Luxury Escapes Magazine Issue 28

Issue 28

ASHFORD CASTLE

a celeb-approved retreat in the Irish countryside

Plus:

Sandwiches Harmony of of the World the Seas

See These 5 This Year Soup Shrines in Canberra

These 14 sarnies are worth flying for

The ultimate stops for ramen lovers

The world’s new cruise ship king

What to do now in Australia’s capital

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CONTENTS SOUP SHRINES Ramen-lovers, listen up

YOUR CALENDAR FOR

CANBERRA

HARMONY OF THE SEAS The world’s new largest cruise ship

14 SANDWICHES we’d book a flight for

CELEB ESCAPES Ashford Castle

Luxury Escapes Magazine Published by Luxury Escapes, 259 Coventry Street South Melbourne, 3205, Victoria Australia Writer and Editor Elspeth Velten Publisher Jeremy Same For subscriptions sign up at luxuryescapes.com Cover Image: Ashford Castle

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK This is a big issue for food. We’ve got what amounts almost to a complete dissertation on sandwiches (page 24). They’re the one food item that we can rely on encountering no matter where we land and, let’s face it: a great one could even be worthy of world travel! (Guilty.)

Then we’ve got an exploration of the weird and wonderful world of ramen, where serious slurpers can explore the Japanese noodle soup’s history at multiple museums, its regional diversity through pop-up shops and even its most obscure health benefits through bizarre spa treatments (page 9). I’d maybe skip that last one, but you could definitely find me designing my own cup of instant noodles amongst screaming crowds of school-groups. Worth it.

We’ve got an itinerary for visitors to Australia’s capital city (page 17). Maybe it was boring before, but Canberra’s quickly catching up to its trendy neighbours and becoming one of the country’s most exciting destinations. The city is experiencing buzz-worthy growth in the culinary field, and has recently even seen some local “Freakshow” milkshakes go viral. Canberra’s also in the midst of its annual truffle festival, during which visitors can join hounds on the wintertime hunt and eaters can add the prized fungi to dishes at many of the city’s cafes and restaurants.

So prepare to face some hunger as you flip through the following pages. We’re pretty sure that you’ll come out the other end a foodie, or at least with a new holiday destination in mind.

Elspeth Velten Luxury Escapes Editor

@ElspethVelten

EN ROUTE

DON’T FORGET YOUR

PASSPORT Whether you use this passport-themed pouch for your travel documents or to organize your cluttered carry-on, the cute catchall is the perfect addition to any patriotic traveller’s repertoir. From Airporttag.com, the bag comes emblazoned with your choice of various country designs – the site also offers a complete collection of other destination-themed items like cellphone cases and tote bags.

They even have airport code pillows for famous fictional places like Gotham and King’s Landing!

The only shortcoming: we’re pretty sure this pouch won’t secure your entry into a foreign country.

Passport pouch bag, $20.00; airporttag.com

EAT THIS RIGHT NOW

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1. NERO CARLTON

On Melbourne’s famous Lygon Street, Chef Piero Rolda’s Nero Carlton offers an exciting menu that blends traditional Italian dishes with modern flavours.

2. BRISKETTOWN In the heart of Brooklyn’s famous Williamsburg hood, this hidden dining room offers some of the best barbecue outside of Texas. Don’t skip the namesake brisket!

3. ALEXANDERS WILLIAMSTOWN In a historic building in Melbourne, Chef Alexander Parzis offers a seasonal menu with a nod to Mediterranean cuisine and a focus on local seafood.

4. THE TEA LOUNGE This heritage-listed room in the Hyatt Hotel Canberra is known far and wide for its delicious high tea service (you can’t even tell it’s gluten-free!) and elegant setting.

SOUP SHRINES

FIVE ULTIMATE DESTINATIONS FOR THE RAMEN OBSESSED Obsessed with the taste of this rich, addictive soup, but ready to take your noodle knowledge past the initial slurp? The following five ramen-centric destinations offer everything from expert takes on regional variations of the Japanese dish to whimsical journeys through instant noodle history. Oh, and a pork broth spa bath. Bring a bathing suit that you don’t mind getting greasy in. Yum.

After perfecting the art of artisan noodle making in family-owned Sun Noodle factories in Hawaii, California and New Jersey, Kenshiro Uki opened Ramen Lab as a place to host seminars, private tastings and ramen flights with regional noodles and broths. Today, the 10-seat counter space in Manhattan’s Lower East Side is used for a pop-up “incubator program” in which aspiring ramen chefs from the States and Japan can show off their concoctions in front of willing crowds. Right now, Ramen Lab is showcasing the Jiro-style ramen from Boston’s Yume Wo Katare – thick noodles are doused in thick pork broth and topped with a mountain of char siu (roast pork), bean sprouts, cabbage and garlic.

Showcased chefs and styles change on a monthly basis.

Image: Ramen Lab

1. RAMEN LAB, NYC

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2. SHIN-YOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM, YOKOHAMA, JAPAN Since 1994, what’s apparently the “world’s first food-themed amusement park” has been serving up regional bowls of ramen from famous noodle shops around Japan in a one-stop-shop format. The room is decked out in what’s meant to represent a streetscape at perpetual dusk from the year that ramen was invented – 1958 – and guests can wander the nine shops to try either a full- or small-sized version of the one variation that’s offered in each. Noodles are ranked at each shop from thick to thin and broths from rich to light; some soups are based on miso broth while other noodles bathe in tonkotsu pork bone broth or a salty shoyu base. Place and pay for your order at the soup vending machine in each shop and then drown yourself in too many consecutive bowls of noodles. (Impossible.)

Image: Shin-Yokohama

Image: Shutterstock

3. CUPNOODLES MUSEUM, YOKOHAMA & IKEDA, JAPAN There are not one but two CupNoodles or Instant Ramen museums in Japan, and to that we say, bring on numbers three, four and five. Take it global. Any opportunity to take selfies in front of hallways lined with 3,000 instant noodle product packages or to purchase CupNoodles matryoshka nesting dolls is cool with us. These museums (aimed at children but totally cool for

adults to visit on a rainy day or any day) celebrate the accomplishments of Momofuku Ando, the creator of the world’s first instant ramen and the hero of college students everywhere. Visitors can make their own chicken ramen from scratch, design and fill their own CupNoodles package with one of 5,460 ingredient and topping combinations, learn about instant ramen history in a movie theatre shaped like a styrofoam cup or taste regional varieties of the soup in a night market setting.

Image: Ramen Lab

4. RAMEN BURGER, LA & NYC And on that weekly occasion when you want ramen but you don’t want steaming hot broth but you also want a burger but you can’t decide, noodle enthusiast and burger lover Kenzo Shimamoto responds with his now-famous Ramen Burger. Yep, those buns are made of straight up noodles, and this burger took off so quickly after its introduction in the States (though earlier versions existed in Japan with pork

patties instead of beef), that now there are imitators around the world. It’s even been named “one of the most influential burgers of all time” by Time magazine. That’s when you know you’ve made it. Available in LA and at various Smorgasburg market locations in NYC (and from Uber Eats if you’re lazy and lucky,) the Ramen Burger boasts fresh-cut ramen noodles formed into buns and a USDA prime ground beef chuck burger dressed with a secret shoyu glaze.

Image: Toru Yamanaka

5. YUNESSUN SPA RESORT, HAKONE, JAPAN Yes, we’ve saved the best for last. When you’ve ticked all of the above off of your bucket list, it’s time to fully commit to your soupy obsession. It’s time to bathe in a spa tub of pork broth and synthetic noodles with your entire family, while a giant pair of chopsticks dangles additional fake noodles

above your heads. The pork bone broth bath at this strange, strange spa amusement park helps bathers get that dose of collagen needed to help the skin retain moisture and, supposedly, heighten the body’s metabolism. And if all of that broth leaves you thirsty, the resort also offers baths of sake, green tea, coffee and wine.

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WHAT TO DO IN

CANBERRA RIGHT NOW

Image: Enlighten

Gone are the days when you could get away with calling Canberra boring. Nope – these days, the country’s capital is seeing trendy restaurants and bars popping up month after month, art and food festivals keeping tourists pouring in and yep, you guessed it: the hipsters are moving in in droves.

Should you find yourself in the ACT within the next twelve months, here’s a quick list of what’s going down in town.

1. Treat Yourself During the Canberra Truffle Festival You may have thought that those dearly-priced truffles we all love so much only originated in far away forests, but if you’re in town between now and the end of August (or during the winter next year), prepare for an overdose of this world-famous fungi. Surprisingly, the truffle farms around Canberra are providing some stiff competition to famous truffle regions in France and Italy, and the winter harvest months are the time to celebrate. Look for events across town ranging from degustation dinners and wine pairings to cooking classes and demos. Or, join the hunt yourself!

Various “Hunt and Cook” packages include time spent following hunt dogs in the field, followed by cooking demonstrations and tastings.

Image: A.Baker

2. Dabble in Local Wine at A.Baker

3. Keep Your Cool in Hipster Braddon

Tucked into the trendy NewActon precinct, this design-focused cafe, bakery, bar and restaurant offers a seasonal list of wines and champagnes from Canberra and the sounding wine regions like Murrumbateman and Lake George. The warehouse-inspired space acts as a place for people to meet at any time of the day (and as a place to see and be seen), and an oft-changing menu of contemporary dishes showcases local produce. A local wine-paring is listed to match almost every dish.

Melbourne may be known as the nation’s hipster capital, but Canberra’s eclectic Braddon neighborhood is quickly catching up. Lonsdale Street is now lined with thrift stores, pop-up shops, restaurants and bars, and every day, new businesses are moving into the warehouses and parking lots that used to be dominated by industry. The Hamlet (open since the beginning of this year) offers visitors an array of food trucks, farm stands, jewelry shops, day and night markets, performance artists and galleries in the form of an indoor/outdoor village of trailers and shipping containers.

Image: Italian & Sons

4. Get Political (in One Way or Another) The most civic-minded of visitors should head to the public galleries at either the House of Representatives or Senate to witness “Question Time“, one of the checks and balances that allow Parliament to police the actions of the government’s Executive branch. This is your chance to see your government in action, and to go home knowing a little bit more than you did before. Question Time starts at 2:00PM on Sitting Days, and tickets can be reserved in advance.

If an hour of lively debate is not your idea of a good time, head to Italian and Sons – a beloved Roman trattoria and the ideal location for some politician spotting over a bowl of maccheroni with suckling lamb, tomato and red wine ragu.

Image: Westside Acton Park

5. Stare at the Stars to Break a World Record

6. Take to the Skies at Westside Acton Park

On August 21, the Mt. Stromlo Observatory and the Canberra Astronomical Society are leading an effort to break the Guinness World Record for “Most People Stargazing”, and you can be a part of history. The event is free and open to the public and is being held on the main campus of Australian National University; at least 2700 people need to look up at once to break the existing record. Telescopes are BYO (use is required for each participant according to the rules of the record), but if you don’t have one of the magnifying instruments, a commemorative version is available for purchase.

Speaking of shipping containers: it seems like every city has a shipping container shopping park these days, and Canberra is no exception. The new Westside Acton Park village was conceived of as part of the ACT government’s urban-renewal project and today, the temporary pop-up park is home to various food vendors (including Vietnamese, Middle-Eastern, sandwiches, and Indian street food), a coffee shop, sporting goods stores and music, art and sports events. At the top of the shipping container structure sits the Aviary Rooftop – Canberra’s first rooftop bar that enjoys panoramic skyline and Lake Burley Griffin views. This is the perfect place to perch upon recycled-wood-pallet furniture and enjoy cocktails and craft beers

Image: Farmhouse Restaurant

7. Eat Local at the Pialligo Estate Farmhouse Restaurant

8. Tap Into Your Talent at Art Not Apart

This farm’s new restaurant is already making waves on the Canberra dining scene; Chef de Cuisine Brendan Walsh’s seasonal menu is being called the best in the city.

And the formula is a winning one – fresh produce from the estate’s market garden, fruit trees, vineyard and olive grove are paired with products from its award-winning smokehouse (these guys won an award for making Australia’s Best Bacon in 2014) in a display of “paddock to plate” that any locavore will love. Diners can choose to take three or six courses amidst the restaurant’s patios, panoramic views and roaring fireplaces.

The NewActon precinct comes alive with all-inclusive exhibitions, performances and parties during this annual one-day festival which will fall on March 19th in 2016. Last year, over 200 artists showed their work at over 24 sites including Westside, the Nishi Gallery and Acton Beach – the result was a display of everything from classical music, poetry and jazz to street art and experimental installations. An “Art Walk” lined with workshops, jewelry displays, live drawing and painting and performances links together several of the participating venues.

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Image: Patissez

9. See the Light The sixth annual Enlighten festival will take place from March 4th-12th in 2016, and if last year’s display is any foreshadowing, the party will see the whole of the Parliamentary Triangle turned into an arts precinct full of street art, music, comedy acts, noodle markets, and – of course – impressive architectural projections that bring unusual colour to some of the city’s most iconic buildings. Last year, buildings that got the light treatment included the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery, the Old Parliament House, the Australian Parliament House and the Questacon.

10. Go Viral with Patissez’s Milkshakes If you’re a human living on Earth, you’ve probably heard about these gut-bomb milk shakes that have been making the news in recent weeks. Appropriately, these shakes are called the Freakshow, which is also akin to what you’ll have to endure in order to indulge in one since wait times outside of the Patissez cafe that serves the sweet monstrosities have been lasting upwards of four hours. Amongst flavors like Nutella and salty pretzel and French vanilla, the “Muddy Pat” boasts hot chocolate, homemade dark chocolate fudge, vanilla bean whipped cream, a chocolate brownie and toasted marshmallow topping.

Image: Flickr/Bionicgrrl

WE’D BOOK A FLIGHT FOR THESE

SANDWICHES It’s an internationally-agreed-upon fact – sandwiches are awesome. So many countries have their own versions, and we want basically to quit our jobs to go eat them all. Read up on our global favourites below, and be prepared when you take your next vacation. Or try to make your own! Yes – that’s quicker.

(Runs to kitchen.)

Image: Flickr/Eric Parker

Image: Flickr/Cyclonebill

1. SMØRREBRØD: DENMARK

2. KATI ROLL: KOLKATA, INDIA

Let’s get the anomaly out of the way first. Sandwich purists may argue that Denmark’s version of the world’s favourite lunch food is not technically a sandwich, since there’s nothing being shoved between two slices of bread. But we beg to disagree. Though these open faced snacks involve just one slice of buttered, seedy dark rye – known as rugbrød – the sentiment of dressing up bread with meats and cheeses is the same. These delicate servings classically include well-planned combinations of toppings like pickled or smoked fish, beef, cheese, sliced meats, boiled egg, liver pate, onions, horseradish and shrimp. But don’t try to eat these with your hands. Smørrebrød-eating etiquette dictates utensil use.

This is one Indian street food that Western tourists can actually eat in the country without much worry – and one that we’d love to see more of outside of its hometown. The stuffed paratha flat breads originated in Kolkata but have migrated to India’s other major cities, and though they were traditionally filled with just a single skewer of chicken, fillings like paneer cheese, onions, egg and mutton are now commonplace. There’s just something about the combo of greasy, doughy, omelet-coated fried bread and tender spicy chicken that can’t be beat.

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This sandwich’s name is derived from “poor boy” – a term used to describe the 1920s streetcar strikers that it was created to feed. The key to this sandwich lies all in the “New Orleans French bread” that it can’t be made without. The long loaves were developed specifically to ensure consistent sandwich size and to avoid the waste of the tapered ends of typical baguettes.

What resulted was the perfect, fluffy yet crusty vehicle for roast beef or spicy sausage with gravy or fried seafood like oysters, shrimp, catfish or crab – a filling, free meal for all those poor boys. Today, to order the sandwich “dressed” means it will come with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

Image: Flickr/Kimtaro

Image: Flickr/Gw_fins

3. PO-BOY: NEW ORLEANS, USA

4. PASTRAMI ON RYE: NEW YORK CITY, USA Yes, the most iconic places to get this behemoth in New York now charge over $20 per sandwich that we bet you can’t even finish – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. This signature method of brining beef (or pickling, if you go for corned beef) was originally created as a way to preserve the meat before fridges were a thing, but now the salted and heavily spiced serving is all about the taste. In New York, expect your pile of sliced brisket to be served on traditional seeded rye bread with nothing but mustard. Or, ask for a Reuben – a preparation with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing.

Cemitas start with a specific round, sesame-seed-studded roll that is soft enough inside to make room for piles of fillings, yet strong enough on the outside to hold everything together (technially speaking, this is different from your torta roll because there are eggs in the dough, but we digress). The roll is then stuffed with plenty of avocado, stringy, springy Oaxacan “quesillo” cheese, chipotle peppers, onions, a leafy herb called papalo, red sauce and, of course meat – usually breaded and fried chicken or beef, but sometimes something more exciting like carnitas or tongue. Flight to Mexico = booked.

Image: Flickr/Rdpeyton

Image: Flickr/Bionicgrrl

5. CEMITA: PUEBLA, MEXICO

6. MUFFALETTA: NEW ORLEANS, USA Another New Orleans favourite, this sanger traces its routes back to Sicilian immigrants that hit the coastal city around the turn of the 20th century. This airy, round bread also has sesame seeds and is so big it’s served by the half or quarter. Inside, those homesick Italians stuffed slices of Genoa salami, ham, mortadella, provolone and Swiss cheeses, all topped by olive salad made with celery, cauliflower, carrots, oregano, garlic and olive oil. Today, some confused souls will serve this sandwich heated up, but fanatics say room temperature is the only way. We’re with them.

Whether you order this Parisian-cafe ham and cheese sandwich with an egg on top (yes) or without one (no) is how we determine whether we want to be your friend. For real. So, really we’re talking about a yolky croque madame here. Inside the two buttered slices of pain de mie bread you’ll find addictive, melted gruyere cheese (not boring emmental) and sliced ham.

Camps are divided on the browned-bubblybechemel-on-top issue, but we say: 100% yes.

Again, fork and knife are mandatory here. And so are fries on the side. But you knew that.

Image: Flickr/WWNY

Image: Flickr/Rnddave

7. CROQUE MONSIEUR, PARIS, FRANCE

8. BANH MI: VIETNAM Vietnam’s north and south regions do the fillings of this French-influenced baguette differently, but the sandwich that’s currently taking the world by storm is more closely related to those in the country’s south. Your typical banh mi boasts bursts of flavour that only pickled carrots and radishes, fresh coriander and hot chili slices could offer, all on top of various types of sliced pork cold cuts, generous spreads of liver pate and butter, mysterious brown sauces and sometimes a helping of barbecued pork for good measure. The bread is one of the most significant parts, though – the short Vietnamese version of France’s baguette must have a thin, crisp outside and a pillowy interior.

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Image: Elspeth Velten

Image: Flickr/Alexkehr

9. DONER KEBAB: GERMANY

10. RAMLY BURGER: MALAYSIA

Yep, this Middle-Eastern native is now more popular in Germany than anywhere else, partly due to the influx of Turkish immigrants to the European country after World War II and partly because it’s the best drunk food ever and there’s lot’s of beer in Germany. Of course, we acknowledge the presence of this meat’s presence across the rest of the world – gyros and shawarma, we’re looking at you – but, still, head to Germany for the most serious sandwich. The vertical rotisserie doner meat varies between cumin-and-paprika-spiced veal, beef, chicken and lamb (depending on local culture and tastes,) and sandwiches in flatbread-wrap or roll form often include toppings like tomato, onion, garlic or yogurt sauce and cabbage.

If you’re like us, burgers are the last food you think of eating when you hit Malaysia’s mainland. Surely you’re craving char kuay teow, roti canai or nasi lemak before you’re hitting a popup burger cart for some street meat. But we advise you to think again. The composition of these mystery meat patty sandwiches vary at each purveyor’s stand but are typically topped with cheese, salty maggi seasoning, soy sauce and worcester sauce, carefully wrapped up in a thin egg omelet and delivered with plenty of onions, lettuce and sweet chili sauce. It’s not what you’d expect from a country known as having some of Asia’s best food. But it’s well worth saving one dinner slot for. Trust us.

Image: Shutterstock

Image: Elspeth Velten

11. BOCADILLO DE CALAMARES: MADRID, SPAIN

12. BACON BUTTY: UNITED KINGDOM

Fried calamari doesn’t seem like it needs the added bread that this sandwich offers, and there are so many ways this could go wrong. Rubbery squid rings could be hard to break by bite, and if the bread’s not just right, the seafood could be better off plucked out and eaten alone. But a few bars around Madrid’s Plaza Mayor have this budget-friendly snack down pat. Thick calamari rings are coated with flour before they’re deepfried and tossed into fresh bread, and they’re even better when topped with lemon and the country’s famous garlicky alioli mayonnaise.

Pair this with a caña of beer for best results.

Whether you prefer your bacon on a floury white bun or between two slices of white toast, one thing’s for sure, it’s hard to beat the salty meat on a Saturday morning following a late Friday night. In the UK, these breakfast sarnies are made with meaty, lean, thick-cut back bacon (as opposed to the USA’s favourite steaky and fatty rashers), but what sauce tops that pork comes with big debate. Some eaters go ketchup all the way, while others insist that brown HP sauce is the only answer. Either way, grab one of these from a workers’ cafe or a street market and you’ll look like a London local in no time.

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Image: Flickr/Roboppy

Image: Shutterstock

13. LOBSTER ROLL: NEW ENGLAND, USA

14. PHILLY CHEESESTEAK: PHILADELPHIA, USA

From Long Island to Maine, America’s Northeasterners come close to blows over the details of this local favourite. The coastal state of Connecticut is most often credited for the sandwich’s creation, and general consensus says it should come on a soft hot dog bun and hold about 1/4-pound of lobster meat, mostly from the crustacean’s tail. That’s where the agreements end. Some say the lobster should be tossed only with butter, while others look for a mayo and celery lobster salad. Some say the bun should have flat, toasted and buttered sides. Others say toasting the bun is a crime. But however you have it, it’s still a sandwich with succulent and sweet lobster meat. You pretty much can’t go wrong.

This sandwich comes with an entire language that’s required to order it, so listen up. Dating back to the 1930s, the Philly Cheesesteak is a product of an experiment done one day by a hot dog vendor that took off immediately, and is now the most iconic food of the Pennsylvania city. Thus, controversies abound. Experts disagree on whether the thinly sliced ribeye steak should be topped with provolone cheese, American cheese or – wait for it – “cheez whiz” that, yes, squirts out of a can. There are also differing opinions over whether the sandwich should include fried onions, mushrooms or peppers, or if the meat and cheese should shine alone. You’ll just have to try it multiple times to find your favourite combo. To order, use this three-word formula: number of sandwiches + type of cheese + with or without onions. “One whiz with,” “two provolone without” – you get the picture.

ASHFORD CASTLE, IRELAND

Why celebs like Pierce Brosnan, Brad Pitt, Barbra Streisand and John Travolta are drawn to this five-star hotel on 350 acres of pristine Irish countryside and ancient woodland is no mystery – the 82-room property is a castle, after all, and one that dates all the way back to 1228. But things have come a long way since the 13th century, and today the guest rooms at Ashford display the best of the castle’s opulent original features while offering all the modern amenities of a luxury hotel.

Images: Ashford Castle

CELEB ESCAPES

Most of Ashford’s rooms and suites boast individual period-appropriate designs with accents of antique furniture, artwork, original fireplaces and chandeliers. King beds boast 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens and floors are lined with custom carpets – many rooms enjoy views of the nearby River Cong or Lake Corrib. The hotel’s “stateroom” rooms are located in the oldest part of the castle (which was restored and expanded in 1970 and refurbished in 2013), and these boast four-poster beds, claw-foot bathtubs, in-room bars and fresh flowers. Guests staying in one of the hotel’s three suites can enjoy in-room meals in each room’s private dining space, and upon arrival, suite-stayers can choose their preference from a fancy soap selection menu.

The hotel’s split-level Reagan Presidential Suite features high ceilings and walls lined with ecru silk, but the centerpiece of the space is an ornate, George III-style four-poster bed sourced from the prestigious Christie’s auction house, along with a Louis XV-style French mahogany desk. The suite offers marbled his and her bathrooms with wet rooms, and techie amenities include underfloor heating and electronic sun blinds.

Perhaps the castle’s crowning jewel is its formal (dinner jacket and tie required!)

George V Dining Room, where creative Irish cuisine featuring seasonal ingredients from the West of Ireland is served by Head Chef Philippe Farineau and a resident pianist plays away beneath dazzling Waterford Crystal chandeliers.

Each location is also complete with its own pool-tube-adorned Island Bar, and multiple restaurants, where simple and authentic cuisine designed by chef Jerome Banctel is served with a different focus in each city.

Paris’ rooftop boasts barbecues, hammocks and sunbeds, while its restaurant downstairs serves up pizzas. Istanbul’s restaurant offers Franco-Turkish food, and Lyon’s goes with straight-up French. Marseille’s bar is complete with a live stage for hosting gigs, and the hotel even has its own beach club near by. Most locations offer meeting rooms decked in design to match the rest of the brand’s identity.

The property’s more casual dining options include Cullen’s at the Dungeon, which serves up all the traditional Irish dishes your heart could ever desire like corned beef, venison pot pie, Galway Bay oysters and fish and chips, and Cullen’s at the Cottage, which offers international and local dishes complete with a transparent list of the restaurant’s local food suppliers. Wilde’s at the Lodge serves contemporary Irish cuisine from revered Chef Jonathan Keane and showcases premium Irish beef, lamb and fish.

For a pint of Guinness, the Prince of Wales Bar is your best bet. This room was built in the late 1800s to prepare for a visit from George V Prince of Wales (who later became the king of England), and it’s decorated with leather arm chairs, rich fabric curtains, marble tables and plenty of charming wood paneling. Afternoon tea is served in the stunning Connaught Room with picture-perfect views of Lake Corrib – the tradition here dates back to the daily afternoon ritual started by residents Lord and Lady Ardilaun in 1868 (their 1896 silver tea set is on display to-date). The room is defined by its floor-to-ceiling windows and its dramatic Donegal Crystal chandelier.

Ashford’s spa offers a full menu of treatments like aroma stone massages, body polishes, detox wraps and facials using products from Elemis, Dermalogica, Brand Voya and Yon Ka. The spa also does beauty treatments like tanning and waxing and is home to an ozone filtrated swimming pool. The house’s other facilites include a red velvet cinema room – where movies are shown daily – and a fully-stocked billiards room.

Four-legged guests are welcome at Ashford and the hotel offers pet-friendly services like dog-sitting and walking, grooming, leash and litter box use, a choice of different pet beds, cushions, duvets and floor mats, food and water bowls with fresh mineral water and turndown treats.

In LA, Mama Shelter will feature design by French designer Terry Gaugain and will inhabit six stories over Hollywood Boulevard itself. The hotel’s 70 rooms will offer King beds with 100 percent cotton sheets and the brand’s typical amenities (cartoon character lamp-shades included). Windows are double paned and rooms even have fridges, though the restaurant’s American Diner-themed restaurant will be sure to please foreign tourists and locals alike. The hotel’s bar and lounge will host live concerts and DJs, while the rooftop will serve as an outdoor gym, open-air cinema, bar, and a space for classes in the Cali city’s favourite pastime – yoga. The brand’s first stateside hotel is set to open next month.

Thought the castle itself offered enough exploration opportunities to occupy you for days? The vast grounds and lake around the hotel are ripe with opportunities for horse-riding, brown trout, salmon and pike fishing, clay pigeon shooting and archery, golf, cycling, kayaking, tennis and yacht charters. Additionally, Ashford is home to the oldest established falconry school in Ireland, where the 4000-year-old sport is shared with visitors during “hawk walks” and “meet the birds” sessions.

THE WORLD’S NEW LARGEST CRUISE SHIP Love cruises? Listen to this.

Last month, Royal Caribbean’s new behemoth of a boat took to the water for the first time. And it floated! Phew. The Harmony of the Seas is being called the largest cruise ship in the world at over 227,000 tonnes and a capacity of almost 6,000 passengers. It’s the third member of the company’s Oasis class, a group of boats that have to be divided into neighborhoods and require thousands of crew members per voyage.

Staterooms in the Harmony will be centered around an outdoor area called “Central Park,” where three multi-story water slides come careening down the ship’s facade and multiple swimming pools overlook interior balconies. The ship’s 2,747 staterooms run the gamut between entry level crash pads and multi-story loft apartments, but not all rooms can have a window to the outdoors on a ship

of this size. Of course, Royal Caribbean has come up with a solution – some interior staterooms will feature floor-to-ceiling high-definition screens showing real-time views of the surrounding seas and the ship’s destinations.

Access to staterooms will be via “WOWband” bracelets, that will also allow cruisers to shop on board and make dining reservations.

In the actual outdoors, the ship boasts four swimming pools (including one adults-only solarium retreat that’s technically indoors but whatever), two surf simulators and ten whirlpools – two of which are cantilevered over the ocean. The ship has the largest kid’s area at sea and a long list of on-board activities includes two surf simulators, two rock climbing walls, a ninth-floor zip line, a full-sized basketball court, an ice skating rink, a mini golf course and a carousel. The ship has the fastest internet connection at sea.

Image: Royal Caribbean

HARMONY OF THE SEAS

On the Harmony of the Seas the world (or at least the world of cruising) is your oyster. The ship’s maiden voyage is set for April 2016, and itineraries include cruises of the Bahamas starting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and European routes from Barcelona to Rome.

Images: Royal Caribbean

Dining options are just as ridiculous. There are 20. You can choose to have Japanese, Mexican, steak – pretty much whatever your heart desires – within the confines of the ship’s flexible meal plans. Evening entertainment includes a karaoke bar, a live jazz club, comedy clubs, bars, lounges and night clubs. The ship’s iconic Bionic Bar features dancing, cocktail-making robots. Your job security is lower than ever. The Harmony’s Oasis-line predecessors feature Broadway shows, speakeasy parties and designer shops like Kate Spade New York and Michael Kors.

This is the only cruise-line in the world to offer Starbucks at sea.

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