

THE SERAI JAISALMER En-route to Jaisalmer, on the edge of the Great Thar Desert, sits the The Serai Jaisalmer Tented Camp. There are 21 spacious tents in 30 acres of scrub desert – each with its own bathing, dressing and sit-out area. A large restaurant tent and bar add to the gracious style of this Relais&Chateaux hotel. The food is delicious, the spa offers indigenous as well as western therapies, and the swimming pool is designed along the lines of a traditional Indian stepwell. The Serai provides the ideal respite after a day’s sightseeing in the fort and along the ramparts of Jaisalmer, the golden city. Or take a camel safari into the desert and enjoy a sundowner on the dunes. www.the-serai.com The Serai Jaisalmer Enjoy al fresco cocktails on your luxury tent’s private sit-out area

RAAS Head for Jodhpur, the ‘Blue City’, with its magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, to find Raas nestled beneath its ramparts. This boutique hotel has just 32 rooms, 28 of which have spectacular views of the fort, while the remaining four have their own gardens. Part renovated old haveli (private mansions), part newly-built hotel, this is a seamless mix of old and new, using the pink sandstone of Rajasthan – even in the fold-away shutters used on each balcony and veranda. Best of all, the hotel comes complete with its own liveried sky blue tuktuks to whisk guests through the tiny winding streets of the old city. The gardens are glorious, the pool is inviting and the chic little spa has just four treatment rooms, each with its own steam room. Best of all, the rooftop restaurant and bar offers one of the greatest views over Rajasthan – the magnificent fort hovers right above you. www.raasjodhpur.com

Raas A chic boutique hotel under Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort

RANVAS

Ranvas The havelis of this revamped fourth-century fort are perfect for families and groups

60

August 2011

dotwnews.com

A two-hour drive from Jodhpur in the town of Nagaur you’ll find Ranvas, once the palace of the queens, located in its own magnificent fourth century fort, which has been fastidiously renovated. There are 10 havelis of two, three and four rooms – each with a sit-out, and one with a plunge pool. All surround a spacious courtyard, and there is a main dining area and pool. This is where you come to relax from the sights and sounds of Rajasthan. Make sure you walk around the ramparts of the fort for amazing views. Go in the early morning and return for breakfast, or venture out in late afternoon and enjoy a sundowner afterwards. www.jodhanaheritage.com

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai

The Leela Palace Kempinski, Bangalore

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur

Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad

Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, India

Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur

FOR WORLDWIDE HOTEL RESERVATIONS REGISTER AT

WWW.DOTW.COM Real-time online booking confirmation for over 80,000 ground services in more than 1,200 cities.

Net wholesale rates for hotels, resorts, apartments, villas, transfers, sightseeing tours and excursions worldwide.* * FOR TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS ONLY.

Luxury

Boutique India

TREE OF LIFE

don’t miss if real palaces are still what you are looking for, the Heritage suites at the taj mahal Palace, mumbai have been exquisitely renovated after the bombings of 2008. the 47 rooms and suites have been lovingly and painstakingly restored and showcase original artworks and period furniture. www.tajhotels.com in Hyderabad, the taj Falaknuma Palace has opened after a decade of renovations – a mélange of indian style, italian opulence and art deco design. it sports more chandeliers than any other indian dwelling, a library copied from the one at Windsor Castle and a billiard table whose twin sits in Buckingham Palace.

What’s more, its dining room sports the largest dining table in the world. www.tajhotels.com Finally, the Leela Palace new delhi opened just a few months ago. not quite a palace in the traditional sense (it was once a temple to money – a bank) but grand, with the largest rooms in the city. www.theleela.com

Still in Rajasthan on the outskirts of Jaipur is the charming Tree of Life Resort and Spa, a short distance from the Amber Fort. It consists of just 14 private villas, built in traditional style – terracotta domes, filigree stonework and mirrored decorations throughout. Each villa is set in its own garden and comes with its own private spa with two therapy tables, a sunken bath for two and an outdoor shower. The villas have every modern amenity, from air-conditioning to Nespresso machines, but also a traditional touch in the dressing room – a large selection of glass bangles to match the main colour of the room, for the guests to wear and take. Visitors who wish to see some of the local villages and traditions can choose from a trek through the villages, a jeep or an elephant safari, or mountain biking in the nearby Aravali hills. They can also mingle with the local community by driving a tractor and tilling the soil, teaching in a local school or shop, or cooking with the chef. www.treeofliferesorts.com

Tree of Life Resort & Spa Personalised touches and activities make for a unique stay Neeleshwar Hermitage Eco-conscious luxury allows for simple pleasures Taj Mahal Palace the iconic hotel has been painstakingly restored Taj Falaknuma Palace Blending indian tradition with lavish italian style

NEELESHWAR HERMITAGE One of the newest, prettiest resorts in the south is Neeleshwar Hermitage in Southern Kerala, which has already attracted a string of aficionados. Overlooking 23 miles of ocean and pristine sand, the resort comprises 16 detached cottages – all designed along the lines of traditional fisherman’s huts. They are dotted throughout the landscaped gardens along with a spa, yoga pavilion, boutique, library and swimming pool.

This is real get-away-from-it-all territory. A simple location dedicated to an eco-friendly policy, the resort has a beach, which is a haven for the endangered Olive Ridley turtle, and a garden specially planted to attract butterflies and a large selection of indigenous birds. www.neeleshwarhermitage.com

62

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Palace intrigue Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul hides a fascinating blend of espionage, romance and mystery behind its ornate walls, says Dorothy Waldman

64

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Pera Palace

Orient Terrace A meeting point for Istanbul’s high society

Historic hotels

Home from home Spies, politicians and movie stars all frequented Pera Palace

“Istanbul needed a hotel suitably elegant for the Orient Express’ elite passengers”

A

clairvoyant told researchers in 1979 to check room 411 of the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul for the key to Agatha Christie’s mysterious 10-day disappearance in 1929. Warner Brothers was making a movie about the famed mystery writer and hoped the renowned medium Tamara Rand could shed some light on what had happened during those lost days.

Christie had frequently stayed in that room between 1926 and 1932, so Rand’s directive was not surprising. What was surprising was that a rusty eight-centimetre long key was found hidden behind the skirting of the door.

Unfortunately, before the mystery of what it unlocked could be solved, the key disappeared, compounding the mystery even further. It is rumoured that Christie wrote Murder on the Orient Express in that room, and the hotel obviously influenced the whodunit.

As the eastern-most stop of the famed Orient Express luxury locomotive, Istanbul needed a hotel suitably elegant for the train’s elite passengers. The Pera Palace, which was completed in 1895, satisfied this need and hosted glamorous visitors from all over the world.

Amongst other achievements, it was the first building, other than the Ottoman Palaces, in Turkey to be powered by electricity and to provide hot running water for its guests. When they arrived at the train station, guests were literally carried to the hotel; the soft green sedan chair once used to transport The Pera Palace’s patrons is now on display near its entrance.

The hotel also featured the first electric elevator in Istanbul, the second in all of Europe.

Today, when guests are first escorted to their rooms, they are taken to their floor in the original, ornate wrought iron and wood “bird cage” elevator, just as kings, queens, heads of state, artists, writers, entertainers and other guests once were.

Among the VIPs who have ridden in this elevator are Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Franz Joseph, Sarah Bernhardt, Greta Garbo, Alfred Hitchcock, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Ernest Hemingway was often seen in the Orient Bar with a whisky in his hand and supposedly many spies, including the likes of Mata Hari, stayed here during World War II, creating the infinite possibility that vital secrets have been exchanged within the halls and rooms of the iconic property over the ages.

Perhaps the most important guest in Turkish history was Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern-day Turkey. He first stayed at the hotel in 1917 and returned frequently, especially when his own home was under surveillance.

To celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday, his former favourite room, number 101, was converted into a museum. Decorated in sunrise pink, Ataturk’s hue of choice, the museum displays many of his own personal effects and is now open to the public. Zsa Zsa Gabor wrote in her diary that she had an affair with Ataturk in the Pera Palace.

More recently, the VIP guest roster has included Ben Affleck and Kristen Dunst, as well as Terry Gilliam, the director of The Fisher King.

After a century as the place in Istanbul to see and be seen, the historic landmark was in need of extensive restoration and renovation. In 2008 it was closed for a two-and-a-half year, EUR 23 million (US$33.5m) restoration to bring it back to its former glory. Great care was taken to preserve the cultural heritage of the listed building, and photographs from the past were used to direct the project.

The neo-classical, art nouveau structure, typical of the grand architecture of its time, was designed by Alexander Vallaury around a huge central atrium known as the Kubbeli Saloon. The walls appear to be constructed of the finest of marbles, even upon close examination. In reality,

Greta Garbo The famed actress stayed at the Pera Palace in 1924 for 21 days. Today the hotel’s six corner rooms bear her name.

Alfred Hitchcock Another of the Pera Palace’s famous past guests.

Ernest Hemingway A frequent patron of the hotel’s elegant bar.

dotwnews.com

August 2011

65

Historic Hotels

Pera Palace

the making of a legend

1892

Work on Pera Palace Hotel begins.

1895

Opening ball of the Pera Palace.

Agatha Restaurant The design has taken a contemporary turn at Agatha, which pays homage to the major stops of the Orient Express

1895-1915

During the 20 years between its opening and World War 1, Pera Palace is the toast of the international and local social scene.

Heart of the action The Oriental Terrace is a great place for sundowners

1917

Leader and founder of Turkey, Atatürk becomes a regular guest.

1926-1932

Writer Agatha Christie stays numerous times during this period.

1934

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie is published and Pera Palace Hotel is the main inspiration for the book.

1940-1944

International spies Cicero and Mata Hari dine together at the Pera Palace, where they are regular guests.

2008

The EUR 23m (US$33.5m) restoration of the Pera Palace begins.

2010

Pera Palace Hotel reopens in September during Istanbul’s year as the European Capital of Culture.

“Pera Palace has maintained its reputation as a gastro hotspot”

66

August 2011

dotwnews.com

they are covered with hand-made wallpaper designed to fool the naked eye. Rooms on the floors above are accessed by open hallways overlooking the grand open space below, with the six glass domes above.

During the restoration, it was noticed that the colours of the wallpapers on an area that was once used for storage in the kitchen were different from those on the other walls. Further investigation revealed that it was not a wall at all, but rather a door that had been covered and forgotten. Behind the door, a cache of 6,000 pieces of silver was discovered, much of it still in the original packaging from Christofle.

Further investigation revealed that the Pera Palace had made two orders from the famous silver company, one at the opening of the hotel and the second in the 1950s. Some of the pieces of cutlery are now used for the hotel’s traditional English afternoon tea, served in the Kubbeli Saloon Tea Lounge, while other pieces are on display throughout the hotel.

The Pera Palace reopened on September 1, 2010, retaining the splendour of its origins, but enhanced by a century of progress. Many of the same paintings and furnishings visible in old photographs of the hotel (on display throughout) are still in use today.

The rooms evoke the refined essence of the 19th century, with stunning views from balconies overlooking the Golden Horn – the historic

inlet of the Bosphorus dividing the city between Asia and Europe – antique furnishings such as ornate wardrobes and tables from the original hotel, supplemented by indistinguishable reproductions and Murano chandeliers.

Yet each room also features the ultimate in modern technology, amenities and more. Elegant clawed slipper bathtubs are enclosed in clear glass, giving the spacious bathrooms, which also feature heated Italian Carrara marble, the feel of the past with the comforts of today.

One new post-renovation addition to the hotel is the Pera Spa, which includes a traditional Turkish hammam and features signature treatments named after famous guests, and incorporating Swiss-made After the Rain spa treatments and products.

Since its opening, Pera Palace has maintained a reputation as a gastronomic hotspot in Istanbul. In addition to the Orient Bar and Kubbeli Saloon, the Art Nouveau Patisserie de Pera, with its own chocolatier, offers a variety of sweet treats. The Agatha Restaurant pays tribute to the three major stops of the former Orient Express – Paris, Venice and Istanbul – with a menu that blends French, Italian and Turkish flavours and dishes.

Known as the ‘Pearl of Istanbul’, the Pera Palace has returned to its former glory with the same elegance and intrigue long associated with one of Europe’s most captivating cities.

Demystifying Africa – the next frontier

-th September  Hyatt Regency Casablanca, Morocco

Africa on the move

Platinum Sponsors

Over the last few years, Africa has experienced considerable growth underpinned by tourism, demand for commodities and government investment in infrastructure. Africa offers a wealth of opportunities with many investment funds witnessing over % annual returns.

A shortage of hotel accommodation in all classes has focussed the attention of many international hotel brands. Join us at the Hotel Investment Conference Africa, - September and find out how you too can capitalise on what is rapidly becoming a hotel investor’s goldmine.

Speakers and Programme Over  speakers and  ministers will take part including: • HE Yassir Zenagui, Minister of Tourism and Handicraft, Kingdom of Morocco – listen to how Morocco is changing the face of tourism.

Typical breakdown of Attendees

by Seniority

Non Management/Other 0% % CEO/Head of Organisation %

Junior Management %

• Yann Caillère, Deputy CEO EMEA Sofitel Worldwide, Accor – how Accor is making such a success of their African pipeline.

Manager %

• Ed Fuller, President and Managing Director, Marriott International – global operators diving into Africa.

• Nenad Pacek, President and Co-founder, CEEMEA Group – one of the world’s leading authorities on emerging markets and listen to what they are advising business leaders on opportunities in Africa.

Managing Director % Assistant/Deputy Director % Assistant/Deputy Chief Executive %

Board Level/Owner/ Partner %

Head of/Director/Senior Mgmt %

• Chris Luebkeman, Director, Global Foresight + Innovation, Arup – a global design and engineering firm and a leading creative force behind many of the world’s most innovative projects and structures.

Hear how they are transforming Africa?

• Otto J. Stehlik, Chairman, Protea Hotels – how Protea has succeeded to become the dominant player.

Accor Corinthia Hotels Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Marriott Gold Sponsors Actif Invest ALHIF Alliances Anantara France  Grant Thornton Hilton Worldwide Horwath HTL H Partners Hyatt IHG Interedec Madaëf Palmeraie Hotels & Resorts Pam Golding Hotels Ltd Rezidor Hotel Group Starwood Hotels and Resorts T Capital Tourism & Leisure WATG W Hospitality Group Supporters ANIT Ecole Hotelière Lausanne World Travel & Tourism Council

HOSTED BY:

The full HICA  programme is available on: www.africa-conference.com

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

HICA is a ground breaking event for Africa. For Morocco to attract this calibre of conference, will help support and deliver our  vision for tourism in the region. For the rest of Africa it will help build a better appreciation of the potential within the continent.

HE YASSIR ZENAGUI, MINISTER OF TOURISM AND HANDICRAFT, KINGDOM OF MOROCCO

For further information on HICA visit www.africa-conference.com Or for sponsorship enquiries, please contact: Matthew Weihs on +  ()  or matthew.weihs@benchevents.com

www.africa-conference.com

Photo: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

Diary 08.11

02

01

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

August 5 – 29, Edinburgh, Scotland

The largest art show in the world takes place every year in the capital of Scotland, where thousands of performances are set up at hundreds of venues throughout the city and the surrounding areas. Shows and exhibitions range from visual arts to theatre (Shakespeare and modern works), music (classical, opera, rock, jazz, hip hop), comedy (attracting top names from all over the world), dance (ballet, jazz, modern) and events (parties and pub crawls). Performers range from well-known professionals to amateurs looking to build their careers. www.edfringe.com

68

August 2011

dotwnews.com

02

Rolex Fastnet Race 2011 August 14, Cowes, Isle of Wight

One of the most challenging yacht races in the world, this prestigious event attracts some 250 competing vessels, with over 2,000 crew participating. Starting in Cowes in the Isle of Wight, the race follows course along the English Channel and to the Irish Sea up to Fastneck Rock off Southern Ireland, before heading back to Plymouth, England. The race lasts between 4 - 5 days and offers great viewing for spectators in Cowes and Plymouth. You don’t have to be an expert sailor to compete, and many packages are available which provide accommodation, training and food for the entire duration of the race. www.fastnet.rorc.org

03

Helsinki Festival

Aug 19 – Sept 4, Helsinki, Finland

Offering hundreds of live theatre, music and dance performances, plus art exhibitions, a circus, a cinema and plenty of children’s activities, this is Finland’s biggest cultural event, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year to the capital city. The event’s aim is to “make art accessible for all”, and in this vein many of the activities and shows are free to attend. It all culminates in the Night of the Arts, when the city is open for anyone to perform outdoors in parks and on the streets. Despite the streets being filled with revellers, the event remains largely familyorientated, and this is a great time to visit. www.helsinginjuhlaviikot.fi/en

August

02

Photo: Sasa Tkalcan

04

What’s on

05

01

06

04

Notting Hill Carnival

Aug 28 – 29, Notting Hill, England

What began as a local festival set up by the West Indian community of London’s Notting Hill area, the Notting Hill Carnival now attracts millions of visitors from all over the world. The event is a full-scale Caribbean carnival taking place right in the streets of London, with steel drum bands, hundreds of stalls selling food and drinks, Caribbean dancers, live music and sound stages blaring every kind of music imaginable.

The carnival tends to pick up in pace as the day wears on. In the evenings, the floats and parades leave the streets and the Notting Hill Carnival afterparties get underway. www.thenottinghillcarnival.com

05

La Tomatina Festival Aug 31, Brunol, Spain

Every year, on the last Wednesday of August, the world’s largest food fight takes place in the small town of Brunol, near Valencia. With a population of just 9,000, Brunol prepares for the extra 20,000 – 40,000 visitors who descend on the tiny village to get stuck into the masses of over-ripe tomatoes that are delivered for the sole purpose of messy fun. At 10am on the morning of the festival, one individual climbs to the top of a greased up pole to retrieve a ham, and once this is achieved a water canon is fired, signalling the start of the tomato fight. Accommodation is tight in Brunol, so most stay in Valencia. www.latomatinatours.com

06

The Hamptons Classic Horse Show

Aug 28 – Sept 4, Hamptons, New York, USA

The 36th annual Hamptons Classic Horse Show will attract the usual high society types and celebrities, who gather every year to mingle and watch the equestrian splendour, including races, jumping competitions, shows, music events and afterparties. The week-long event attracts a bustling crowd to New York’s upscale Hamptons area, a longtime summer retreat for New York’s wealthy and well-known. It’s also a celebration of the end of the Hamptons’ summer season and the atmosphere is vibrant with reunions, picnics, shopping and family events. www.hamptonclassic.com

dotwnews.com

August 2011

69

Spend it

Itineraries

Meet the Sultan If you’re the kind of person who likes to share your travel triumphs with others (and we suspect you are), then this is the one for you. The Empire Golf and Country Club in Brunei – the Sultanate’s most lavish and opulent resort – happens to be owned by none other than the Sultan of Brunei himself, and to celebrate the Islamic holiday of Eid ul Fitr (or Hari Raya Aidilfitri as it is known in Brunei), the royal palace has agreed to throw open the doors to the royal residence and give guests the chance to meet the Sultan in person. Book two nights at the resort and receive unlimited in-room non-alcoholic minibar, return airport transfers and buffet dinner for two at the hotel’s Atrium Café or Pantai Restaurant, halfday city tour for two, plus (and we must stress that this is “subject to approval from the palace”) a visit to the Istana Nurul Iman palace, which is only open to the public once a year during the three-day Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

Cost: from AED 1,375 (US$374) per person, based on twin sharing.

From: now until end of September. www.theempirehotel.com

70

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Fit for a king Indulge in the royal treatment at Empire Golf and Country Club

Angsana Velavaru Known among locals as Turtle Island, Angsana Velavaru is a private paradise on the Maldives’ South Nilandhe Atoll, surrounded by hundreds of kilometres of seemingly empty ocean. Give the gift of time at Angsana Velavaru in the Maldives, where guests will receive an extra night on the house when they book an all-inclusive stay of three or more nights. Lose yourself in a world of dense tropical jungle, gentle ocean breezes and soft white sand in a beachfront villa, or the lapping of the waves, the kaleidoscopic waters and the sense of isolation from one of the resort’s stunning InOcean Villas, situated a kilometre offshore on their own fanshaped reef. Velavaru prides itself on having 101 activities for guests to indulge in, and the resort is blessed with one of the Maldives’ largest lagoons – a perfect spot for diving, snorkelling, dolphin-spotting or fishing.

Cost: from US$700 per room, per night including all meals and select alcoholic beverages during meals (between 7pm-11pm).

From: now until October 31. www.angsana.com

Spend it

Itineraries

Sunshine in St. Barts

Spend it Treat yourself this summer with one of these exclusive offers from the top hotels and travel companies around the world

*All prices are subject to change. Please contact the listed companies for further information.

Angsana Velavaru InOcean Villas are the pinnacle of private luxury

Imperial Mauritius Set amid nine hectares of tropical gardens along a gorgeous beach of soft white sand, Sofitel Mauritius L’Imperial Resort & Spa is dedicated to comfort and pleasure. Asian-inspired architecture and sleek modern furnishings highlight the beauty of the natural setting and reveal exceptional attention to detail.

Discerning guests will be enchanted with the graceful ambiance of the luxurious guest rooms, subtly decorated with stone and wood accents. Sofitel Mauritius L’Imperial Resort & Spa also offers wonderful restaurants in which to savour the best of eastern, western, and ocean-side gastronomy. Choose from among a plethora of leisure activities or simply relax and let time flow by. Whatever your fancy, your stay is bound to be coloured with unmitigated pleasure, rich discovery, and utter wellbeing. Don’t cut your visit short – book in for seven nights on a half-board basis and ensure that you have time to immerse yourself in all that Mauritius, and Sofitel L’Imperial, have to offer.

Cost: from $3,850 half-board basis for seven nights’ stay, excluding flights.

From: now until October 15, 2011. www.sofitel.com

The sun never stops shining in the Caribbean, and thanks to a new partnership between luxury St. Barts villa rental agency Sibarth Villa Rentals and private jet firm Blue Star Jets, the sun is shining even brighter this summer. As well as accommodation in some of the island’s most amazing villas, Sibarth is now offering its guests bookings on private jets from anywhere in the world, so visitors can either hop on a jet in their home destination and enjoy the journey in utmost luxury all the way to the Caribbean, or connect somewhere (we’d go for Miami) and conclude the final leg in style. Sibarths has a range of luxurious villas around St. Barts, from one-bedroom beachfront villas to huge seven-bedroom-plus properties.

Cost: three-bedroom Villa Otto (left) from US$22,500 per week. One-bed villas available from $2,000 per week. Round trip private jet flights from Dubai to St. Barts from $280,000 From: unlimited. www.sibarth.com / www.bluestarjets.com

Sofitel L’Imperial Submit to the tropical magic of Mauritius

dotwnews.com

August 2011

71

Spend it

Itineraries

“Shun the airport queues, forget about the baggage allowance and shake hands with the pilot as you board a private jet from Dubai to Florence, and set off on a three-day break you won’t forget”

Summer in Florence There’s really only one way to travel this summer, and it’s not low-cost. Shun the airport queues, forget about the baggage allowance and shake hands with the pilot as you board a private jet from Dubai to Italy, and set off on a three-day break that you won’t forget. Dnata Luxury Hotels and private jet firm Air Partner have teamed up to offer the most bespoke luxury travel experience available this summer. Jet off from Dubai and land in Florence, where you’ll spend three nights in Il Salviatino, a lovingly restored 15th century Renaissance villa set on the hillside of Fiesole, one of the most exclusive parts of the city. Set in 11 acres of private parkland, the villa is minutes from Il Duomo and everything else that Florence has to offer. Plan your stay from an enchanting Dome View De Luxe Double Room, with daily a la carte breakfast for two and return airport transfers by private luxury car.

Cost: from AED 66,590 (US$18,129) per person.

From: now until end of October 15. luxuryhotels@dnata.com

Il Salviatino A beautiful 15th century villa on the hills of Fiesole, Florence

Beijing by sidecar

Opposite House Enjoy Beijing from a different perspective

72

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Beijing is a city that walks a tightrope between two worlds – one half steeped in history and tradition, the other surging vigorously towards the future. If you want to experience both sides of this lively metropolis, The Opposite House has just the solution. This modern urban hotel, created by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kum, invites guests to explore the city in a tour like no other, via a vintage motorcycle sidecar.

Not only will you see the highlights of Beijing from a new perspective unknown to most visitors (not to mention beating the traffic jams and tourist crowds) you’ll be accompanied by an experienced guide, who will take you around some of the city’s lesser-known gems. Trust us, this is an offer you won’t want to miss.

Cost: from RMB 3,700 (US$572), including four hour customized motorcycle trip for two, plus a one-night stay in a Studio 70 with breakfast.

From: now until end of September. www.theoppositehouse.com

Four Seasons Resort, Kuda Huraa

Banyan Tree Maldives Madivaru, North Ari Atoll

Jumeirah Vittaveli, Maldives

Angsana Velavaru Dhaalu Atoll Maldives

Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru Island, North MalĂŠ Atoll

Hilton Maldives Iru Fushi Resort & Spa

FOR WORLDWIDE HOTEL RESERVATIONS REGISTER AT

WWW.DOTW.COM Real-time online booking confirmation for over 80,000 ground services in more than 1,200 cities.

Net wholesale rates for hotels, resorts, apartments, villas, transfers, sightseeing tours and excursions worldwide.* * FOR TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS ONLY.

Huvafen Fushi, Maldives

DEBUT

Four Seasons Marrakech Marrakech, Morocco

This 40-acre walled resort in the heart of Marrakech is made up of riads connected by roseadorned walkways, featuring Moorish-inspired low-rise buildings so as not to obstruct the views of the Atlas Mountains and Menara Gardens beyond. Each of the guestrooms and suites features a private furnished balcony or terrace, and the main grounds feature two pools, one of which is adults-only for those craving a quiet holiday, plus the Kids for All Seasons kids’ club gives parents a chance for some alone time. Three restaurants are currently open, with two more to join in the near future, and the Neroli Spa Pavillion offers a range of luxurious Moroccan treatments.

Four Seasons Marrakech A stunning Moorish sanctuary

Amanruya Surrounded by pine forests and olive groves

Amanruya Bodrum, Turkey

Aman Resorts unveils its 24th property this month, set in Mandalya Bay, tucked away in a quiet valley on the northern coast of Bodrum and surrounded by pine forests and olive groves. The resort’s pavilions, inspired by the region’s architecture, are scattered in ascending elevated levels, offering privacy and uninterrupted views to the sea. Each of the 36 74

August 2011

dotwnews.com

stone and glass Pool Terrace Cottages features private pools, gardens and an outdoor shower, plus heated flooring and fireplace. A Beach Club is a short walk away from the main building, featuring private lounging areas curled around trees on the secluded beach. Amanruya will also offer excursions to the nearby historical sites of Didyma, Miletus, Priene and Ephesus.

Keeping you abreast of the latest hotel openings

Al Bustan Palace The “jewel of the sultanate”

The Ritz-Carlton, Al Bustan Palace Muscat, Oman

Dolphin Island Fiji Islands, South Pacific

The Huka Retreats’ stunning 13-acre private retreat has recently undergone an extensive renovation and refurbishment, giving the up to eight guests it can accommodate a fresh new experience. Surrounded by crystal clear waters, guests will arrive by private boat to the lush tropical island, and will be greeted by a series of elegant bures (Fijian wood and stone huts), with the main bure

featuring several poolside areas, and spots for sundowners. Each guest bure offers an outdoor shower and private garden courtyard, and for the ultimate romantic experience, guests can book the hill-top sleep-out bure, a rustic yet refined thatched open-air bedroom. Fresh seafood is caught daily and cooked within hours to offer guests a true taste of island life.

Dolphin Island A private retreat in the South Pacific

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC has taken over the exquisite Al Bustan Palace hotel in Muscat, Oman, a rich Arabic-inspired property bordered by 200 acres of lush landscaped gardens, jagged mountains and the longest beach in the country. The property’s reputation as the “jewel of the sultanate” will be further enhanced by the Ritz-Carlton’s multi-million dollar refurbishment of the already impressive interior and exterior, which will include five swimming pools, a spa, a water sports centre and a Tennis Village, plus seven dining outposts letting guests savour everything from French, Arabic and Chinese cuisine to live music at Al Maha Piano Bar.

Muthi Maya Forest Pool Villa Resort Khao Yai, Thailand

Nestled on 800 acres in the serene mountains of Khao Yai, a two-hour drive northeast of Bangkok, Muthi Maya Pool Villa Resort borders a UNESCO World Heritage National Park and rainforest, and boasts an expansive private 18-hole Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. It also offers guests one of the best levels of air quality in the world, and temperatures remain cool and favourable yearround, making it the perfect destination whether you’re escaping the heat of summer in the Middle East or winter in Europe. The resort’s 64 villas each feature a private 3 X 7 metre pool, large patio and garden pavilion, and are surrounded by vineyards, making the property a truly unique experience to encounter in Thailand. Day activities include hiking, elephant trekking, and winery trips. dotwnews.com

August 2011

75

Suite dreams

Four Seasons Kuda Huraa

A majestic marvel The Royal Beach Villa is the hidden gem of the Four Seasons’ Kuda Huraa, says Jason Leavy

I

t’s only when the outboard motor is cut off and the speedboat drifts into the jetty of Kuda Huraa that the sheer beauty of the Maldives really resonates.

Yes, the sea really is that clear, yes the skyline really is that vast and yes, the island nation really does deserve the reputation it has earned as one of the most idyllic spots on earth.

Of course, in an archipelago of more than 1,000 islands, not all are created equal, and when you combine the natural beauty of Kuda Huraa with the Four Seasons’ unparalleled reputation for exquisite service, you have a formula for a truly magical experience.

The island is a narrow spit, but thanks to some beautiful landscaping, when you walk through the lush interior you feel utterly immersed in the environment and separated from the outside world in a way that many retreats claim to, but rarely deliver in practice.

In keeping with this feel of understated elegance, you could almost fail to notice the Royal Beach Villa, which is tucked away in a secluded corner of the island, just before you reach the walkway that takes you out to the spectacular water bungalows that sit on stilts over the lagoon.

The villa’s exterior, with its roof of Maldivian thatch, gives just the barest hint at what lies behind the imposing wooden doors. What you’ll find as you step through is 2,120 square feet of perfectly designed space. The refined interior rejects over the top glamour in favour of low-key luxury. Stuccoed walls, furnishings of rattan, wicker and dark oak, and natural fabrics in light shades of ivory and beige all serve to create a dwelling that while luxurious, is perfectly attuned to the natural environment around it.

The plasma-screen TV and stereo system are state-of-the-art, but one suspects that the attention

76

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Sand and surf Step out of your private villa for a dip in the pool or the sea

of the guest is more frequently focused on the view through the huge windows that frame the stunning ocean and lagoon just outside your door.

Upon walking outside, you’re confronted with a tropical garden and private stretch of beach, enhanced by a sundeck, private infinity-edge pool and a shaded daybed.

The pièce de résistance is the bale, a traditional thatched hut that makes the perfect setting for a romantic evening meal.

It almost feels a crime to contemplate sleep when there’s so much to savour, but two huge bedrooms lure you in and Four Seasons’ reputation for the ultimate sleeping experience holds true, with the specially commissioned

Stearns & Foster mattresses proving irresistible.

The master bedroom has a king-size bed, while the guest bedroom has twin beds – indicative of the fact that most guests come as a family, including Middle Eastern royalty, who place a premium on the unique level of privacy the villa offers.

Each bedroom also has a dressing room and a bathroom that would rival most five-star hotel rooms in size. As well as a double vanity, there is a deep-soaking tub with courtyard views and access to a private walled garden with an exotic outdoor shower – a must for a truly invigorating experience that makes you feel at one with nature.

As if this wasn’t enough, the master bathroom courtyard also has its own outdoor whirlpool.

“Tempting though the azure waters are, the lure of the ocean faces stiff competition from the spa, situated on its own island” Given the setting, it would be all too easy to remain behind the doors of the villa and enjoy a week in splendid isolation, but it would be a mistake to neglect the wider pleasures of Kuda Huraa. A special mention has to be reserved for Baarubaru, which proved to be the finest Indian restaurant I’ve ever had the pleasure of dining in. You can choose to eat on the spectacular deck above the waters or in a private dining gazebo, and the menu delivers a diverse selection of fresh local seafood and traditional Indian specialities.

And of course any visit to the Maldives that neglects a plunge into the spectacular seas would be just wrong. Whether it’s snorkelling, scubadiving or even surfing (yes, believe it or not the Maldives even has world-class surf), there are a wealth of options just yards from the villa’s doors.

Tempting though the azure waters are, the lure of the ocean faces stiff competition from the spa, which is situated on its own tropical island just a minute’s sail by dhoni (traditional Maldivian boat) across Kuda Huraa’s lagoon. The spa has seven treatment pavilions located over the water.

Again, it’s the attention to detail that elevates the experience from the pleasurable to the sublime – the fact they’re designed to accommodate couples, the changing area with outdoor shower and the way the pavilions have been designed to ensure the massage tables provide open-air views over the ocean to gaze out on while the expert therapists treat you using only wholly natural products.

Ultimately, spending any time on Kuda Huraa is going to leave you enchanted, but a stay in the Royal Beach Villa genuinely constitutes the proverbial ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience. With such a flawless luxury concept, backed by the Four Seasons’ excellent service and natural beauty abounding, this truly is paradise.

Stay a while The Four Seasons’ signature beds beckon for an afternoon nap

The important bit What: Royal Beach Villa, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa Location: North Male Atoll, Maldives Cost: Starts from US$6,000 per night Web: www.fourseasons.com/maldiveskh

Understated luxury Decor is kept sleek and simple, allowing the views to take precedence

dotwnews.com

August 2011

77

Connoisseur

F

rankfurter Hof, built in 1876, is the city centre’s oldest hotel, and remains the hub of business life.

As well as sharing your breakfast room (a commendably German habit) with top bankers, you might recognise the likes of Yoko Ono at a corner table. Here, you have the crispest starched linens and fresh orchids, and the buffet, with chef in attendance, includes a vast array of healthy options, including more kinds of yoghurts and brown breads than even a menu-planner could wish for.

Led by GM Armin Schroecker, this is a very thoughtful hotel. There are piles of businesstype newspapers in many places, just right for international CEOs. Do they also have time to try their bathrooms’ exfoliating mittens and pot of skin-refreshing bath salts, I wonder.

A visit to the compact gym may not be on their agenda, but all guests can work their legs via the original stately marble staircase (132 steps from lobby to the top floor), or by walking the fascinating streets of the city centre.

Of the 303 rooms, number 555 is a particularly restful suite, with views down past the lifesize gargoyles on the building’s exterior to a semi-circular Ehrenhof outdoor courtyard that, in summer, is a day and evening A-list meeting place.

There is a lot of networking going on here at the Michelin-starred Français weekday-only restaurant; at all-time Oscar’s, which is lots of fun; at the cigar-haven Cigarrum; in the book-filled Library; and at breakfast. (www. frankfurter-hof.steigenberger.de) The entertainment crowd – well, Eric Clapton and his like – stay at Sir Rocco Forte’s Villa Kennedy, as do many senior and up-andcoming bankers. The immaculate 163-room mansion, dating from 1904, is built around a fabulous inner garden where people sit, eat, do business and enjoy life.

The premium Georg Speyer Suite has a unique dining room in a turret, but for something more homey choose, say, suite 351,

78

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Mary Gostelow

Lifestyle and luxury commentator

“The entertainment crowd – well, Eric Clapton and his like – stay at Sir Rocco Forte’s Villa Kennedy, as do many senior and up-andcoming bankers”

Classic Frankfurt Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof is a much-loved institution

with big windows looking along Kennedyallee (it is light and airy, with Bang & Olufsen and Nespresso, and all suites come with free breakfast, internet and Germany-wide calls).

The serious-lap 45-foot granite-lined indoor pool is next to another lush garden. The Technogym has Kinesis, and the Villa Spa offers the best anti-wrinkle facials for both sexes that I have come across, from Barcelona-based Sepei, devised by two former architects. Gusto! does some of the best capreses, as you would imagine when Fulvio Pierangelini is consultant, and there is wagyu on the simple-grill list.

GM Georg Plesser runs a thoroughly enjoyable hotel. Take the time to look at some of the giant black and white Axel Crieger photographs, including Contemplation, showing JFK and his brother Bobby, hanging at the rear of the lobby. (www.roccofortehotels.com) All work and no play is not good for anyone, so why not relax a bit at Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch, set in 100 acres of leafy parkland in Neu-Isenburg. Thanks to Germany’s no-speed-limit you are only 15 minutes from downtown so you could, like many privacy-seeking bankers, choose to stay ‘in the country’ while still being on the doorstep of the city.

The rambling 256-room hotel has evolved, a bit willy-nilly, from the original Gravenbruch castle, said to date back to 1586. Today’s five-floor structure recalls Frank Lloyd Wright blended with late20th-century Japanese. Favourite rooms include Park Suite 327, with a soaring ceiling and antiques, or Presidential Suite 312, with a double-height parlour.

Ask for a room overlooking the hotel’s own magnificent lake, complete with swans. Especially in summer, outdoor life comes into its own, with a sandy beach and kids’ playground, and a magnificent open-air pool. Year-round, there is a well-heated indoor pool, and facilities for sauna, steam and solarium are above-par. On site, there is Segway, fishing and riding, and, only seven minutes away, 27 holes of Christoph Städler-designed golf.

Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch is headed by GM Thomas Fischer, a long-time foodie. Not surprisingly then, there are really tasty and ultra-healthy dishes on the Forsthaus menu – say a tower of ‘beluga’ lentils topped by baby-herb salad and fresh flowers. In summer, many enjoy eating outside on the restaurant’s terrace.

Another big advantage of Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch is that Egelsbach airport is only 10 minutes away, so you can have a lastchance swim, or smoke another cigar on the terrace, and then be driven in style in one of the hotel’s BMW 7-series to your waiting private jet. (www.kempinski.com) And, hot news, Jumeirah Frankfurt opens fully on September 22 – it is right opposite the Borse and three minutes’ walk from the main Zeil retail street. (www.jumeirah.com)

THE NEW PERFUME

Ian Walker

skipper, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing

A

bu Dhabi has pinned its hopes for winning the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, which kicks off Alicante in October, on two things. One is Azzam , a state-of-the-art racing yacht emblazoned with a soaring falcon, the symbol of the UAE. The other is double Olympic medal holder Ian Walker.

With two decades of sailing experience under his belt and a proven ability to guide his men to victory, Walker was chosen to lead the Abu Dhabi team in their first ever appearance in the Volvo Ocean Race. The British father of two won a silver medal in the 470 Class at Atlanta’s 1996 Summer Olympics, then a second in the Star class at Sydney’s 2000 Summer Olympics.

With an illustrious career that has literally taken him around the world, Walker has more travel tales than most, and can boast to having arrived at many of the world’s great cities from the sea rather than the air, giving him a unique perspective on the world.

Photo: Tourism Australia

City

Miami

Liwa Desert, Abu Dhabi, UAE Maybe it is the contrast between the desert and the sea that appealed so much to me, or maybe that there is just not another boat in sight. Unless you count the ‘ship of the desert’, the camel, or course! Nothing truly prepares you for the vast expanse of openness and the scale of the sand dunes found in Liwa. They stretch as far as the eye can see and some of them are more than 40 storeys high.

My kids loved camping there, and there is a magic to exploring this famed ‘Empty Quarter’. Also, when you feel like being pampered, the swimming pool and lunch at the five-star Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort

by Anantara on the edge of Liwa are pretty special too.

Spoiled for choice Enjoy the views during cocktail hour at Mandarin Oriental’s Cafe Sambal

Miami, USA

Sydney Harbour, Australia

A

gridlock of stretch limos, sports cars and stacked SUVs snakes up to the Fontainebleau Hotel like an automotive beauty pageant. Leggy girls in short dresses click across the fluorescent blue floor of the lobby, followed by slick-haired guys with rolled-up sleeves and high hopes. Surveying the crowd are gorilla-sized ‘hosts’ in sharp suits and pneumatic hostesses barely wearing their glittery dresses.

It’s Saturday night in Miami. I’m outside LIV, the hottest club in town, and it feels like a bizarre experiment in social engineering. There is no queue, no organised entry, just a handful of hosts waving iPads at the well-dressed herd and unclipping the velvet rope for those who look right.

Inside this split-level, bass-shaking super club, with its VIP glass cubicles, nose-bleedingly expensive drinks, velvet roped sofas and rows of champagne bottles, staff that look like they’re slumming it between Victoria’s Secret shoots serve customers that could have walked off the set of Entourage. Depending on your attitude, this is either the most depressing twodimensional experience of your life or the most exciting Saturday night to have ever leapt off the society pages of Vanity Fair.

But it’s Miami, right? This is where neon comes to die and everyone looks hot on the beach. Well, yes and no. Versions of Miami clubs like LIV have been around since the roaring 20s, when Miami was a magnet for Hol-

I vividly remember the first time I Miami was the main winter training sailed under Sydney Harbour Bridge. base for my Olympic sailing career.

Colonial quaint Betsy; a landmark White is right at The Betsy, property on Miami’s South Beach The cityfront on the harbour is very The winds vary in strength and direcimpressive and during the summer tion but it is generally warm in Janu“It’s Saturday night in Miami. I’m outside LIV, the you regularly get 25-knot northeastary-March. You can sail in Biscayne hottest club in town, and it feels like a bizarre erly winds, providing superbexperiment sailing in social engineering” Bay for flatter water or off Miami conditions inside and outside the Beach for big waves and current. bay. The city itself is really cosmoMiami is great fun onshore too, with politan, with great restaurants and excellent restaurants and no end of stunning beaches nearby. Sydney fun to be had on Ocean Drive. It has will always have a special place in my always been a lucky venue for me, heart as I received my Olympic silas I’ve won several big events there ver medal on the steps of the Opera including a World Championship Life’s a beach See and be seen at the poolside at Mandarin Oriental, Miami House in 2000. and my first Olympic Class event.

44

80

August 2011

dotwnews.com

March 2011

DOTW NEWS March 2011.indb 44

“Nothing prepares you for the vast expanse and scale of the sand dunes in Liwa”

dotwnews.com

2/24/11 5:14 PM

Album

The Empty Quarter Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort is a luxurious oasis in the heart of Liwa

Chichester Harbour, UK

South Island, New Zealand

Boston, USA

Chichester Harbour is another fantastic place to sail. I did a lot of training here and from neighbouring Hayling Island before the 1996 Olympics. It is great to explore the creeks and beaches with my family but funnily enough I like it best in winter when there are fewer people around.

There is no better feeling than sailing down the harbour at the end of the day on a flood tide and building sea breeze in perfectly smooth water. The tea and cakes at Itchenor Sailing Club are pretty good too.

I spent my honeymoon travelling around New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s South Island by camper-van. What a fantastic outdoor experience that was. Whether canoeing in Abel, the beautiful Tasman National Park, taking in the views while walking in the mountains, climbing on glaciers, whalewatching, surfing or skiing, there are so many activities to choose from. The local people are so laid back and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to go back and explore the island again, this time with my kids in tow.

I really enjoyed my stay in Boston during the last Volvo Ocean Race.

It has as much history as anywhere in the USA, and education and sport are central to life there. The population feels young, educated and vibrant. I had a great time at both the Red Sox baseball and Boston Celtic basketball games and the people were really enthusiastic about the Volvo Ocean Race. It is not too far to drive to Vermont to ski in winter or to Marblehead or Cape Cod for summer beaches and sailing.

dotwnews.com

August 2011

81

Final word

Golden touch a destination and will adapt to each guest’s request. It is a professional, personalised service that a computer application cannot replace.

And what does the organisation do?

Virginia Casale president, Les Clefs d’Or and concierge, Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile

What is Les Clefs d’Or? Les Clefs d’Or is a hotel concierge association whose members work in four- and five-star hotels and serve luxury clientele around the world. It means ‘golden keys’ in French. The association was started by a group of Parisians in 1929, who adopted the golden cross keys as their symbol. The Clefs d’Or concierge opens the door to all facets of

Les Clefs d’Or concierges meet monthly in their cities and annually in their countries to exchange information about the best suppliers for their guests, while networking so they can continue to offer the service with contacts anywhere in the world. The concierges are not competitive; they are serviceoriented professionals no matter where the request comes from. Our motto is ‘Service Through Friendship, Service through Excellence’.

How do you define good service?

It is attention to what I desire in a situation. It could be empathy if I lost something, specific guidance to what I am searching for – from a restaurant to transportation to a gift – and finally, suggestions that will help me discover something new.

What do guests want from an expert concierge?

Can you recall an encounter with a memorable guest?

A wonderful welcoming smile, a tone of voice which makes people feel at ease, and knowing the destination inside out with all the right contacts for any request. Serve from the heart and not like a machine.

In my 25 years I have had so many, but it was probably being the contact person between a guest and his family after a car accident during an F1 race. I was handling the hospital procedures while communicating with the family. You definitely need empathy and the right touches in these moments of crisis, but guests remember it forever.

What’s the best aspect of your job?

We do not need to travel much to visit the world – we have it at our desk every day with our clientele, and there is always a different question that will teach us something.

Are there any downsides?

The seven-days-a-week/365-days-ayear operation. We never close and when it is a holiday, we are on duty.

Where is your favourite place to travel to in your time off?

Definitely a warmer destination due to our cold winters... Italy is my second home and still my preferred vacation spot.

What do you recommend we do while in Montreal?

You must discover the wonderful Museum of Fine Arts, then stroll down Crescent Street to browse through the boutiques. Finish with a cocktail in the pubs towards St. Catherine Street. Strolling on St. Catherine to the east will lead you to McGill University and eventually the beautiful Roman column gates. Finish the day with a fabulous dinner on the attractive terrace at Sofitel’s Renoir restaurant, followed by a digestif at Le Bar (pictured).

Competition...

WHERE IN THE WORLD? Think you can identify the location in the photo? E-mail your answer to competition@dotwnews.com and put ‘Where in the world?’ in the subject line. The winner will receive a 12-month subscription to Destinations of the World News worth US$99 and a gift box from Shiffa Dubai Skin Care (www.shiffa.com).* The destination featured in our July 2011 competition was the Salar de Uyuni Salt Plain in Bolivia. This month’s winner is Lizzie Peters from Qatar. *This competition is open to residents of the Middle East and North Africa. The closing date is August 22, 2011. Entrants with the correct answer will be entered into a prize draw. The winner will be announced in the September issue of Destinations of the World News and on dotwnews.com

82

August 2011

dotwnews.com

Perched high on the grassy knolls of Sentosa Island, set amid thirty acres of rolling hills, the Contemporary Manors at Capella Singapore provide a sophisticated haven for guests. Relax in 391 square metres of contemporary luxury hidden away in lush tropical gardens, with your own private pool and driveway. The intimate surroundings create a warm environment for families and couples looking to escape the city and immerse themselves in the hospitality of Capella. Even if you’re visiting for business, it’s sure to be a pleasure, as our personal assistants tend to your every need.

For hotel reservations, call +65 6377 888 or visit capellahotels.com

NEW YORK

I X TA PA

NEW YORK

MEXICO

CABO SAN LUCAS MEXICO

VELDEN

DÜSSELDORF

AUSTRIA

GERMANY

Taj. Fore ve r seduct ive, forever t r usted, forever enc h anting . Fro m au th entic Indian p al ac es to l andmark c i t y h o t e l s , f r o m d a z z l i n g re s o r t p r o p e r t i e s t o p a s t o r a l s a f a r i l o d g e s , e n j oy a t h o u g h t f u l b l e n d o f trad i ti on and moder n it y in t he distinct ive and h ig h l y p ers o nal Taj manner. Fabul o u s s uites, s p l endi d d i n i n g , a n d t r a n q u i l Ji v a s p a s a w a i t . D i s c ov e r t h e Ta j d i f f e re n c e a t ov e r 8 5 h o t e l s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d .

For our celebratory offers visit tajhotels.com, call 1.866.969.1825 in the U.S. and Canada, 1.800.111.825 in India, and 00.800.4588.1825 from all other countries, email reservations@tajhotels.com or contact your travel consultant.

India

•

N e w Yo r k

•

Boston

•

San Francisco

•

London

•

Dubai

•

C a p e To w n

•

Zambia

•

Maldives

•

Sri Lanka

•

Langkawi

•

Bhutan

•

Sydney