World Magazine - issue 31

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The Luxury Lifestyle Magazine PHOTO: PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER BRACELET

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OMG. OMG. There’s aThere’s Jaguara that’s Jaguar tailor-made that’s tailor-made for you. for Choose you. Choose from thefrom luxurious the luxurious prestigeprestige of the XJ, of the the sporting XJ, the sporting elegance elegance of the XF of and the XF and Sportbrake XF Sportbrake wagon or wagon the raw, or the powerful raw, powerful driving dynamics driving dynamics of the F-TYPE. of the F-TYPE. All are available All are available with a range with aofrange engines of engines and trimand specifi trimcations, specifications, starting starting from just from $75,000. just $75,000.

Visit your Visit your local dealer localto dealer discuss to discuss the model thethat model best that suits best your suits needs yourand needs try and one try on for onesize. on for size.

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Jaguar Jaguar NZ NZ

HOW HOW ALIVE ALIVE ARE ARE YOU? YOU?

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FROM FROM THE THE SUBLIME SUBLIME TOTO THE THE RIDICULOUS RIDICULOUS No matter No which matterJaguar which XF Jaguar you climb XF you into, climb you’ll into, beyou’ll treated be treated to class to leading class leading performance, performance, style style and refinement. and refinement.

From the From sporty thebut sporty elegant but elegant XF Sportbrake XF Sportbrake wagon, wagon, with a 2.2L withturbocharged a 2.2L turbocharged diesel engine, diesel engine, to the brutally to the brutally rapid XFR-S rapidperformance XFR-S performance saloon, with saloon, a 550hp with a supercharged 550hp supercharged V8, V8, there’s something there’s something for drivers for of drivers everyof level. every Book level. a test Book drive a test today driveortoday find out or fimore nd out online. more online.

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Louis Vuitton and Cindy Sherman celebrate the

Monogram

2014, Six Iconoclasts, One Icon: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, CINDY SHERMAN, FRANK GEHRY, KARL LAGERFELD, MARC NEWSON and REI KAWAKUBO take inspiration from the iconic LOUIS VUITTON Monogram.

#CelebratingMonogram

OYSTER PERPETUAL SKY-DWELLER

ENGINEERED FOR MEN WHO HEAR A CALL FROM THE WILD.

Aquatimer Automatic 2000. Ref. 3580: Men who hear the call of the wild have to be up for any kind of adventure. That’s why

they reach the last of the Seven Seas, they’ll have discovered one feature they would no longer wish to be without: the newly developed

many of them wear an Aquatimer Automatic 2,000, fitted with the IWC-

IWC SafeDive system, whose smart external/internal rotating bezel

manufactured 80110 movement. After all, its legendary predecessors – today much coveted as collector’s items – have proved their mettle under the toughest conditions below the surface of the ocean. For all

prevents unintentional resetting of the dive time. But even in situations above the surface, the Automatic 2000 takes any kind of pressure in its stride. While the case back engraving of a classic deep-sea diving

future challenges, this particular model, pressure-resistant to 200 bar, or a staggering 2,000 metres, will be the professional companion of

helmet recalls its origins in professional mine clearance, the handsome 46-millimetre titanium case identifies the owner as an adventurer and a

choice for the most daring and ambitious of divers. And long before

man of style. Even from afar.

I WC . E N G I N E E R E D FO R M E N .

PA R T R I D G E J E W E L L E R S | 112 Q U E E N S T R E E T AU C K L A N D +64 9 3098 925, 306 L A M BTO N Q UAY W E L LI N GTO N +64 4 4739 129 J R WATC H CO| AU C K L A N D I N T E R N ATI O N A L D E PA R T U R E S +64 9 255 4254

For further information on IWC visit www.iwc.com

Fromthe Publisher

O

ne thing I have learnt in life: the older you get, the faster the years fly by.

I cannot believe 2014 is almost gone – and what a year it’s been.

We published our 30th issue this year, a milestone on a journey that has seen our editors and contributors travelling the world to gather material. We pride ourselves on producing outstanding travel stories, which have recently come from America, Europe, India, Southeast Asia and Africa.

This, our 31st issue, continues that journey. I particularly like John Hawkesby’s story on his stay at the newly refurbished Peninsula Hong Kong (page 180). And being a golf fanatic, I’ve enjoyed reading Andrew Marshall’s pick of 10 of the world’s most spectacular courses in “Planet Golf” (page 170). Patrick Smith’s recent trek through Europe, meanwhile, included a visit to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence and produced a fascinating story about the great Italian shoemaker and designer.

During 2014 we have partnered with a number of clients and shared some great events. My personal Photos by Shaun Pettigrew

favourite was the recent charity lunch hosted by Orsini’s Sarah Hutchings – an Italian day out complete with a long lunch at Non Solo Pizza in Parnell. It was the perfect setting for a preview of Adrienne Winkelmann’s Summer 2015 fashion collection, superbly complemented by Marco Bicego Italian jewellery: a glittering fashion and jewellery showcase. And one that raised some $5,500 for the NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation.

World will be back for the 2015 Orsini event. We also have many projects in the pipeline, including our move into the digital world. All will be revealed in Volume 32, out in the first week of April.

Wishing our readers, advertisers and everyone involved with World a fabulous festive season. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the current issue.

Bring on 2015!

Don Hope

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PREPARE YOURSELF. The new Lexus RC range. Coming December 2014.

Register your interest at www.lexus.co.nz/RC

TOY4532_DPS_W_R

RC F Specifications may differ from those pictured.

ISSUE

31

CONTENTS 31 31

SUMMER SPARKLERS Showcasing jewellery from some of the world’s great names – guaranteed to make the season shimmer.

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THE FABRIC OF FINE JEWELS An exclusive look at the making of the ‘Ailée Diamant’ bracelet, from the new Archi Dior high jewellery collection.

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TIME TO SHINE If the latest movement in women’s watches doesn’t surprise you, it’s certainly designed to dazzle.

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THE SHOE FITS The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence charts the life and legacy of the ‘Shoemaker to the Stars’.

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MERINO À LA MODE A designer from Shrek country launches a fashion brand celebrating all things merino.

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GIFTED! All out of ideas for giving?

Our annual gift gallery offers some brilliant suggestions for all seasons.

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Auckland (09) 356 6920 – www.dior.com

ISSUE

31

CONTENTS 98

106

CYBER ART A New Zealand company is using the internet to bring leading art galleries, their art and artists, to collectors worldwide.

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FAT DUCK DOWNUNDER Heston Blumenthal’s legendary UK restaurant moves to Melbourne in February and it’s already booked out.

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BANK-FRIENDLY BUBBLES A trio of fine New Zealand sparklers that put higher-priced French champagnes to the test.

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ROOM FOR DESIGN Studio Italia is about to move its exclusive line-up of Italian design brands to a stunning new Grafton showroom.

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HERITAGE RULES AT DFS GALLERIA Auckland’s DFS Galleria embraces New Zealand history with a special walkway and a tribute to our longest-serving prime minister.

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FRESH WHEELS David Linklater reviews new advances in a collection of noteworthy autos coming to a showroom near you in 2015.

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1958 THEY SAILED BENEATH THE NORTH POLE. THEIR WATCH HAS SAILED ACROSS TIME.

Geophysic® 1958. Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 898/1. Limited series of 800.

On August 3rd 1958, the submarine Nautilus achieved the extraordinary feat of crossing the North Pole by sailing beneath the ice floe – a challenge taken up within the context of the International Geophysical Year (IGY). As a reward for this achievement, Captain Anderson received a watch worthy of such an impressive accomplishment: the Geophysic® Chronometer by Jaeger-LeCoultre, a paragon of reliability and precision that has now become a legend. Through the new Geophysic® 1958 watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre pays tribute to the inventive spirit that defined the year of 1958, and that has consistently defined the Manufacture Jaeger-LeCoultre for over 180 years.

YOU DESERVE A LEGENDARY WATCH.

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CONTENTS 154

162

CHAIN OF COMMAND Photographer Royce Rumsey poses the famous 300d ‘Adenauer’ Mercedes beside its modern-day successor.

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HOME BY THE SEA Epic, elegant and rugged, the Elandra 53 is a new breed of motor yacht born out of transtasman vision and nous.

170

PLANET GOLF Andrew Marshall picks 10 of the most spectacular courses around the globe for the ultimate fantasy golf vacation.

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GRAND HOTEL John Hawkesby discovers the secret behind The Peninsula Hong Kong’s renowned hospitality and service.

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ROYAL RAJASTHAN As India powers into the 21st century, it’s still possible to live like a maharaja in the palace hotels of Rajasthan.

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PIECES OF HEAVEN Got a cool half mill to spare?

Then you can buy a plot in paradise. A few million probably buys a whole island.

ISSUE

31

CONTENTS 209 226

WORLD CONCIERGE A selection of fine accommodation enjoyed and recommended by World’s globetrotting writers during 2014.

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ROOM SERVICE The Dorchester Collection, a group of 10 exclusive hotels, redefines the meaning of in-room dining.

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THE LAST WORD John Hawkesby on overseas travel – and renewed appreciation of the place he calls home.

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Publisher Don Hope Ph +64 9 358 4080 donhope@paradise.net.nz Art Director Desmond Frith JKFrith Design Features Editor Thomas Hyde Travel Editor Patrick Smith

Wine and Food Editor John Hawkesby Motoring Editor David Linklater Timepiece Editor Bani McSpedden ContributorS Jeni Bone, Karen Halabi.

Frances Chan, Andrew Marshall, Michal McKay, Royce Rumsey Tricia Welsh

Advertising Debra Hope Ph +64 21 930 717 debrahope@paradise.net.nz Advertising Co-ordinator Nicky Joyce Ph +64 9 634 9867 nicky.joyce@fairfaxmedia.co.nz

Distribution Netlink Distribution Company Printing PMP Limited

PRODUCTION Sara Hirst - Production Manager Debbie Curle - PREPRESS

www.worldmagazine.co.nz

World is published quarterly by Fairfax Magazines, a division of Fairfax Media, 317 New North Rd, Kingsland, Auckland, New Zealand (PO Box 6341, Wellesley Street). Advertising within this publication is subject to Fairfax Magazines’ standard advertising terms and conditions, a copy of which is available online at www.fairfaxmedia.co.nz or by calling 09 909 6800.

Fairfax Northern Region Manager David Penny • Fairfax MagazineS Commercial Manager – Duncan Brough • Fairfax MagazineS Editorial Director – Kate Coughlan This magazine is subject to the New Zealand Press Council. Complaints to be first directed to “donhope@paradise.net.nz” with “Press Council complaint” in the subject line. If unsatisfied, the complaint may be referred to the Press Council, P O Box 10 879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143 or by email at: info@presscouncil.org.nz Further details and online complaints at www.presscouncil.org.nz” Subscriptions: Ph +64 9 926 9127 worldsubs@fairfaxmags.co.nz ISSN - 1176 9076 ©2014 Fairfax New Zealand Limited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Auckland Showroom · 106 St Georges Bay Road · Parnell · Ph (09) 921 5574 Mon – Fri 9 – 5.30 · Sat 9 – 4 · Sun 10 – 4 · info@domo.co.nz · www.domo.co.nz

www.dedon.de

Auckland Showroom · 106 St Georges Bay Road · Parnell · Ph (09) 921 5574 Mon – Fri 9 – 5.30 · Sat 9 – 4 · Sun 10 – 4 · info@domo.co.nz · www.domo.co.nz

www.dedon.de

Life can be p e rf e c t

SUMMER

SPARKLERS WE PRESENT A SPECIAL SHOWCASE OF EXCLUSIVE JEWELLERY FROM SOME OF THE WORLD’S GREAT NAMES – GUARANTEED TO MAKE THE FESTIVE SEASON SHIMMER.

PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER BRACELET Bracelet, 18kt white gold, black lacquer, set with 684 brilliant-cut diamonds (10.72cts), onyx and emeralds.

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CARTIER

PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER NECKLACE The Maison’s iconic mascot, the panther, leapt into the world of Cartier jewellery in 1914.

This fabulous piece is in 18kt white gold with rock crystal and set with 1,684 brilliant-cut diamonds (13.74cts), emeralds and onyx.

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PANTHĂˆRE DE CARTIER BRACELET The 2014 Cartier panther makes its presence felt once again in this dramatic 18kt white gold bracelet set with 807 brilliant-cut diamonds (8.71cts), emeralds and onyx.

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CARTIER

PANTHĂˆRE DE CARTIER RING Figurative, graphic, playful, gentle, wild, sensual, ferocious or kinetic, the panther offers a range of surprises, like this ring in yellow gold with black lacquer and tsavorite garnets. www.cartier.com

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www.citroen.co.nz

DS LINE BY CITROËN. IT’S YOUR WORLD. WHY CONFORM?

CITROËN DS3 FROM $36,990

CITROËN DS4 FROM $44,990

CITROËN DS5 FROM $59,990

SPORTY. ELEGANT. INDIVIDUAL… With its striking design, advanced technology and luxurious finish, the bold new DS Line by Citroën is certain to turn heads. Is it the typically European attention to detail? Or the sporty exterior that demands to be looked at? Perhaps it’s both. Decide for yourself when you visit your CITROËN Dealer.

CRÉATIVE TECHNOLOGIE CIT0179

SEE WHAT MAKES THE DS LINE DIFFERENT

LOUIS VUITTON ACTE V

BLUE BLAZER This white gold ring features an extraordinary 20.94 sky-blue sapphire sourced from the Pien Pyit region in Burma.

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FIRE AND ICE Mandarin garnet ring featuring 11.06ct gem and diamonds.

The main stone displays an extraordinary orange colour and is the rarest variety of garnet.

CELESTIAL POWER This white gold and diamond bracelet represents the grandiose and the transcendence of celestial power.

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LOUIS VUITTON ACTE V

RARE PRECIOUS AFGHAN BEAUTY

The emeralds in this set come from the Panjshir Valley in Afghanistan. The specific cut, known as ‘kite’, was chosen by the gem cutter to retain the largest size of emeralds for the necklace, while respecting the natural crystallisation of the stones. The platinum necklace boasts two Panjshir emeralds of 5.29cts and 4.23cts, and diamonds. The platinum pendant earrings feature diamonds and two emeralds of 3.96cts and two smaller emeralds, each of 1.73cts. www.louisvuitton.com

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DESIGN F UR N I TU R E

I

I N T E R I O R DE SIGN

I

DR A P E R Y

I

WA LLPAP ER

I

BLIN DS

Introducing

Exquisite tailor made New Zealand furniture designed exclusively for you

INTERIOR DESIGN REVIEW FINALISTS 2014

TRENZSEATER IS A LUXAFLEX SHOWCASE RETAILER

TRENZSEATER TRENZSEATER Christchurch I 121 Blenheim Rd, Riccarton, Christchurch 8041. T. (03) 343 0876 TRENZSEATER Auckland I 80 Parnell Rd, Parnell, Auckland 1052. T. (09) 303 4151 Like us on facebook today at www.facebook.com/trenzseater

www.trenzseater.com

BULGARI

THE EMBODIMENT OF ITALIAN FEMININITY Sparkling with diamonds, arching with design, the new Diva diamond creations shine as dazzling renditions of the original. Curved with the fan-shaped signature of the collection, the design of each piece is inspired by mosaics of architectural ancient Rome, in homage to Bulgari’s historic heritage. Standing confident upon this rich past, the Bulgari woman has always inspired – from the majesty of Cleopatra to the influence of Elizabeth Taylor. The Bulgari diva embodies the ultimate in Italian femininity, in beauty itself. www.bulgari.com

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PARTRIDGE JEWELLERS

DELICIOUS DIAMONDS Pear-shaped diamonds offer a beautiful alternative to traditional princess cuts or round brilliant diamonds and make a lovely centrepiece in any ring. This ring features a 4.01ct pear-shaped diamond, finished with 123 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 1.54cts grain-set into the platinum ring.

ROMANCE & ROYALTY For centuries sapphire has been associated with royalty and romance. Feel like royalty wearing this dazzling ring features a 10.56ct Ceylon sapphire with 280 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 1.53cts.

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LOVE ME TENDER The emerald is known as the stone of successful love. Surprise your loved one with one of these beautiful emerald and diamond rings or this amazing 5.01ct Asscher-cut diamond ring.

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PARTRIDGE JEWELLERS

EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION Partridge Jewellers are celebrating their 150th anniversary.

To embrace this occasion, Nikki Partridge has designed an exclusive collection of three one-of-a-kind pieces.

The rarity of the Argyle pink diamonds, combined with the artistry of their setting, makes this exquisite collection impossible to repeat. www.partridgejewellers.com

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Orsini POMELLATO

Pomellato Pom Pom From the exclusive Pomellato Pom Pom collection, rose gold gourmette Pom Pom bracelets featuring Paraiba tourmalines and (left) set with rubies.

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Pom Pom tourmalines and diamond rings Pom Pom rings featuring pink (above) and green tourmalines and diamonds.

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Orsini HULCHI BELLUNI

HULCHI BELLUNI The exclusive Hulchi Belluni jewellery line is designed

by Belgian Martine Hul and handmade in Italy. Butterfly ring (left) features 1.43cts diamonds; the 1.43ct diamond bracelet below contains 145 separate pieces.

HULCHI BELLUNI Timeless classics combining tradition and innovation are hallmarks of this fine jewellery house. Lucky Clover ring (above) features pink quartz and diamonds; at right, the 18kt rose gold Laguna ring has a quartz centrepiece of 30.88cts surrounded by diamonds (1.70cts). www.orsini.co.nz

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Timmermans OLE LYNGGAARD COPENHAGEN

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Katrine Collection The snake is a complex and universal symbol of good and evil, wisdom, blind passion and temptation. The ‘Katrine’ butterfly pieces are named after Ole Lynggaard’s granddaughter – the butterfly is a symbol of optimism.

Katrine – brooch and clasps – all made from 18ct yellow gold and white gold, including pavé diamonds.

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Timmermans OLE LYNGGAARD COPENHAGEN

Necklace This pendant features the variations of coral that are both feminine and seductive.

Collier Twisted anchor chain 18kt yellow gold with a rose gold leaf.

Large Lotus Pendant

18kt yellow and rose gold with a white moonstone drop and 12 diamonds.

Midnight Pendant bunch

18kt yellow gold with dark coral, rose coral, white moon stone and pavĂŠ bud with 67 diamonds.

www.timmermansjewellers.com

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w w w . o l e ly n g g a a r d . c o m

s h o p 2 5 , t h e pav i l i o n , b ota n y t o w n c e n t r e , a u c k l a n d tel: 09 272 9036 email: info@timmermansjewellers.com w w w. t i m m e r m a n s j e w e l l e r . c o m

Dior

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THE FABRIC OF

FINE JEWELS TO MARK THE OPENING OF CHRISTIAN DIOR’S FIRST FREESTANDING BOUTIQUE IN New Zealand at QUEEN ST, AUCKLAND, WORLD OFFERS AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE MAKING OF THE ‘AILÉE DIAMANT’ BRACELET, FROM THE House’s NEW ARCHI DIOR HIGH JEWELLERY COLLECTION. PHOTOS: LAZIZ HAMANI.

A

rchi Dior celebrates Christian Dior’s emblematic designs. From dress necklaces to suit bracelets, all the movement of fabrics and lightness of material are recreated in metal and precious stones.

Just as the New Look was in its time, the Archi Dior collection is, in a way, a revolution. It is a return to the couturier’s most emblematic models, and a reinterpretation of Christian Dior silhouettes through jewellery.

He designed his collections like an architect; he followed his own plans, invented his geometry and played with proportions: “I wanted to be an architect; as a couturier I have to follow the laws and principles of architecture.”

Today, the story continues to be written by Victoire de Castellane, Dior Joaillerie’s artistic director, influenced by the resolutely feminine silhouettes and their architectural inspiration. But here, the fabric is a rare metal and the embroidery precious stones.

All of the emblematic symbols of the House of Dior are recreated in the language of jewellery: the movement of a skirt; the volume of a dress; the waist of a suit; the pleats of a blouse and the way fabric falls can be found by turns in each of these pieces of jewellery.

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Textile effect: The ‘golden sand’ setting on the ruffle and the snow setting on the bracelet body give diamonds and stones in different dimensions an embroidered effect. The bracelet is articulated to make it flexible and comfortable.

Know-how: The piece has been cut into 60 elements and smaller stones have been selected so the slightest fold can be set without squashing the movement. The stained glass openwork on the ruffles follows the shape of the stones.

This bracelet features more than 3,500 stones, including 2,610 diamonds totalling 52.44cts and 911 different coloured sapphires weighing 107.48cts, all requiring 560 hours to set.

Two layered ruffles swirl like a whirlwind of fabrics. The 5.62ct central diamond catches the ruffles in flight. Each side of the ruffle is in a different colour, in a blue-pink shading, as if composed of different fabrics.

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Ailée Diamant bracelet: 750/1000 white gold, diamonds, purple sapphires, sapphires, pink and multicoloured sapphires and rubies, inspired by the ‘Cyclone’ dress from the Autumn-Winter 1948 Haute Couture collection, Ailée line. The dress has wings with multiple scrolls, in uneven sizes and distribution, giving the dress movement and a very sculptural look.

Similarly, the layered ruffles on the jewel seem to swirl like a whirlwind of fabrics.

The ruffles are held by a diamond button.

www.dior.com

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marcobicego.com marcobicego.com

TIME TO

SHINE IF THE LATEST MOVEMENT IN WATCHES DOESN’T SURPRISE YOU, IT’S CERTAINLY DESIGNED TO DAZZLE. BY BANI MCSPEDDEN.

Confident PORTOFINO MIDSIZE MOON PHASE (Above) IWC’s very first “mid-size” watch line leaves no doubt it’s intended for the fairer wrist, measuring a restrained 37mm. Here, it’s presented in 18-karat white gold with 174 diamonds. Also available are mother-of-pearl dials and a variety of diamond treatments, from simple hour markers to the bezel alone. In addition to the Moon Phase, the Portofino folio offers dual time, chronograph and three-hand versions, with a choice of gold and steel cases, meaning there’s a model to suit every whim and wallet. The movements in all are self-winding mechanical.

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T

Cerebral ALTIPLANO HIGH JEWELLERY WATCH Piaget introduced the world’s thinnest handwound mechanical watch earlier this year, merging the movement and the case into one to form an integrated whole just 3.65mm thin. Now comes the 18k white gold high-jewellery version with a case just 2mm thicker at 5.65mm, making it the thinnest mechanical jewellery watch you can buy. The extra thickness was needed to accommodate 38 baguettecut diamonds (around 1.36ct) and 267 brilliant-cut diamonds (about 1.86ct), not to mention a dial set with 33 baguette-cut diamonds (some 1.41ct). The Altiplano has a power reserve of 48 hours.

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here’s a small revolution taking place in the watch world, and it has to do with a new movement. And no, we’re not referring to the power unit driving every watch – that little mechanical motor or batterypowered quartz module turning the hands – but a broader movement that’s seeing brands pay more attention to women’s watches, especially jewellery pieces, than ever before.

You know it’s a trend when brands that have traditionally put the emphasis on men’s watches start turning their creative energies to the female wrist.

Only a matter of weeks back, IWC announced that, for the first time, they were launching a range suitable for women. This is a brand whose product, image and advertising have always been overtly masculine, with recent slogans including the line “Engineered For Men”. Given this unambiguous positioning, it seems IWC felt unable to come right out and say the new Portofino range was, in fact, for ladies, preferring to call it “mid-size” instead. The watch is 37mm across, compared to 40mm, 42mm and 45mm versions for the usual male wrist.

The occasion of IWC’s announcement was the Watches & Wonders expo in Hong Kong, where the brand’s venerable Richemont stable mates Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier also placed the emphasis on jewelled temptations, as did that feisty relative newcomer to watches, Montblanc.

Of course, these brands aren’t alone in yielding to the charms of pretty stones.

There’s hardly a horological powerhouse that’s not recruiting artisans who can make a timepiece look stunning, and we shouldn’t underestimate the influence of some of the more fashion-oriented folk on this fresh look at the feminine. They’ve long recognised the shortest way to a lady’s wrist is a timepiece that reeks of chic; often seen by women as being more important than the internals or whizbang chronometry. That said, the fashion pack – Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, et al – have upped the ante here too, increasingly adopting high-end mechanicals for their cute creations.

For all brands it’s confirmation that it’s not only men who like watches and are prepared to invest in them, often time and time again. It’s proof that, particularly for women, a dab of diamonds can do wonders – all the better if the mechanicals are special too. In other words, let the men have their machinery – for women it’s the finery that’s lighting the way.

Covetous PANTHÈRE AU CLAIR DE LUNE DE CARTIER WATCH Cartier has led its “house” panther into a little jungle of engraved gold branches where he languishes beneath green jasper foliage as the hours pass. But the panther, despite a dusting of brilliant-cut diamonds and black lacquered spots, is more than decoration – he actually forms the oscillating weight (normally located on the back of the in-house movement) that keeps the watch automatically wound as he swings above a dial ringed with rows of diamonds. There are 395 of them on the 42.75mm pink-gold case, a total of 5.85ct. Also available with the limited edition piece is a gold bracelet carrying a further 15.59ct.

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Cheeky BOHEME DATE AUTOMATIC Montblanc presents a fresh face with their new Boheme line: witness, this pretty jewellery model.

Its 30mm red gold case is enhanced with 178 Top Wesselton diamonds (0.3519ct) on a white motherof-pearl dial, framed by a bezel set with an additional 62 Top Wesseltons totalling 0.4588ct. Nice touches include those handsome black Arabic numerals, cute opening for the date, red gold-plated leaf-shaped hour and minute hands and a central second hand that, yes, carries the Montblanc star, just to remind you. Inside beats a self-winding movement.

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Cheery PROMESSE RED CHINESE LACQUER Baume et Mercier’s Promesse is “intended to celebrate memorable moments of emotion and joy” – one being a reasonable price, given this pretty watch is available in polished steel rather than the usual gold. Measuring 34mm in diameter, 61 diamonds highlight an oval bezel of genuine red Chinese lacquer. This frames a mother-of-pearl dial with a further eight diamond indexes, 0.68 carats all up. Completing the picture is a rich red alligator strap, while the movement is no-fuss Swiss quartz. Issued in an 88-piece limited edition, the Promesse Chinese Lacquer is presented in a jewel case with red lacquered finishes.

Certified TRADITIONNELLE HIGH JEWELLERY WATCH This statement from Vacheron Constantin carries the prestigious Hallmark of Geneva seal and has a fine manual winding movement, but that’s obviously only part of the story. It’s the 102 baguette-cut diamonds obscuring the 35mm white gold case, with a further 156 baguette-cut stones on the white gold dial, that draws attention. Even the crown manages to provide a home for 16 diamonds, and with the bracelet accounting for yet another 500 or so, you’re looking at almost 800 baguette-cut beauties for a total weight of 40.3ct. In a nice touch, the watch is delivered with a magnifying glass so you won’t miss the allure.

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Complicated DE VILLE CENTRAL TOURBILLON Omega has taken the tourbillon, considered the ultimate horological complication, combined it with its chronometerrated Co-Axial calibre and presented the result in a stunning new form. The red-gold case is 38.7mm across, with a bezel of 24 baguette diamonds cut into trapezoidal shapes. It’s a jewel that would impress on any wrist, with the titanium tourbillon cage performing a useful function in the centre of the watch, making one revolution every minute and incorporating a red gold alpha-shaped hand to indicate the passing seconds. The movement boasts bridges and plates finished in a chocolate brown PVD. Just eight examples will be made.

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Charming TAMBOUR MONOGRAM One year after the Tambour Monogram’s launch, Louis Vuitton has added an integrated metal bracelet to the collection, making it the perfect sporty/dress companion, one that’s water resistant to 50 metres. According to Vuitton, “it hugs the wrist to perfection thanks to links devoid of sharp angles”. The version here, quartz driven, is presented in steel and gold in a choice 28mm or 33mm case. The dial is decorated with radiating sunray guillochage around a subtle monogrammed ring (mirroring the LV at 12 o’clock), while an octet of diamonds adds as little music to the hours.

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Creative RENDEZVOUS IVY MINUTE REPEATER Jaeger-LeCoultre launched its Rendezvous line in 2012, adding impressive Tourbillon, Celestial and Perpetual Calendar watches along the way, all reflecting not only artistic but true horological creativity. Continuing this tradition: this first minute repeater complication in a feminine Jaeger-LeCoultre. The result of 10 years of development, the Ivy Minute Repeater is a mere 39mm and houses a new self-winding “striking� movement in a white-gold case studded with 548 diamonds totalling 2.3 carats. The dial, also in white gold, is decorated with a sun-burst guilloche motif with snow-set ivy leaves on the blue enamel background.

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THE SHOE FITS

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PATRICK SMITH VISITS THE SALVATORE FERRAGAMO MUSEUM IN FLORENCE AND LEARNS THE STORY OF A MASTER SHOEMAKER AND THE GLOBAL LUXURY GOODS EMPIRE HE LEFT BEHIND.

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I

f you love shoes and have a yearning to visit Florence, may I suggest you seek out the Salvatore Ferragamo store in Piazza di Santa Trinita? Here, among other beautiful things, you’ll find shoes that are elegant reproductions of classics created by the master himself for the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe. Astonishingly, these limited-edition models – based on originals made seven or eight decades ago – look as cool and modern as if they had been designed today.

Salvatore Ferragamo, who died in 1960, was without peer as a shoemaker and designer. Not only did he create beautiful shoes, he made sure they were supremely comfortable and so won the loyalty of Hollywood stars, Florentine nobility, Indian grandees, British royalty and anyone else who could afford to have their feet shod by the Italian maestro.

The Ferragamo story is a fascinating one and after browsing the fabulous array of footwear in the store you may be inspired to learn more about the man, his life and his work.

If so, take the stairs down to the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo, a wonderfully engaging and entertaining series of galleries in the basement of Palazzo Spini Feroni, the building that has been Ferragamo headquarters since 1938.

Down here among the well-lit displays are the originals on which those shoes upstairs are based: the famous “Rainbow” sandal made for The Wizard Of Oz star Judy Garland in 1938; a pair of red suede pumps created for Audrey Hepburn in 1952; Carmen Miranda’s gold-plated mules, a knockout in 1939… I was intrigued,

too, by the wooden moulds on which shoes had been made for famous feet: this one for Marilyn Monroe, that one for Sofia Loren, another for Madonna – and, although the company no longer handcrafts shoes, a tiny pair of moulds created in 2014 for the feet of Prince George of Cambridge.

When I visited the museum I was lucky enough to catch an exhibition called Equilibrium (running until 12 April), which looks at the question of balance, from mankind’s first attempts to walk upright to the feats (so to speak) of modern-day ballet dancers and high-wire walkers. Loans from top international galleries and museums have provided works on the theme by some of the world’s great artists, including Rodin, Picasso, Degas, Georges Rouault, Giacometti, Dürer, Alexander Calder, Antony Gormley and others. There was even a precious 1481 copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy on display with illustrations by Botticelli.

Balance in the upright human body was a subject close to Salvatore Ferragamo’s heart as he sought to make his shoes not only beautiful to look at but exceptionally comfortable to wear. It was a problem that had occupied shoemakers for centuries. He looked at the human body and asked how its weight acted on the feet, its two points of contact with the ground. What was going on inside the foot when the body was in motion?

Which part of the foot bore the heaviest load?

Among the exhibits in the museum was a giantsized replica of one of Salvatore’s most important inventions, a patented steel shank, or cambrione,

REMASTERED: Based on a shoe created by Salvatore Ferragamo for Marilyn Monroe (right) in the 1950s, this red patent leather pump called Viatica is from the house’s AutumnWinter 2012-2013 collection. Photo: Arrigo Coppitz.

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Here, among other beautiful things, you’ll find shoes that are elegant reproductions of classics created by the master himself for the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe

designed to sit in the bed of the shoe and support the arch, the area of the foot where he believed most of the weight was concentrated.

“I constructed my revolutionary lasts which, by supporting the arch, make the foot act like an inverted pendulum,” said Ferragamo in his autobiography, Shoemaker of Dreams. The pendulum – or is it a plumb line? – is the motif of the current exhibition.

That the man became something of an expert on human anatomy stands as testament to his commitment to his craft as a shoemaker.

Born in 1898 in the village of Bonito, 100 kilometres east of Naples, Ferragamo was the eleventh of 14 children. He seems to have discovered his vocation early on, making his first pair of shoes when he was nine – for his sister to wear at her confirmation. At the age of 11 he was apprenticed to a shoemaker in Naples and at 13 he opened his own shop in the basement of his parents’ house in Bonito.

When he was 16, Ferragamo travelled to America to join one of his brothers who was working at a large shoe factory in Boston. The young Salvatore was fascinated by the modern machinery and production techniques, but he also saw how quality suffered with industrial-scale production.

He moved to Santa Barbara, California, in the early 1920s and opened a shoemaking and repair shop. At that time Santa Barbara was the centre of the fledgling film industry and Salvatore began designing and making shoes for the movies, early blockbusters such as D.W. Griffith’s Way Down East of 1920, Cecil B. DeMille’s Ten Commandments and Raoul Walsh’s The Thief of Bagdad, starring Douglas Fairbanks.

His reputation for style and quality spread and leading actors and actresses such as Mary Pickford, Rudolph Valentino and John Barrymore began to commission custom-made shoes for themselves.

When the movie industry moved from Santa Barbara to Hollywood, Salvatore moved with it. In 1923 he opened the Hollywood Boot Shop at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue. It was the beginning of his legend as “shoemaker to the stars”, a sobriquet bestowed on him by the local press.

In 1927 Ferragamo decided to return to Italy and settled in Florence, a city renowned for its skilled craftsmen and for its museums, where he found great inspiration. From his Florentine workshop – in which he adapted the assembly line system to meet the demands

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of his workers’ highly specialised and strictly hands-on work – Salvatore launched a constant flow of exports to the United States.

Then came the crash of 1929 – America’s Great Depression – which brought an end to Ferragamo’s business with the US market and forced the company to close. But, ever inventive, Salvatore turned his focus on the domestic market. Within a few years, his business was performing so well that in 1936 he rented two workshops and a shop in Palazzo Spini Feroni, a medieval palace built in 1289 by a wealthy merchant and banker to Pope Boniface VIII. Despite the economic sanctions imposed on Mussolini’s Italy, it was during this period that Ferragamo turned out some of his most popular and widely imitated creations, like his strong but light cork wedges.

In 1938 his highly successful collections enabled him to make the first down payment to buy all of Palazzo Spini Feroni, where the company has been based ever since.

In 1940, Salvatore, 42, married Wanda Miletti, the 18-year-old daughter of the local doctor in Bonito. Wanda joined him in Florence and would bear him six children

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Wooden moulds made for famous feet; Salvatore Ferragamo with Sophia Loren, Rome, 1955; shoes and lasts on display in the museum.

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– three sons and three daughters – including Fiamma, who inherited her father’s gift for design and created a number iconic Ferragamo shoe models before her death in 1998.

After the war, Salvatore Ferragamo’s shoes came to symbolise Italy’s return to life, design and production. In the years that followed, he created many memorable inventions, including the stiletto heels with metal reinforcement made famous by Marilyn Monroe, gold sandals and the “invisible” sandals with nylon thread uppers (for which Ferragamo won the prestigious Neiman Marcus Award in 1947, the fashion world’s equivalent of the Oscars – the first time the award had been bestowed on a shoe designer). By the 1950s, Ferragamo was employing some 700 expert artisans and producing 350 pairs of handmade shoes a day.

When Salvatore Ferragamo died in 1960 he had designed and made some of the most beautiful shoes in the world. But one dream was left unfulfilled: transforming Ferragamo into a great fashion brand that went beyond shoes.

That dream was made real by his widow, Wanda Miletti Ferragamo, and later their six children, who turned Ferragamo into a global luxury goods company making shoes, bags, eyewear, silk accessories, watches, perfumes and a ready-to-wear clothing line.

Wanda, who is now 93, retains an honorary role in the company and still comes in to her first-floor office each day.

She was also the driving force behind the museum, which opened in 1995 following the international success of a

temporary exhibition on the history of Salvatore Ferragamo.

In 1999, in recognition of the museum’s cultural importance and the company’s various many initiatives over the years, Salvatore Ferragamo received the Guggenheim Impresa e Cultura Award, given annually to companies that “best invest in culture to constructive ends”.

Today, although Group Ferragamo is a many-headed beast with more than 3,000 employees and a network of 606 singlebrand stores around the world, the Ferragamo name still looms large around the directors’ table. Salvatore’s son Ferruccio is chairman, daughter Giovanna vice-chair, while Fulvia and Leonardo are on the board and hold major roles in the varied arms of Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. Massimo Ferragamo is chairman of Ferragamo USA, while Salvatore’s grandson, James, heads the Women’s Leather Product division.

The tall arched windows that run around the ground floor of Palazzo Spini Feroni offer a tempting glimpse of the shoes, bags, clothes, scarves and other high-end products available in the hushed, elegant boutiques within. As I left the museum and headed down Via Torbuoni towards the river, I passed a window of men’s shoes. There, in all their glory, lay a pair of boots I thought were just me. Ferragamo doesn’t sully its window displays with price tags, so I popped inside to ask how much these works of art in brown leather might be. Eleven hundred Euros? Let’s see, that’s about $1,700. OK, grazie, I’ll have a wee think about it…

But not for long. Pity – I bet they were a perfect fit. www.ferragamo.com The author travelled to Europe courtesy of Emirates

Palazzo Spini Feroni, built in 1289 and home to Ferragamo since 1938.

Ground-floor windows display luxury goods. The museum lies below.

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Master the art of me-time Relax to music and smooth sips of Hennessy Paradis, or a good story and a glass of Dom Perignon. Savour every indulgence in our First Class Private Suites.

MERINO

À LA MODE SHREK THE SHEEP WOULD BE PROUD: A DESIGNER FROM THE LAND HE ROAMED LAUNCHES A FASHION BRAND CELEBRATING ALL THINGS MERINO. PATRICK SMITH HAS THE STORY.

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inemakers call it “terroir” – the earth in which their grapes are grown and which ultimately bestows its unique qualities on the wine.

Central Otago fashion designer Christina Perriam has a similar view of the land that formed her and helped shape the clothes in her new all-merino PERRIAM label.

The lifestyle label and her PERRIAM Woman 2015 Collection were launched recently in the grounds of the homestead at Bendigo Station – renowned for growing top-class merino wool – where she grew up.

“It was great to be able to hold the launch at home,” she said after the catwalk show held on the circular lawn in front of the house. “So much of what makes me as a person, and what I’ve tried to capture in the PERRIAM brand, comes from this property – I just hope I’ve done it justice.”

A designer for 10 years, Christina had spent over a year on the re-branding process. During that time she launched her new perriam.co.nz website, refurbished the popular Tarras Merino Shop, in the tiny village down the road, to become the new PERRIAM flagship store, and designed her Summer 2015 collection – a collection, she says, that is inspired by “an Italian summer”. It features bold stripes, soft pastels and gold accents across a range of dresses, skirts, jerseys, singlets, cardigans, knitwear and leggings.

Her previous merino womenswear and children’s brands had been selling well and she said she felt the need to bring everything under one umbrella; hence the PERRIAM label.

“The continuing growth of Suprino Bambino and Christina Perriam [brands] made me feel it

ABOVE: Guest gather on the lawn before the start of the fashion parade when models (right) braved the rain.

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was time to develop a united lifestyle brand that sat under the one label,” she said. “PERRIAM was an easy choice because it embodies my heritage.”

Today there’s PERRIAM Woman and Little PERRIAM, and next year she plans to introduce three more ranges: PERRIAM Sleep, Man and Home. And her growth plan includes more brand-only stores in main centres.

The clothes on the catwalk looked smart, easy to wear and very comfortable, qualities Christina seems happy to promote.

“Not only did I want to celebrate the rich heritage of Bendigo, I also wanted to send a message through my brand about a way of living,” she said. “PERRIAM is about slowing fashion down; clothes to cherish and keep in your wardrobe for more than one year. A lot of quality is lost in ‘fast’ fashion.”

The new collection was launched on a rainy spring afternoon, but the call went out between showers: “We won’t let a bit of rain stand in the way of a great PERRIAM show, will we?” and a well-dressed audience took over the rows of white chairs on either side of a runway laid down on the formal lawn. But as the rain set in the runway was left to the models

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ABOVE: A wild and beautiful landscape, Bendigo Station is where Christina Perriam grew up.

and we all gathered under the homestead’s veranda to watch the rest of the show. When it was over, guests gathered inside to talk about the clothes, the weather – and merinos.

Two days before, I’d flown in to Queenstown, picked up a rental car and driven to Bannockburn to begin a sort of Central orientation course. First up: lunch at Carrick, a winery with an excellent restaurant and views over the Kawerau Gorge. The Chef’s Choice menu of shared plates, accompanied by glasses of Carrick’s very fine Riesling and Pinot Noir, served as a warm introduction to this unique corner of New Zealand.

After lunch I drove off towards Clyde, where I was spending the next three nights at Olivers Central Otago Lodge and Stables, run – extremely well, I discovered – by David and Andrea Ritchie. This historic lodge and stables, has been completely refurbished by the couple since they took it over four years ago and each of its 11 rooms is full of character. Work on a new Olivers Restaurant, craft brewery, bakery and café was well under way in the old stone Wine & Spirit Merchant building next door and due to open in late summer 2015.

Next morning I drove to Cromwell , where I met the rest of our party, who were staying at the Heritage Lakes Resort, a brand-new member of Heritage Hotels’ Boutique Collection and a welcome addition to the region’s upmarket accommodation. We also met Jolanda Foale, who, with her husband Richard, runs Heliview Flights. Richard arrived soon after in his sleek blue and white helicopter. We also met Christina’s father, John Perriam, who would give us a running commentary as we flew up Lake Dunstan and over Bendigo Station.

The 9,000-hectare Bendigo Station, 46 kilometres south of Wanaka, runs beside Lake

Dunstan and the Clutha River, with the snow-capped Pisa (pie-sa to locals) Range to the northwest and the dusty Dunstan Range to the southeast. The alluvial flats and terraces are green and support some 20 vineyards; higher up amongst rocks and tussock are the remains of Bendigo, Welshtown and Logantown gold workings and stone dwellings from the 1860s.

The high country is the domain of the merino – 15,000 of them at last count.

John and his late wife Heather moved to Bendigo Station in 1979 after a long and ultimately unsuccessful battle to halt the Clyde Dam and the flooding of the Upper Clutha Valley – including their farm at Lowburn – by what is now Lake Dunstan.

The story of Bendigo Station and the struggle to turn a huge, rabbit-infested high-country holding into a profitable enterprise is well told in John’s 2009 book Dust to Gold. It tells of John’s work in establishing a merino stud and helping to push New Zealand merino wool onto the world stage, the creation of Merino New Zealand and of the use of Bendigo merino in fine Italian suiting. It also tells the story of the Shrek, the “hermit ram” that evaded shepherds on the station for five years until he was spotted and captured – with a 27kg fleece on his back.

The sheep became an international celebrity and raised $150,000 for the Cure Kids charity.

ABOVE: Christina Perriam (left) outside her Tarras PERRIAM boutique; possum-trimmed merino hoodie.

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Richard flew us over Castle Rock, the geographical centre of the South Island and then John pointed to a spot on a rocky hillside. “There’s Shrek’s cave!” we heard on our headsets.

“When we saw him he was standing up here, just a great big ball of wool.”

Richard put us down near a hilltop chalet with wide views over the land. “We call this Above Worry Level,” John said by way of introduction.

Christina was waiting to greet us, along with a robust morning tea. She talked about her feelings for Bendigo and how she “wanted my brand to come through that – the story of Bendigo Station”.

“I’m trying to keep on-trend, too,” she added. “Merino doesn’t have to be just Icebreaker, it can actually be done in a higher-fashion way, though PERRIAM is very much a lifestyle brand.

“But quality and ‘NZ-made’ are really important to me.” Knit cloth is made in Levin. With 35 per cent of the range knitwear, “the next step will be worsted cloths for suits and such. But we have to get our volumes up first”.

After a tour of the ruined mine workings, we moved on to the original stone homestead, where award-winning Quartz Reef winemaker Rudi Bauer was waiting to take us through a few sparkling wines, a little Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, all made from grapes grown on the station’s biodynamic vineyard.

“There are only four biodynamic vineyards in New Zealand,” said Rudi, twisting the wire on a bottle of Quartz Reef Methode Traditonelle. “We want to hand the land on to our children in better shape than we found it. Best land, best wine,” he added, pouring the sparkling wine into our glasses.

“We moved on through a vintage bubbly and a lovely sparkling Pinot Rosé to a dry, richly textured Pinot Gris and finally a delicious Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir – all wines made from estate-grown, handpicked grapes.

It was mid-afternoon before we tottered over to the homestead proper for a late lunch around the long polished table: West Coast whitebait fritters to start, then platters of lamb (merino, of course, with a Bendigo Pinot jus), Havoc pork belly, Perla spuds with black olives and cherry tomatoes and several exotic mixed salads. A Central Otago cheese board was followed by dessert platters of tiny cheesecakes and tartlets. No one would be eating dinner tonight.

By the time we arrived at the same homestead for the fashion parade next day, we had the flavour of the land, its people, its food, wine and the animals that provided the fine wool for the clothes we were about to see.

Glasses of Quartz Reef bubbly in hand, we watched the models strut their stuff. Like the clothes on the catwalk, the wine spoke of terroir and I was reminded of Rudi Bauer’s parting words the day before. “I will die but the land lives on,” he’d said. “The land is boss.”

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ABOVE: The old homestead at Bendigo Station, full of tributes to the past and to the merino sheep (right) that have brought prosperity and, now, fashion.

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new

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GIFTED!

SOME PEOPLE HAVE A TALENT FOR CHOOSING THE PERFECT GIFT, WHATEVER THE SEASON OR OCCASION. SOME OF US NEED A LITTLE HELP. PERFUME OR BAG? iPHONE OR SMARTWATCH? CAMERA OR MUSIC SYSTEM? FROM LOVELIEST TO LATEST, SMALLEST TO LARGEST – TURN THE PAGE FOR A GALLERY OF INSPIRATION.

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Christian Dior J’adore eau de parfum

Lalique Ibis vase

Prada

Trick Robot Pinky Key ring

Guerlain L’HOMME IDEAL Eau de Toilette Prada

Trick Robot Jason Key ring

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YSL BLACK Opium eau de parfum

Prada SAFFIANO Leather Totes

Prada SAFFIANO Print wallet

Mont Blanc Prada

Special Edition Princesse Grace de Monaco

SAFFIANO wave wallet

NZ Spa Ultimate gift set

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Dior Diorific rosy beige illuminating pressed power

Dior Diorific VERNIS shock nail lacquer

Dior DIORIFIC haute couture long wearing lipstick

Guerlain Coque d’Or perfume shimmer powder body & hair spray

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Fornasetti Monkey scented candle

Fornasetti SOLI E LUNE NERO SCENTED CANDLE

Illumina soy candles

Fornasetti Flora Di Bacio scented candle

Cire Trudon Gabriel scented candle

Illumina soy candles sterling silver, available in Assam or Almond & Cinnamon

Black vessel, black wax, black mist

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Bang & Olufsen BeoVision Avant TV Available in 55” and 85” models, B&O’s latest television is a statement that’s meant to be taken seriously.

With eight active speakers, the Avant sounds simply amazing. The 4K panel uses anti-reflective glass sheets to cut reflections, each pixel-adjusted on the fly to improve picture quality.

Finally, motorised stands and mounts allow the Avant to pivot to the perfect viewing angle at the touch of a button.

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Bang & Olufsen Beo6 Remote Control The guiding principle behind B&O’s Beo6 is simplicity. The hardened glass touchscreen is combined with tactile buttons and B&O’s clever sound volume wheel to make navigating through layers of menus as easy as possible.

Q Acoustics BT3 Wireless Stereo Speakers Don’t let their size fool you – these little speakers are hi-fi through and through. The BT3s have high-quality drivers powered by a built-in amplifier and connect to digital sources such as smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth. They’ll also dramatically improve TV sound when hooked up with an optical cable.

Canon EOS-1D C DSLR Multimedia Camera Canon’s EOS-1D C is billed as a multimedia camera. That’s because it’s the first Canon DSLR to offer 4K video capture in a rugged and compact form. This camera is designed to shoot ultra-high-definition video in places normal video cameras can’t go – and takes still images at a level that’s unsurpassed.

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Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphones Oppo’s PM-1 headphones use the same planar magnetic drivers found in some exotic audiophile speakers. This results in lightweight ’phones with natural sound quality. Use them with mobile devices or, better still, with a high-quality headphone amplifier.

Apple iPhone 6 Plus Smartphone Released alongside the iPhone 6, the 6 Plus has a big 5.5” screen, a slender body and an even sleeker design. And with a faster processor, more functionality and improved power efficiency, the 6 Plus is Apple’s biggest and best phone ever.

Theophany Pneuma Kardia Loudspeakers Handmade in Christchurch, these speakers blend exquisite looks with premium sound quality. The twin bass drivers make even much bigger speakers feel inadequate, but it’s not just about deep bass: when it comes to sound, they’ll tick every box on any audiophile’s checklist.

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LG G watch Powered by Google’s Android Wear, the G Watch connects to any Android smartphone running version 4.3 and newer. It’ll provide all the information you need, right on your wrist. Just say, “OK Google…” to ask the G Watch any question, from your flight arrival time to the nearest sushi restaurant, send a text or set a reminder.

Leica T Camera System Leica’s new T camera is an engineering marvel. With a body machined from a single block of aluminium, the T was made in collaboration with Audi Design, so it looks gorgeous. It’s intuitive to use but packed with all the functionality needed to capture world-class images.

Apple Watch Due early 2015 in models ranging from sporty to stylish, the Apple Watch smartwatch is intended to be as easy to use as the first iPod. Driven by its Digital Crown, it’s also a serious health and fitness tool – and happens to keep unerringly accurate time.

No. 3 Gin gift set Overall winner at the International Spirits Challenge for two years in a row, No. 3 London Dry Gin is essentially the best gin in the world.

Each elegant No. 3 gift pack contains one 750ml bottle and two etched tumblers.

DEVIALET 800 MONOBLOCK AMPLIFIERS These top-of-the-range stunners are the most advanced hi-fi amplifiers ever, featuring unprecedented technology and innovations. There’s 800 watts of cool running power, wireless streaming and unbelievable levels of customisation.

Sound quality? Beguiling.

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LENSMAN TITANIUM COLLECTION Interchangeable sunglasses: switch from aviator to navigator-style frames and add one of four pairs of Carl Zeiss Vision lenses you chose for your collection. (Refer p105)

WATERFORD MAD MEN EDITION Waterford Crystal toasts the award-winning TV series with this decadent gold-banded tumbler set. Water jug and decanter complete the look.

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom Smartphone Camera

Naim Mu-so Wireless Music System Naim’s Mu-so is a true next-generation music system. With six individual 75-watt digital amplifiers driving each of the custom-designed drivers, Mu-so can be your main audio system, or when linked with other Naim streamers, becomes a genuine high-fidelity multiroom system.

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The Galaxy K Zoom is an Android smartphone that just happens to include a 20.7 megapixel, 10x optical zoom camera with an optically stabilized lens. It’s the best of both worlds for those who like sharp images, creative photography – and the rest.

LEICA D-LUX

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Meet every day of your life with open eyes, grasp photography as the art of observation, and discover the artist within you. The new Leica D-Lux is a master of available light photography.

Its extra large sensor creates sparkling pictures that capture your inspiration. Details of the whole, the unusual in everyday life, perfection in the imperfect.

Available in December from authorised Leica dealers.

Discover more at www.d-lux.leica-camera.com

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Thomas Hyde reports on a New Zealand company using the internet to bring the world’s leading art galleries, their art and artists, to collectors worldwide.

Tomoo Gokita, Variety Show, installation view at Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo, 2012. Photo: Kenji Takahashi.

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he Internet has changed the ways and means of buying art. Attending an exhibition or paying a visit to a gallery, seeing work “in the paint” before deciding whether to buy or not, is being preceded – and in some cases replaced – by browsing online.

In that way, contemporary art is no different from researching or buying anything else online but for one critical variable: the quality of the service provided by the website you choose to browse. Take, for example, Ocula.com, the leading contemporary art website in the Asia Pacific region.

Ocula.com receives around 50,000 unique visitors, or “eyeballs”, a month. Last year it attracted 2.5 million page

views, a number that is growing as its creators, Simon Fisher and Christopher Taylor, continue to attract an increasing number of the world’s leading galleries.

Simon Fisher is the sixth generation of the Fisher family that established Fisher Galleries in Christchurch in 1870. Fisher Galleries was owned continuously by the family for 140 years and in that time played a leading role in the development of the art market in New Zealand. Christopher Taylor comes to Ocula with a background in information technology and gallery management. Along with Simon, he is a consultant or advisor with a wide range of curatorial experience.

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Simon Fisher told World, “Chris and I had clients who were finding it hard to get into galleries and to engage with the art. Clients were busy and increasingly found it difficult to come in to see the work. They would know the artist and know a good work.”

“They trusted us and wanted to purchase the work and that signalled a change in the way people were interacting with the market and there was a shift to art becoming more accessible online. But we felt there wasn’t enough online access to leading galleries here and around the world. If a collector wanted to collect more international art, what was the gateway for doing that?”

In case you were wondering, the name Ocula stems from “oculus”, an opening that lets light in. Employ the internet and what you wind up with is a digital window on the world. Therein lies the conceptual beginnings of Ocula, an online platform for collectors to gain insight into the world of contemporary art in a way not possible before the internet.

“The idea,” Fisher explained, “was to create a destination for people to discover high-level galleries from each region of the world and access their programmes and exhibitions using tools that made it very easy and enjoyable to browse art. So Ocula became a window for collectors to view what was happening

internationally, as opposed to being constrained to what was happening just in their own city.”

They began by attending the Hong Kong International Art Fair (now Art Basel Hong Kong), one of a number of stops on the annual worldwide art fair circuit, where more than 200 of the world’s most prestigious galleries were exhibiting. Considering that the global art market had a turnover last year of US$66 billion and that China is the second biggest consumer of contemporary art (US$16 billion) after the United States (US$19 billion), having a presence in Hong Kong seemed like a sensible move.

Fisher said, “We see Hong Kong as one of the new art centres in the world. The biggest galleries in the world are there, so now, when anyone talks about the major centres for art, they talk about London, New York and Hong Kong.”

“So we see Hong Kong as a strong point for the Ocula brand as it allows us to engage more effectively with galleries across the entire Asia Pacific region. Meanwhile, North America and Europe account for about 40 per cent of our site traffic. From a North American and European perspective, Ocula is a gateway to new audiences in Asia.”

Ocula.com currently represents more than 170 of the world’s leading galleries. The goal is to cap this at 500 galleries. Each gallery has a comprehensive profile on the site to showcase their exhibitions, artworks and artists.

LEFT: Michelangelo Pistoletto, Rem(a)inders, 2010.

Galleria Continua @ Art Basel Hong Kong, May 2014.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Jan Fabre, Reflecting Cross, 2013.

Galerie Daniel Templon, Paris/ Brussels @ Art Basel in Basel, June 2014.

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Platform @ Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels, 5th June 2014, curated

by Nicolas Trembley.

Photo: Sven Laurent - Let me shoot for you.

Grayson Perry, Map of Truth and Beliefs, 2011.

Victoria Miro, London @ Art Basel Hong Kong, May 2014.

Kara Walker, The Sovereign Citizens Sesquicentennial Civil War Celebration, 2013.

Victoria Miro, London @ Unlimited, Art Basel in Basel, June 2014.

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Collectors can follow their favourite galleries and artists, be notified when new works are added and browse exhibitions that interest them. It’s an easy and far less time-consuming way for collectors to keep in touch with the contemporary art market.

Complementing the artworks and exhibitions on the site, Ocula also delivers online magazine content to visitors, keeping them informed with interviews conducted with leading curators, artists and influencers, reports on global art fairs and biennales, and a selection of latest art world news.

“There are other websites that have these functions,” Fisher

said, “but they are vast. You’re talking about sites with plus or minus 2,000 galleries and close to 200,000 artworks, with little curatorial discretion. One site talks about becoming the ‘Amazon of the art world’, whereas Ocula is more of a boutique where the galleries represent the best contemporary art, because there has been a selection process.”

So how do they choose?

“Dependent on the gallery, we will usually know straight away,” he said. “However, if not, we will look at the gallery’s website, foremost to see which artists they represent, the

Mel Ramos, Angelina, Art Basel Hong Kong, May 2014.

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extent of their exhibition programme, which art fairs they have participated at and recent press and reviews of exhibitions. These are all strong indicators for us.

“Art Basel Miami apparently received close to 900 galleries applying to exhibit last year but only 250 got in.

There’s huge criteria used to admit a gallery to one of these global fairs. So art fair participation is a great way for us to assess a gallery and validate their place on Ocula.”

Ocula is a vehicle for collectors and galleries to meet, but it is not a “middle man” taking a commission on sales. Once a collector makes direct contact with a gallery, the site’s job is done. As Fisher explained, “We feel it’s important for the collector and the gallery to form their own relationship – Ocula is just the gateway to help make that happen.”

Ocula has an office in Hong Kong, correspondents around the world and sales representatives in New York,

London, Paris, Tokyo and Seoul, with a view to doing the same in Berlin and possibly having a number of people in Latin America.

Fisher and Taylor work out of the Auckland office, where they oversee a development, administrative and design team for Ocula. They also run the Ocula art advisory business from their offices and gallery in Sale St, Freemans Bay. Both men are able to draw on deep connections in the New Zealand art market and on the global gallery network of Ocula, for which they have strong relationships with all of the galleries. This means they can source important historical, modern and contemporary works for clients from private collections and galleries here in New Zealand and highly sought-after contemporary artworks from leading international galleries. www.ocula.com

Richard Long, River Avon Driftwood Circle, 1996.

Lisson Gallery, London @ Art Basel, June 2014.

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FAT DUCK DOWNUNDER HESTON BLUMENTHAL’S FAMED BRITISH RESTAURANT WILL MOVE TO MELBOURNE FOR SIX MONTHS IN FEBRUARY. BUT IF YOU’RE THINKING OF BOOKING A TABLE, DREAM ON... TRICIA WELSH REPORTS. PHOTOS BY Sergio Coimbra

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“I don’t do food in an ordinary way.

I think food should be fun, a spectacular adventure with every bite being a delight for the senses.”

PHOTO: Alisa Connan

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ixteen thousand excited food and wine lovers are walking around Australia, New Zealand and as far afield as Norway and Mexico looking extremely smug. These are the lucky, adventurous diners who will occupy coveted tables at Heston Blumenthal’s Australian version of The Fat Duck in the months following the restaurant’s opening in Melbourne in February.

The would-be diners were winners in a recent online ballot for seats at Heston’s transplanted UK-born eatery. It must be a great way to run a business – with sell-out tables for the next six months, before you’ve even opened the restaurant doors.

And at NZ$586 per person (without wine), entries equated to more than 267,000 would-be diners. But such is the 48-year-old chef’s universal appeal – perhaps even stronger Downunder, where the celebrity chef has been winning viewers with his molecular magic on recent MasterChef Australia shows and his own UK-based TV shows.

Blumenthal opened the original Fat Duck in 1995 in Bray – a village outside London – and by 2004 he was awarded the three Michelin stars he has retained ever since. The restaurant is rated one of the best in the world and for the past 12 years has been on the S. Pellegrino World’s Top 50 Restaurants list. The restaurant has its own laboratory nearby where Blumenthal and his team conduct experiments to develop new food concepts with dishes such as nitro-poached G&T starters and egg and bacon ice cream.

The culinary wizard says he fell in love with Australia when he first visited in 2003 and had been keen to open a restaurant there ever since. With the original Fat Duck restaurant housed in a 16th century former pub now due for major refurbishment, he saw a unique opportunity to close it down and open up in Melbourne. The full English restaurant brigade, including 60 to 70 kitchen and service staff, will up spoons and make their home in Melbourne for the duration.

Nitro Poached Aperitifs

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The pop-up diner will open in the former third-floor Breezes at Crown Resorts, overlooking the Yarra River.

Within an outer frame, false walls will be built to create a more intimate space and to restrict bookings to just 46, similar to his 42-seat UK restaurant. (There will also be an exclusive-to-Melbourne chef’s table for four in the kitchen at each service – with an added cost.) After the initial six months, the inner walls will be removed to nearly double the space and the restaurant will take on its permanent guise as Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, similar to one of his other restaurants in the Mandarin Oriental in London’s plush Knightsbridge.

Blumenthal and group executive head chef Ashley Palmer-Watts will open Dinner by Heston Blumenthal “securing lasting ties with Australia”. It will be the culinary whiz’s only restaurant in his portfolio outside of the UK. He also has The Hinds Head, the Crown at Bray and The Perfectionists’ Café at Terminal 2, Heathrow.

On a recent visit to London, I dined at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal to see what all the fuss was about. (It can take

SOUND OF THE SEA

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months, perhaps even years, for a table at The Fat Duck, so I didn’t even try). Although totally different to the molecular mastery shown at The Fat Duck, there was still enough theatre and excitement to give it a sense of occasion.

Featuring reinterpreted dishes of traditional British fare such as Frumenty with grilled octopus (the recipe dating from 1390), Chicken cooked with lettuces (circa 1670), or the stunning Brown bread ice cream from 1830, it’s only a fraction of the cost, but it was the enthusiasm, knowledge and passion of the staff that was so infectious.

On hearing my Australian accent, they were eager to pass on snippets of information they had gleaned about the impending Downunder Duck. Initial diner enquiries had surpassed 100,000, they divulged, “even before the ballot”. And as they showed me around the glassed-in kitchen, it was clear some were hoping to secure a spot in the transported diner. “About a third of our diners here are Australian,” I was told. Opened in 2011, this modern, spacious 109-seat restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star the same year and a second star in 2013. It serves some 130 diners for lunch and 170 for dinner each day and is currently ranked fifth on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

So what can diners expect from Melbourne’s loftily priced dining experience? Blumenthal says they will have “the same magical dining experience” with the full tasting menu of between 12 and 15 experiential dishes savoured over four mouthwatering hours: “A multi-sensory journey of history, nostalgia, emotion and memory.”

Although the exact menu has not been finalised, some of his classics will make an appearance, such as Snail porridge, an Alice in Wonderland-inspired mock turtle

soup with, incredibly, a fob watch dissolved in tea and the much-acclaimed Sound of the Sea, where diners wear earphones to listen to seagulls and crashing waves while eating seafood and edible sand.

Blumenthal explains: “I don’t do food in an ordinary way. I think food should be fun, a spectacular adventure with every bite being a delight for the senses. I want to create meals that people will remember for the rest of their lives…”

“Australia’s response to the news that The Fat Duck would make Melbourne its home for six months has been absolutely overwhelming,” he adds modestly. “I am utterly humbled by the reception.”

The Fat Duck, Melbourne, will open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday for six months from 3 February to 15 August. Would-be diners who missed out in the ballot will be given preferential bookings for the ensuing Dinner by Heston Blumenthal experience which will continue long after The Fat Duck season ends. www.crownmelbourne.com.au

MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY POCKET WATCH

SNAIL PORRIDGE

Iberico Bellota ham, shaved fennel

MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY TOAST SANDWICH

BANK-FRIENDLY

BUBBLES JOHN HAWKESBY OFFERS A TRIO OF FINE NEW ZEALAND SPARKLERS THAT PUT HIGHER-PRICED FRENCH CHAMPAGNES TO THE TEST.

A

QUARTZ REEF CENTRAL OTAGO One of the world’s southernmost vineyards.

Biodynamic and hands-on.

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steady revolution has been taking place over recent years that is of special interest for lovers of fine sparkling wines. Not to put too fine a bead on it, the gap between the quality of top-echelon French champagnes and the best New Zealand methode traditionelle has closed remarkably.

The good news for consumers is that these local wines are a fraction of the price of the old-world international top brands.

It is not that French quality has gone down, it’s just that the price seems to keep creeping up, whereas the local product has kept a consistent price point while quality continues to climb. To be perfectly blunt, at $40-$80 for

E x p ect the e x ce p tional

a top bottle of New Zealand sparkling wine (we’re not allowed to use the word Champagne) opposed to $200-$300 for the French version that may not be discernibly superior… So, “who ya gonna call?”

While not wishing to get into a slanging match, let me quote Tom Stevenson in Christies World Encyclopedia Of Champagne & Sparkling Wine (2013): “Just because it says Champagne on the bottle does not mean it is always going to be a great wine, and although the cost is often an accurate arbiter of the quality you will get, it is possible to pay hundreds of dollars and find something diabolical, just as it is possible to find bargains. We have to thank the emergence of more modest, yet extremely drinkable premium-quality sparkling wines in the early to mid-1990s, particularly in Australia, New Zealand and California.”

Here are three of New Zealand’s best, made by winemakers whose ongoing commitment to consistent quality is without question. I can confidently say they are outstanding and astonishing value for money. In the immortal words of Fred Dagg, “We don’t know how lucky we are.”

NAUTILUS CUVÉE MARLBOROUGH BRUT NV

QUARTZ REEF CENTRAL OTAGO BRUT NV

NO. 1 CUVÉE RESERVE LIMITED EDITION NV

Winemaker Clive Jones is approaching his 17th vintage with Nautilus Estate, for which 2014 marked 30 years of winemaking in Marlborough. Jones, with degrees in chemistry and wine science, worked as an analytical chemist before joining Selaks in West Auckland, where he spent six years prior to joining Nautilus.

As you would expect, he brings a high level of precision and discipline to all his winemaking, something that is perfectly obvious in this highly acclaimed champagnelike sparkling wine. Typically a blend of 70 per cent Pinot Noir and 30 per cent Chardonnay, the wine has a distinctively nutty bouquet with layers of biscuity, yeast-derived complexity and a whiff of lemon meringue, delivering a sharp, vivacious, crisp, dry finish.

The grapes are sourced from three vineyard sites, each delivering a range of flavours and adding to the wine’s creamy richness.

You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy this, but if there were some oysters on hand, that would be an ideal match. It’s drinking beautifully now but the wine will develop a toasty complexity as it ages under cork.

Cost: $43.

Central Otago has its fair share of characters in the wine industry and Quartz Reef’s Rudi Bauer would be at the front of the pack. The Nicky Hager look-alike hails from Salzburg, Austria and brings an old-world sensibility to a new-world region – one of the southernmost in the world. Bauer is bolshie and provocative and is fond of saying he’s aiming to conquer Champagne (and Burgundy). It may not have happened yet, but Bauer brings a steely determination and flair to the task at hand. With diplomas in viticulture and oenology, he is very hands-on and even bottling is done on site.

Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2011, all the wines are estate grown in Bendigo and, as Bauer says, “We are very old-school. We do hand riddling and disgorging. It’s part of our story and who we are.”

Handpicked grapes – 65 per cent Pinot Noir and 35 per cent Chardonnay – offer balance, depth and a lively freshness enhanced by an invigorating cool, creamy acidity. The result is flirtatious, moreish and distinctive, with flavours of royal gala apple with a dash of lime and brioche.

Cost: $30-$35.

(Bottled in 2008, just released) “Our benchmark is Champagne,” says Daniel Le Brun, and being French and born near the legendary town of Epernay in Champagne, he is the only winemaker in New Zealand who could get away with saying that with genuine gravitas. When establishing his first vineyard with New Zealand wife Adele in 1980, the locals referred to him as “that mad Frenchman”. Such is Le Brun’s reputation today, however, he is regarded as a genius and the Godfather when it comes to high-premium, internationally respected New Zealand bubbles.

Le Brun is convinced Marlborough has the perfect climate and stony gravels to produce outstanding fruit for his highly revered wines.

In his definitive book on champagne and sparkling wines of the world, Tom Stevenson notes that “No. 1 Family Estate is the finest quality sparkling wine venture in New Zealand, with the entire range rivalling champagne quality. The impressive style is an interplay of toasty autolytic nuances, bright fruit and fine freshness and focus. The mousses are super soft and the balance perfect.” Enough said.

Cost: $85-$95.

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A.D. NATALIA CORBETTA / FOTOGRAFIA MARIO CIAMPI

made in italy

o NEW SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

25 Nugent ST, Grafton, AKL tel. +64.9.523 2105 info@studioitalia.co.nz www.studioitalia.co.nz

FLEXFORM

SPA

GROUNDPIECE

MEDA (MB) ITALIA www.flexform.it

design by ANTONIO CITTERIO

ROOM FOR

DESIGN

Studio Italia is about to put its exclusive line-up of top Italian design brands on display in a stunning new Grafton showroom, writes Michal McKay.

FLEXFORM www.studioitalia.co.nz

KNOLL

M

oving home is said to be one of life’s most stressful events. Not so for the folk at Studio Italia.

After 14 years as the go-to place for interior inspiration – based on such Italian design luminaries as Poliform and Flexform – they’re eyeing their shift to their new building in Nugent Street, Grafton, with delight: it’s a fine opportunity to showcase the design expertise and craftsmanship of Italy in a simply spectacular space.

Studio Italia was born 10 years ago, when Italian-born furniture guru Valeria Carbonaro-Laws was introduced to Kevin Stephenson, a veteran in the designer furniture business, who was looking to ease his working style.

That may have been his plan, but the partnership that developed grew in leaps and bounds. And from a base of the well-established business, Poliform, they swiftly acquired the top furniture labels from Italy.

“It is the perfect partnership,” says Valeria. With Kevin’s financial expertise and Valeria’s infallible ability to not only divine the crème of the designers but also convince discerning Kiwis of their need for quality and style, they repositioned their thinking and brought in new brands

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Valeria Carbonaro-Laws

that raised the bar on what clients could expect. And they delivered.

Studio Italia is a serious business. And its owners understand that their customers require all-round commitment. The investment in a new kitchen, wardrobe design or living area, indoors or out, is large. And they would rather focus on a few top names with a broad product line than “bits and pieces” that result in a potpourri of design elements with no visual direction.

Which is why they are moving. The new premises provide specific spaces specially designed by the architects behind each brand. “When you are overseas,” Valeria explains, “each showroom has its own identity and when it is diluted it becomes more a display area of mixed messages detracting from the brand’s image.

All the names come under the umbrella of Studio Italia, but within this vast space, each is able to portray its own look and feel to perfection.

“For instance, Zanotta, which started in the early 60s, has a funkier design element that pushes the boundaries and does not necessarily sit easily side by side with Poliform, which has a more classic elegance. Each of the brands have sent their own architects to review the space

Poliform

and we have just let them do exactly what they want.

Of course, there is a need to adapt to the New Zealand market, but without compromising the core or essence of their thinking.”

The Studio Italia philosophy is that their furniture pieces are fixtures for life. “This is not a disposable purchase,” says Valeria emphatically. “And though it may be possible to grow and transcend out of one style of sofa, it gets passed on to the children and then their children – with the odd re-covering to bring it into today.

Yes, there is a price ticket involved initially, but actually, when you look at the long term, it is cheaper because you are not going to change the sofa in five years. Our designers are versatile – they look for longevity – and usually, they are pieces that never fail.”

Valeria travels regularly to the Milano fair, which, she says, is really the only trade fair worth visiting these days “if you are interested in the best top end for residential living”. She has long-term relationships with those architects and designers involved with the brands Studio Italia sells.

Her own background is in law, but she was drawn to New Zealand, she says with a smile, “by love”. Between

making pizzas and teaching Italian, she met Nanette Cameron – regarded by most as the interior designer of her time – and the rest is history. The fact she became pregnant when she joined Kevin and his wife Ruth to start the business was simply another factor to be built into the equation. Now the company has a sales team of five, a bevy of installers and an accountant, along with Joanna Hoeft, the resident kitchen designer.

As Valeria explains: “Joanna creates the blueprint and is vital to us in taking all the pain away and leaving the client with a perfect result. All our staff are highly qualified, both locally and overseas. Well, we need to invest in our people. And what we are most proud of is that if someone is in the market for a new sofa, for instance, they come to us because we provide the ultimate service, which includes follow-up for years after.

We work a lot with architects and interior designers – take measurements, discuss the overall plans – and come up with the answers. That’s what distinguishes us from our competitors. We know we need to be better.” And the new showroom in Nugent Street is proof of that sentiment – and where fine examples of the following brands can be found…

www.studioitalia.co.nz

KNOLL Studio Italia until now has based its business on the best of Italy – a country celebrated for its style and innovation. But the new building opens the door to the exception: the introduction of Knoll. Originally a family business started by German Wilhelm Knoll in 1865 with a reputation for fine-quality furniture, it was taken over by brothers Walter and Wilhelm II, who were supporters of the Werkbund movement and redirected the business to a new modernism. Hans followed.

And 75 years ago he and wife Florence – an American who studied under Mies van der Rohe – founded the company as it is known today. The Bauhaus school was their creative inspiration, with new thinking in furniture and environments for the workplace.

Craftsmanship, combined with technology, has made the company a recognised incubator for pioneering modernists and bold contemporary designers who have made design history – Frank Gehry and Ludwig Miles van der Rohe, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia included. And the Knoll museum is a testament to the creative force that makes the brand such a powerhouse in the furniture design world even today.

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www.studioitalia.co.nz

FLEXFORM With furniture as its focus, Flexform played an integral part in the cultural development of Italian design and manufacture from the mid-20th century, with works by such design luminaries as Cini Boeri, Sergio Asti, Joe Colombo and Rodolfo Bonetto putting it on the map. As a family-run group that began life in northern Italy, it has expanded to become recognised globally for its boundless talent and approach to both business and research.

Antonio Citterio – known as the Charles Eames of our time – is their close collaborator now and his sofa configurations (which are oases of comfort) have radically changed the public’s view of entertaining.

His hallmark for a collection ranging from living and dining to occasional furniture is a clean elegance, yet with a soft moodiness that maintains a sophisticated adaptability. With ample scope for customisation using high-quality timber veneers and solid timber finishes, the steel frames are virtually indestructible and fabrics undergo the most stringent testing.

Definitely heirlooms for the next generation.

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www.studioitalia.co.nz

POLIFORM The brand that began the business of Studio Italia, Poliform owes its success to a unique ability to streamline storage to a superb standard. Originally a small artisan’s workshop in the Brianza region, begun in 1942, it has grown to become a global brand with a range of furniture for the entire home, plus stylish storage components to complement any architect’s dream project. Produced solely in Italy with the finest of materials (lacquer, glass, timber and leather), they are easy-clean and easy-care, as well as looking great. With doors that range from minimal to exquisitely detailed, the use of both Senzafine and Ubik systems provides anything from walk-in to myriad shelves, rails, pull-out holders, tie and belt dividers, drawers and storage, enabling bespoke spaces with fittings to accommodate every need. The inspiration of such designers as Carlo Colombo, Paolo Piva, Jean Marie Massaud and Marcel Wanders places this brand firmly on the international design stage.

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VARENNA Any aspiring cook knows the modern kitchen needs to be flexible, functional yet always beautiful. As the heart of the home, the design of a kitchen is pretty well the pivot-point of a living area. Once a small artisan company, Varenna now produces more then 400 kitchens a week for export around the world and is part of the Poliform stable. With 10 different models to choose from, each is then adapted according to space and design specifications; so in essence every finished result is a bespoke kitchen in terms of composition, material selection, finishes and colour. The brand collaborates creatively with such well-respected architects as Paolo Piva, Christian Liaigre and Vincent Van Duysen to produce a perfect culinary and entertaining environment.

www.studioitalia.co.nz

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ZANOTTA Established in 1954 and regarded as being in the vanguard of Italian industrial design, Zanotta’s original pieces can today be found in museums around the world. Known for developing products that balance form with technical innovation, it was founded by Aurelio Zanotta and most of the collection is handmade, relying on diverse manufacturing techniques combined with artistic craft traditions and expertise. Zanotta first gained recognition for the bean bag and the floating chair and many pieces have been recognised as works of art. Celebrated architects and designers such as Achille Castiglioni, Joe Colombo, Roberto Palomba and Marco Zanuso have been commissioned to create for the collections.

As Valeria explains, “Actual design is really only around 100 years old. Before that, bespoke pieces were what made furniture. And Zanotta represents 70 years of that century, which is a milestone, really.

We had a big party to celebrate their 70th earlier this year.�

www.studioitalia.co.nz

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LIVING DIVANI A strategic alliance with the talented Piero Lissoni in 1988 has been key in the succes of Living Divani’s unique style. Its distinguishing features are perfect proportions and a sense of understated luxury – a mix of the elegant with the unexpected. Family run, the business began in the early 1970s. Today, it maintains an acute awareness of current trends and yet is discreet, neutral in form, light and dynamic. Above all, it combines pure lines with ergonomic comfort. Over the years, the company has developed a vast range of sofas, armchairs, beds, outdoor furniture and accessories focused on subtlety, proportion and versatility. Texture is a trademark, utilising processed fabrics along with linens and cottons, raised prints and raw cuts.

The overall result is one of design solutions that dissolve the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living yet are always elegant.

www.studioitalia.co.nz

KETTAL Until the new acquisition of Knoll, this brand was the only non-Italian member of the Studio Italia stable. It is also significant because it reinforces Sudio Italia’s “green” policy. “Our environment is so important,” says Valeria, “so it is essential for our makes, when looking to the future, to always consider this factor. Obviously, our furniture is not disposable – with longevity being our ethical code – so this company, which manufacturers just outdoor furniture with its different, organised, durable, new and fresh designs, fits our ethos perfectly.”

Kettal collaborates with top designers such as Patricia Urquiola, Marcel Wanders, Jasper Morrison and Roberto Dordoni and has been a global industry leader for almost 50 years. Founded in 1964 and known for its award-winning designs, it is based in and around Barcelona. Along with the Kettal brand, its Triconfort, Hugonet and Evolutif labels are available in some 60 countries, with flagship stores in the world’s capitals.

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www.studioitalia.co.nz

ARFLEX Discovered by Kevin and Valeria at the Milano furniture fair, Arflex subscribes to the “everything old is new again” theory, with classics from the 70s and 80s inspiring new pieces in the collection. After the war, which pretty well destroyed any evidence of architectural design in Italy, a group of researchers and entrepreneurs began working on new upholstery materials such as foam rubber and tape made by Pirelli. They presented this development to the renowned designer Marco Zanuso, who immediately recognised the potential for interior furnishings. Zanuso became the symbol of a design generation committed to the Modern Movement and his work for Arflex is evidence of a very fruitful collaboration between designer and manufacturer. Other contributors include Franco Albini, Joe Colombo and Cini Boeri, who designed one of the first modular sofas that created such a storm in the design world at the time. She won the much-coveted Compasso d’Oro award for her endeavours – probably the most sought-after design award in the world.

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Bristol sofa, Tribeca coffee table - design Jean-Marie Massaud. Mad Chair armchair design Marcel Wanders.

new showroom now open studio.italia 25 Nugent St, Grafton, AKL - info@studioitalia.co.nz - www.studioitalia.co.nz - phone +64 9 523 2105

HERITAGE RULES AT

DFS GALLERIA THE AUCKLAND CUSTOMHOUSE STORE EMBRACES NEW ZEALAND HISTORY WITH A HERITAGE WALKWAY AND A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE COUNTRY’S LONGEST-SERVING PRIME MINISTER.

K

ing Dick would be proud. Richard John Seddon, New Zealand’s longestserving Prime Minister, who remained in the post from 1893 to 1906 and who is famously remembered as “King Dick” for his autocratic style, is recalled today by a world-leading retailer of luxury brands with a lounge named in his honour.

The Richard Seddon Lounge is located on the top floor of the DFS Galleria in Auckland’s Old Customhouse. It is the store’s way of paying tribute to a major figure in New Zealand’s political landscape about the time the building itself was completed. The Customhouse was completed in 1889, four years before Seddon became Prime Minister. He spent a lot of time there – it was his unofficial Auckland residence – so he no doubt trod the grand stairwell that remains in its original polished condition today.

DFS Galleria has turned the stairwell into a Heritage Walkway, an ongoing exhibition depicting the history of New Zealand, Auckland and the building itself. To make sure visitors get the most from the experience, DFS offers

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a complimentary guided tour. The tour begins on the ground floor and eventually reaches the top floor. Here, the Richard Seddon Lounge provides a dedicated space for lectures, charity auctions, high teas and book launches.

The store’s general manager, Azra Kujovic, who was born in the heritage city of Sarajevo, likes to say, “We are not about shopping so much as the experience of shopping.” By that she means the DFS philosophy is about more than the end transaction. It’s about respecting the heritage of the building and adding value to the shopping experience with fashion advice, beauty demonstrations, information on the history of products, wine tastings and informative overviews on men’s and women’s fragrances.

“Since becoming the general manager here three years ago,” Azra told World, “it has always been one of my goals to look after the special magic of the Customhouse. It’s a beautiful building and because of that I truly believe DFS Galleria in Auckland is the jewel in the crown of DFS worldwide. It might not be the newest, most futuristic of our stores, but its special place in New Zealand history is completely unique.”

DFS was founded in Hong Kong in 1960 by Americans Robert Miller and Charles Feeney. It was Miller who commissioned American pop artist Andy Warhol to design the DFS logo. Back then it was an exclusively duty-free retail store selling from airports to international travellers who took advantage of the opportunity to buy leading luxury brands exclusive of local taxes. Back then, DFS stores were wholly associated with airports.

Today, DFS has expanded beyond duty-free with a collection of downtown stores in major world cities, making their luxury brands also available to non-travelling locals.

The breaking out, if you will, from airports and duty-free restrictions has happened hand-in-glove with the worldleading French luxury brand conglomerate LVMH taking a majority ownership in the company. LVMH has transformed DFS into a store with leading brands in fashion, beauty and accessories in downtown stores so that shoppers no longer have to pass through airports to find them.

DFS today remains in transition in other ways. More stores are opening worldwide – in Abu Dhabi, for

ABOVE: Visitors to DFS Galleria at the Auckland Customhouse get the red carpet treatment.

BELOW: Prada is among the store’s wide selection of luxury brands.

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LEFT: Polished wood, wide galleries, soft lighting and top luxury goods on sale to travellers and non-travellers alike.

BELOW: The store’s general manager, Azra Kujovic: “We are not about shopping so much as the experience of shopping.”

example. Fragrance by DFS at Abu Dhabi International Airport is a 250-square-metre boutique dedicated to 65 of the world’s leading brands. Meanwhile, downtown outlets are now in 14 cities.

And while most outlets around the world are found at either an airport or a downtown site, Auckland is one of the few cities with stores at both locations.

Auckland’s DFS Galleria is soon to follow a worldwide rebranding to become T Galleria. The new brand reflects the company’s future vision, where travellers no longer seek a simple transaction but a shopping experience with special rewards, the opportunity to purchase limited editions and to have the best possible service and product guarantees.

Explaining the move, Philippe Schaus, a former director of LVMH who is now the new CEO of DFS, has said: “DFS was born out of a curiosity for the world, a passion for discovery and adventure, and a regard for luxury and quality. We hope to inspire travellers everywhere to enhance their journey with the world’s finest, expertly curated selection of exceptional products and unparalleled service. ‘T’ is for Traveller.”

The Auckland Customhouse is not a building so much as a work of art. Yet by the 1970s it was all but obsolete, to the point where a handful of pro-development council geniuses wanted it demolished.

It was an American named John Hulbert who inspired the successful “Save the Customhouse” campaign and before long the building re-opened as a cultural and commercial hub that included a theatre, a licensed restaurant, a natural foods store and a bookshop.

DFS Galleria opened there in 1994 and in 2009 the building underwent another major refurbishment, leaving it as the heritage jewel it is today. As Azra Kujovic has noted, DFS has pulled out all stops to preserve its story. Its extraordinary range of luxury products aside, perhaps that’s why Yahoo Travel, among other websites, has given the store a five-star rating. “We want shopping here to be memorable,” Azra said. “We sell retail, as well as dutyfree, with the exception of wine, spirits and tobacco. But it is one of the biggest misconceptions of our shop that it is only duty-free.

“The DFS way is about working collaboratively with customers to make sure they leave the store with their heads up. Shopping

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is not just about buying, it’s also about engaging the senses and about the character of the sales people you deal with. It’s not only about the transaction. It is an experience.”

The top floor is dedicated to the best of New Zealand food and gifts, while the lower floors include brand names such as Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Tumi (the only store in New Zealand selling one of Barack Obama’s favourite brands), Bally, Dunhill and, also exclusive to DFS Auckland, Godiva chocolates.

The story of the Old Customhouse and DFS Galleria carries on.

LOYAL T DFS Galleria’s LOYAL T programme is an evolution of its popular Platinum Services Club; only now a four-tiered plan offers more special access, benefits (e.g. limo service) and privileges to its members. The programme connects members within the different tiers to a range of increasing benefits, including access to products, select services and bespoke experiences and exclusive events for the highest tier. Points (DFS currency) are earned and redeemed for rewards. The higher the tier, the more points are earned for the same amount spent. Once a member accumulates a minimum of 1,000 points they can redeem them towards a wide selection of products or gift certificates simply by presenting their membership card. The programme covers more than 700 brands.

The Traveler’s Luxury Department Store

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Dramatic, yet graceful. Effortlessly simple, with cutting-edge technology.

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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Auckland 11 Great South Road, PO Box 9718, Newmarket, Auckland Contact Neil D’Arcy-Brain +64 21 734 001 | Telephone +64 9 969 3351 | Fax +64 9 969 3354 www.rolls-roycemotorcars-auckland.co.nz Š Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2013. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

BMW

i8

Concept vehicles really can come true: from the Vision EfficientDynamics show car of 2009 comes the most advanced BMW sports car ever made, the i8.

The i8 puts plug-in hybrid technology, a 1.5-litre threecylinder engine and lightweight high-tech construction (including a passenger cell made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic, or CFRP) together to create a green car that still boasts sensational styling, performance and handling.

The i8 can return 2.1 litres per 100km, yet it can sprint to 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds and is designed to have the cornering prowess to do justice to its supercar-like styling.

As with every other performance-oriented BMW, weight distribution is a perfect 50/50.

The three-cylinder petrol engine drives the rear wheels, while the electric motor feeds torque to the front. Under a full charge, the battery pack can power the car alone for up to 35km, to make the i8 a zero-emissions city commuter.

However, when operating together, the petrol and electric

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motors make the i8 a fast and exciting all-wheel-drive sports car. The management computer ensures the drive system retains an agile feel: for example, when entering a corner the power split is biased towards the rear, but when exiting it switches to a more even spread of torque to give maximum traction as the car accelerates away.

The driver can adjust the powertrain and suspension through five different operating modes, from Comfort to Sport.

Despite its hybrid powertrain hardware, the i8 weights just 1,490kg, thanks to BMW’s bespoke LifeDrive architecture. The sheer strength of the CFRP structure allows wide door apertures and the flexibility to mount the battery pack very low in the car, for a more favourable centre of gravity.

Fresh Wheels DAVID LINKLATER LOOKS AT THE LATEST ADVANCES IN A COLLECTION OF NOTEWORTHY AUTOS COMING TO A SHOWROOM NEAR YOU IN 2015.

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LEXUS

RC

Lexus is best known as a luxury brand. But it is ramping up its efforts in the sporting sphere in a major way with a new coupé called RC. The RC is a bespoke vehicle that’s not based on any other in the Lexus portfolio. It’s available in a range of models, but the serious nature of the Japanese maker’s image-changing intent is evident in the flagship of the lineup – the RC F, the newest model from the high-performance Lexus F division.

Previous F-models have included the IS F sedan and the highly acclaimed, strictly limited-edition LFA supercar. The “F” is a reference to the Fuji International Speedway, a signal that F-brand cars are designed to be just as much at home on the track as they are on the road.

The RC F boasts a completely redesigned version of the previous IS F’s 5.0-litre V8, with power increased by 40kW: total

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outputs are 351kW/550Nm. It’s a highly specialised machine: compared with the standard RC models, the RC F has suspension that’s 70 per cent unique, as well as the option of a sophisticated torque vectoring system to help push the car around corners by applying power to the outside rear wheel when needed.

The RC F also looks the part, with unique body parts and even the option of an outrageous carbon-fibre exterior package.

The mainstream V6-powered RC range includes both sporting and luxury-oriented versions. The F Sport has unique steering calibration, adaptive suspension and an agile fourwheel steering system (called Lexus Dynamic Handling).

The RC will also be available in a Limited model, with less exterior addenda but more cutting-edge comfort and safety equipment.

XE JAGUAR

Jaguar’s 2015 XE will take the marque into a new segment and be the first compactexecutive sedan to be built around lightweight aluminium construction. In fact, the XE is the first production model to be based upon the advanced aluminium architecture showcased in the C-X17 concept car from 2013.

The new family of high-output engines to be used in the car will be known by the name Ingenium, with four-cylinder petrol and diesel variants available.

Jaguar will also offer a range-topping 3.0-litre V6 supercharged model called XE S. With 450Nm of torque, the high-revving engine can accelerate the car to 96km/h (60mph) in 4.9 seconds. The XE S is electronically limited to 250km/h, but there will surely be even faster models to come: during its first reveal of the XE, Jaguar promised an eventual range that would run all the way up to a 300km/h model.

The XE was developed in parallel with Jaguar’s new aluminium platform. It’s the lightest, stiffest and most aerodynamic car the marque has ever built. It will also be the first to be fitted with electric power steering, which contributes to its status as the most sustainable Jaguar to date. It’s the first car in the world to use RC 5754, an aluminium alloy made predominantly from recycled material.

However, Jaguar also promises a driving experience worthy of the badge, with that light weight and a rear-drive chassis contributing to a sporting attitude. The rear suspension is an “integral link” design usually only found on larger, more expensive vehicles.

The XE is also the first car in the world to feature All Surface Progress Control (ASPC), which capitalises on the company’s experience with Land Rover and traction-control systems. ASPC functions between 3.6km/h and 30km/h, precisely controlling the brake system and powertrain to maintain maximum traction in slippery conditions.

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FERRARI

CALIFORNIA T

It’s amazing what a difference one letter can make: the new Ferrari California T takes the everyday usability of the previous model and adds the marque’s cutting-edge turbo-engine technology.

Ferrari’s new direct-injection 3.8-litre V8 turbo boasts a 49 per cent increase in torque over the standard California powerplant and can propel the car to 100km/h in just 3.6 seconds. Yet fuel consumption has been reduced by 15 per cent.

Ferrari claims that nothing of its emotive engine noise has been lost in the transition to turbo power, with a sound that becomes more intense as engine speed rises. The maker also claims to have virtually eliminated turbo lag, while preserving the characteristically intense and rich engine sound associated with the brand – no mean feat when dealing with turbocharging technology.

Other developments for the new California T include

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quicker steering action, a more agile suspension setup and newgeneration Magnaride dampers that respond to changes 50 per cent faster than those in the outgoing model.

It employs the latest version of Ferrari’s F1-Trac system, a motorsport-derived technology that ensures maximum acceleration out of corners.

The California T retains its four-seat cabin and even has an opening between the rear seats and luggage compartment to enable load-through of long items.

The styling for the new California T model was reworked by Ferrari Style Centre in collaboration with Pininfarina. Its flanks are intended to pay homage to the classic 250 Testa Rossa, while aerodynamic research has resulted in changes such as a new design of front bumper and a different diffuser at the rear.

FF

FERRARI

Ferrari is best known for its two-seater supercars. But the continuing success of the company’s unconventional FF proves that it can break new ground without losing any of the exotic flavour you expect from the Prancing Horse.

From the outside, the FF introduces a new level of practicality to the marque. It’s a “shooting brake” style of wagon with space for four adults, plenty of luggage and a four-wheel drive system – a first for the marque.

But don’t mistake the FF for an SUV substitute. Despite the extra space and all-weather capability, the FF is still every inch a supercar. Up front is a howling 6.3-litre V12 engine, matched to a racing-style automated transmission with seven speeds and paddle shifters. The FF also has Ferrari’s signature manettino (Italian for “little lever”) dial on the steering wheel, which allows the driver to choose different performance modes.

The four-wheel drive system is cutting-edge. To preserve the pure dynamic character of a Ferrari, it has a separate gearbox at the front of the car (designated as the Power Takeoff Unit, or PTU) that only operates up to fourth gear: thus, the FF is a true rear-drive Ferrari at heart, but can provide instant all-wheel-drive traction when required.

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GT MERCEDES-AMG

The Mercedes-AMG SLS, the first-ever model developed completely in-house by the legendary tuning division, was just the start. Meet the next chapter in this story: the MercedesAMG GT, a compact V8-powered sports car that epitomises the brand’s “handbuilt by racers” motto.

The GT is a classic front-engined, rear-drive sports car powered by AMG’s brand-new 4.0-litre biturbo V8 engine. It will come in two models: the 345kW GT and the 380kW S. Both are constructed around a lightweight aluminium spaceframe and both are capable of staggering performance: the GT will rocket to 100km/h in 4.0 seconds, while the GT S approaches supercar acceleration at 3.8 seconds.

The engine is mounted well back in a front-mid configuration, resulting in a near-ideal weight distribution of 47/53 front-to-rear.

The styling is also classic sports car, with a long bonnet,

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compact cabin and ached surfaces all over.

As with the larger SLS, the cabin is designed around an aviation theme, with a wide dashboard and circular vents.

The concave shape of the door panels further emphasises this impression. The trim materials are along a high-tech theme, with a choice of silver chrome, carbon fibre (gloss or matt) and black diamond.

A key feature of the cabin is a freestanding central display.

More exquisite attention to detail: the AMG Drive Unit controls are arranged like the eight cylinders of the car’s powerplant.

Sight and sound: the Mercedes-AMG GT comes with a performance exhaust as standard, with fully variable flaps to vary the engine sound. So the driver and passenger may experience relaxed city or cruising driving, but still enjoy the motorsportinspired howl of a V8 on demand.

ROLLS-ROYCE

GHOST II The Ghost has been the centrepiece of Rolls-Royce’s remarkable success over the past five years. Now, this instant classic has undergone a subtle redesign to become the Ghost II. The headlights have been reshaped, with continuous daytime running lights framing a new, more dynamic design of lamp. The lights also now feature anti-glare technology, which maintains full beam at night but deflects the light away from oncoming traffic.

The front of the car features a number of new surface treatments, including a tapered “wake channel” on the bonnet that’s intended to evoke the vapour trail of a passenger jet.

New bumpers add visual width to the car and there is now more chrome detailing around the front air intakes. The iconic “waft line” on the body has been reshaped to lean further forward, suggesting more power and speed.

Inside, the seats have been redesigned. There is adjustable

thigh support for front-seat occupants, while the lounge-seat configuration for the rear now angles the passengers slightly towards one another to provide a more convivial atmosphere for business or social interaction.

Information from the multimedia system is presented on a new 10.25-inch high-definition screen. The Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller now features touch-sensitive input, including smartphone-like “pinch and pull” functionality.

For the first time, the image of the iconic flying lady from the Rolls-Royce grille is reproduced inside the car, beneath the crystal-glass surface of the Rotary Controller.

The Ghost’s 6.6-litre V12 engine is now matched to Satellite Aided Transmission, which uses information from the GPS system to predict the road ahead and adjust the calibration of the eight-speed automatic gearbox accordingly.

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PORSCHE

CAYENNE The Porsche Cayenne has gone from genre bender to core model for the German sports-car maker. With more than 550,000 examples sold since 2002, it’s the marque’s biggest seller and has inspired the company to branch out into further new segments, including the Panamera sedan and Macan compact-crossover.

The new-generation Cayenne introduces new technology to further improve performance and efficiency.

The entry-level model is now powered by a Porschedeveloped 3.6-litre V6 twin-turbo engine, as introduced in the smaller Macan this year.

The hybrid model now features plug-in technology, with a lithium-ion battery giving a range of 18-36km zero-emissions driving between charges. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid is the first plug-in hybrid in the premium SUV sector and makes Porsche the only carmaker in the world to offer three separate plug-in models. The V8 S and Turbo models also continue in the range.

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Thermal management has been improved, with active cooling flags being used on the Cayenne for the first time.

These automatically adjust for optimum air cooling and can close completely when required, to improve aerodynamics and therefore fuel economy.

Porsche claims it has further improved the chassis comfort of the Cayenne across the range without compromising the dynamic character for which the vehicle has become famous.

The new Cayenne is identifiable by its newly designed bonnet and front wheel arches. The tail lights now have a three-dimensional effect, while the number plate recess and boot lid have been reshaped. An automatic tailgate is now standard across the range.

Inside, the steering wheel is a new design inspired by the 918 Spyder supercar, with multi-function buttons and gearshift paddles as standard. Rear-seat ventilation is now also available as an option.

AUDI

A3 E-TRON Audi’s e-tron brand is rapidly gathering momentum with the launch of a plug-in version of the A3 Sportback.

This model is a revolution, but in practice it couldn’t be simpler to drive. Plug in the car at night (or while you’re at work during the day) and a pure electric powertrain will power you up to 50km. The car can stay in full electric vehicle (EV) mode at speeds of up to 130km/h.

When the battery is depleted, the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine fires up and the A3 e-tron transforms into the kind of hybrid we’re all familiar with: the petrol engine drives the front wheels and works together with the electric powertrain in any combination that the management computer deems appropriate.

Even in hybrid mode, the car will still run on battery alone for short periods, using energy normally lost through braking and deceleration to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack.

In EV mode, the A3 e-tron operates in a gearless manner, as is the norm for such vehicles. But in hybrid mode, it switches to a six-speed S Tronic unit, maintaining the driver-focused character expected of an Audi.

The A3 e-tron gives little away in practicality to a conventional A3 Sportback.

The batteries are located under the rear seat and have no impact on passenger space. The 280-litre boot is slightly smaller than a conventional front-drive A3, but exactly the same as a quattro model.

Mainstream appeal is the key to the e-tron, which is why you’ll have to look hard to identify it from a standard A3. The single-frame grille has a different trim and the rear bumper is bespoke. The elegant alloy wheels are also unique – with a shape reportedly inspired by the fans on the back of early desktop computers.

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LAND ROVER DISCOVERY

SPORT

Land Rover’s new compact SUV also brings a new name into the family: Discovery Sport.

The aim of the new model is to bring an upmarket feel to the segment, but without compromising practicality and versatility. Thus, the Discovery Sport has a footprint no bigger than conventional SUVs in the segment, but it introduces “5+2” seating into the premium-compact SUV class for the first time.

Space for the third-row seating has been liberated by a new multi-link rear axle design, which also helps deliver strong onroad handling characteristics. Long travel also ensures that the Sport lives up to the brand’s prowess for off-road ability: Land Rover claims its approach, departure and breakover angles are best in class. It can also wade through an impressive 600mm of water.

The area of safety has received special attention, with a pedestrian airbag, autonomous emergency braking and a strong bodyshell that’s a mixture of steel and aluminium.

The core engine at launch will be a 2.2-litre turbo diesel,

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matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission and fourwheel drive with Land Rover’s Terrain Response system.

The interior features a new eight-inch touch screen that handles a variety of multimedia functions. The dashboard has a strong vertical design, with storage solutions everywhere to reinforce the core value of versatility. Up to four 12-volt sockets and six USB charge points can be specified for the cabin, meaning that a number of devices can be used simultaneously.

VOLVO

XC90

The new Volvo XC90 is one of the most eagerly awaited new crossover vehicles of the year – not least because its predecessor enjoyed an extraordinarily long run, from 2003-14.

The new XC90 is a highly significant model, both for the segment and Volvo itself. It showcases the future design direction

of the brand and introduces a wealth of high technology, thanks in part to a new platform Volvo calls Scalable Product Architecture (SPA).

Under the bonnet there’s a range of 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engines. The top-of-the-range so-called Twin Engine combines turbocharging and supercharging with an electric motor.

Volvo claims the XC90 carries the most comprehensive and advanced package of safety features available in the market today. This includes two world-first technologies: a “run-off road” protection package and automatic braking at intersections.

In a run-off road scenario, the car detects what is happening and automatically adjusts the seating and belts to hold the occupants steady and prevent or minimise injuries. The XC90 is also the first car in the world to be able to brake automatically if the driver accidentally turns in front of another car.

It’s the most luxurious Volvo ever made, too, with the interior dominated by a tablet-like touch-screen console. The in-car control system is virtually button-free, further enhancing the design simplicity that Volvo has become known for.

As with the previous model, the new XC90 is a seven-seater. Volvo claims that advances in packaging mean the third row now provides comfortable accommodation for passengers up to 170cm tall.

Symbolising its importance to Volvo, the XC90 is the first model to carry a reinterpretation of its classic iron mark logo, with the arrow now aligned with the diagonal sash across the grille.

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CITROËN C4

PICASSO Think of it as a baby grand: following the launch of the Citroën Grand C4 Picasso seven-seater last year, a new fiveseat version, called simply C4 Picasso, is set to join the range.

The C4 Picasso is a direct descendant of Citroën’s ground-breaking Xsara Picasso, launched in 1999. Like that original model, the C4 Picasso packages five spacious seats into a sleek one-box body shape, providing the versatility of an MPV without sacrificing high style.

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Like its larger brother, the C4 Picasso is based on Peugeot-Citroën’s brand-new EMP2 platform, which has allowed a lower position for the engine, lower cabin floor and therefore a sleeker roofline. The new architecture also brings the latest generation of crash-safety technology and suspension design.

Performance and efficiency is much enhanced over the previous generation, with weight savings of up to 140kg thanks to the EMP2 platform and exterior features such as an aluminium bonnet and composite tailgate.

Citroën describes the interior design as “loft style”, with the emphasis on space and excellent visibility for all occupants: the C4 Picasso can offer up to 5.3sq m of glass area, with a standard panoramic windscreen that stretches right over the front seating positions.

The use of tablet-like touch screens in the dashboard give the C4 Picasso a high-tech ambience. Rear passengers benefit from three individually mounted seats that can each slide and fold.

PEUGEOT

308

Peugeot’s all-new 308 has already received the highest possible accolade: it was voted European Car of the Year for 2014, emerging as the favourite from a panel of 58 automotive experts from 22 different countries.

The 308 joins illustrious company: it’s the fourth Peugeot to win the European COTY. The marque’s previous winners are the 307 (2002), 405 (1988) and 504 (1969).

The 308 is an all-new model built upon Peugeot’s latest-generation EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platorm) technology. New construction methods have made the car not only safer but also up to 140kg lighter, resulting in dramatically improved performance and efficiency.

The EMP2 base brings with it new-generation steering and suspension technology, as well as more potential for clever packaging. Peugeot claims that the 308’s 420-litre boot is the largest in its class. Split-folding rear seats offer even more versatility when needed.

A major feature of the new 308 is a cabin design that Peugeot calls “i-Cockpit”. The maker claims the car’s interior is more driver-focused than any other model in the segment, with a conscious effort to unclutter the dashboard and a new 9.7-inch touch screen that groups major functions such as climate control and audio together into one interface.

Just announced in Europe is a GT version of the 308. The new model features dramatic styling changes, a more sporting state of suspension tune and an enhanced interior package.

A perforated leather steering wheel is unique to the GT, as is the redesigned instrument panel with distinctive chequered-flag graphic.

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COMMAND

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MERCEDES-BENZ HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LEADING PLAYER IN THE LUXURY CAR MARKET. PHOTOGRAPHER ROYCE RUMSEY PROVES THE POINT WITH A PHOTO SHOOT THAT POSES THE FAMOUS 300D ‘ADENAUER’ MERCEDES BESIDE ITS MODERN-DAY SUCCESSOR, THE POWERFUL 2015 S550 SEDAN.

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W

ith its introduction in 1951, the 300 (W186) platform would re-establish Mercedes-Benz as the post-war leader in the luxury and performance car segments. The 300 was both the largest and fastest car in production in Germany and soon became the world standard for luxury vehicles. And with sales figures exceeding 3.5 million units, its legendary reputation was assured.

The 300 was born out of a 1947 executive meeting where the head of Mercedes, Herr Dr Wilhelm Haspel, observed, “What is missing is a vehicle that gold-plates the name Mercedes-Benz again.� Soon thereafter the

talented Hermann Ahrens, who drew up the famous 540K Streamliner, was engaged to design the 300 model series. As we can see from the superb example shown on these pages, Ahrens managed to satisfy both the predominantly conservative customers influenced by prewar Mercedes-Benz design and those who favoured a more flowing form in the early post-war years.

Powering this mid-century luxury sedan was a remarkable new 3.0-litre M186 engine with overhead cams producing 115hp and pushing the hefty 300 sedan to top speeds of 164km/h.

Luxury accommodations in 1952 and 1953 included a sliding sunroof and a privacy partition. Accordingly,

celebrities and world leaders looked to the 300 as their preferred mode of transport. The list of prestigious 300 series owners and passengers included King Gustav Adolph of Sweden, Gary Cooper and Errol Flynn. Arguably the most famous customer of all was Pope John XXIII, with a custom-built 300d Landaulet. Both American presidents of the era, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy, were chauffeured through cheering crowds in open-top Mercedes-Benz 300s. Of all national heads of state, though, the one name most associated with the 300 sedan is that of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer – so much so that the 300 series sedan is now generally called “the Adenauer Mercedes”.

The Model 300 received its most extensive revision in autumn 1957, resulting in a new internal model series designation, W189. The W189 was longer than its predecessor and had gently contoured side wings and a vertical taillight. The front design was also updated, with chrome-ringed headlamps and rectangular fog lamps integrated into the wings.

Rear-vision improvement for the owners and chauffeurs came in the form of a larger wrap-around rear window.

This, together with retractable side windows and a 30 per cent increase in the overall window area, helped to create a totally new sense of light and space and a better allround view: the 300d’s “pillarless full-vision body”.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Plush red leather upholstery inside a shiny black body. The driver’s seat was often a chauffeur’s preserve.

BELOW: Improvements to the 300d included pillarless windows for better allround vision. This is a refurbished 1961 model.

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By the time the 1961 300d Automatic model featured here rolled off the assembly line, the Model 300d had been brought into line with American market demands, with new suspension tuning, power-assisted steering, airconditioning option and an automatic transmission with a kickdown “passing gear” feature as standard equipment.

The beautiful 1961 300d “Automatic” below is the result of a comprehensive and fastidious factory-perfect restoration by the famed Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California. As with all Mercedes-Benz restorations by the Classic Centers (another is in Fellbach, Germany) this 300d was restored to factory “blueprint” perfection using all authentic Mercedes-Benz components, as well as replicating and adhering to authentic production

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techniques. This kind of loving, factory-spec perfection comes at a significant cost in time and effort – in fact this 300d restoration took nearly four years to complete.

Accompanying the 300d in our photo shoot is its logical successor in 2015: the luxurious Mercedes-Benz S550. As has been said, “The last word in luxury limos hasn’t been spoken until Mercedes-Benz has had the floor.”

Of course, impressive performance – undreamed of 50 years ago – accompanies today’s S550 with a 455hp twin turbo 4.6l V-8 mated to a seven-speed transmission taking the car from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds. And handling the curves is done with aplomb, thanks to a 52/48 weight bias and a stiff aluminum structure.

Chancellor Adenauer would have loved it.

Uniquely powerful and versatile Uniquely powerful and versatile

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O F FO I CFI F A IL CF IEA RL R AFREI R DR E AAL R E RI D E A L E R O F FO I CF I AFLI C F EI R L ERRI D E A L E R ARLA RF IEDRERA A

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THE ALL-NEW XC90. WORTH ITS WAIT. Something special is coming. In May next year, you’ll be able to drive the all-new XC90. Meticulously designed and engineered, it’s the most luxurious and intuitive Volvo ever made. Ask your Volvo dealer to reserve your test drive now.

Sea Home by the

EPIC, ELEGANT AND EQUIPPED FOR THE MOST CHALLENGING CONDITIONS, THE JUST-LAUNCHED ELANDRA 53 was NEARLY TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING, a NEW BREED OF MOTOR YACHT BORN OUT OF TRANSTASMAN VISION AND NOUS.

BY JENI BONE

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he company behind the Elandra 53, Elandra Yachts, is the result of the combined vision of Luke Durman, Tom Barry-Cotter and Grant Senior, a formidable trio who marshalled some of Australia and New Zealand’s top boatbuilding talent for their venture.

The brief was to build something entirely new, a blend of the best of European aesthetics with the grunt and robust form serious boaties demand.

“There was a niche for a brand and a boat that would be world-class in style, quality and performance,” explains Durman, who had 10 years with Maritimo, complementing Senior’s 30 years as a boat builder in New Zealand and Australia. “Elandra Yachts aims to build a range of boats that stand at the pinnacle of Australian and New Zealand craftsmanship.”

Its name is Aboriginal, meaning “home by the sea” and the logo draws on a Maori motif of fish scales, reflecting the transtasman alliance that brought the Elandra 53 into being.

Durman, Barry-Cotter and Senior are joined by boatbuilding veteran Billy Cranston and father-and-son duo Phil and Nathan Dudding, the latter formerly of Alloy Yachts. Based on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Elandra Yachts uses local talent and materials wherever possible. And while this level of investment in design, CAD modelling and handcrafting creates a premium product – “over-engineered” according to Durman – he is confident their target market will appreciate the plethora of extras she includes.

“Our workforce is highly skilled and their knowledge and reputation for perfectionism will appeal to our market – seasoned boat owners who want something different. Australia and New Zealand have the most talented boat builders in the world. That passion and experience outweigh the cost of labour,” says Durman.

“Our buyers will be people who are looking for something that’s out of the box, one of a kind, yet is backed up by experience. Our customers recognise superior build quality, engineering and performance.

“The whole premise is to create a high-quality, semi-custom performance yacht that is glamorous, fuel efficient and offers owners unrivalled service and support. The tagline is ‘Offshore attitude, inshore elegance’ and that really is the mission statement that captures everything.”

Underpinning the sleek and imposing exterior was the requirement that the boat deliver the goods when it came to performance and long-range cruising.

“Some boats claim to be 30-knot boats and then, once they’re loaded with fuel, supplies and the owner’s gear, fall short.

Ours had to be a long-range cruising yacht, with great mileage and be a genuine 30-knot boat.”

Tom Barry-Cotter was responsible for the yacht’s design “from the waterline up”, while naval architect Grant Senior was in charge of the hull design and engineering.

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“We had total freedom to express ourselves,” he says of the project. “For five months I worked on every detail of the design and interiors, making improvements, finding more ways to deliver on our brand mission: performance and elegance.”

Launched at the suitably decorous Palazzo Versace Marina, the Elandra 53 is in a class of its own.

This first Elandra 53 is a burnished copper colour, befitting the “Bentley of the sea”, as Durman calls her.

The 5.25-metre beam creates incredible interior volume and is a prominent feature from every angle. “It has the volume of a 60-foot boat,” says Durman. “There is a gentle flare in the bow with fine entry to the stem on the running surface, and two double chines to effortlessly cruise through the most undesirable sea conditions, and accentuate the look.”

Boat number one is configured with a three-cabin, twobathroom accommodation plan, including a full-beam master suite amidships.

For utter convenience, the transom features an electrohydraulic lift swim platform and tender retrieval system, and the 2.8m garage accommodates a Williams Jet Tender 285 model.

LED-lit stairways lead to the teak-decked cockpit with seating for eight and ample space for entertaining, dining or soaking up the sun. There’s a teppanyaki barbecue grill, sink, bar fridge and ice maker.

On the bow, sunpads, pop-up drink holders and LED ambient lighting create the ideal lounge area, day or night.

“Offshore attitude, inshore elegance” is Elandra Yachts’ mission statement for Elandra 53, equipped for tough conditions but boasting the finest luxury interiors and accoutrements to make long-distance cruising a joy.

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The saloon can be fully enclosed by concertina doors when fair seas turns to foul.

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Inside, a first lounge area seats six around a table that converts to coffee table. The custom-made three-piece concertina doors can close to section off the transom when under way, or if inclement weather or cold set in.

“The saloon can be fully enclosed, which is great if the wind picks up and you need to sprint from your favourite bay to home,” says Durman, familiar with the unpredictability of Australian and New Zealand waters.

The galley/bay is minimalist, with two-drawer refrigerators and two-drawer freezers, pull-out pantry and other storage concealed behind the cabinetry. American walnut has been used throughout.

At the helm, a dual 16-inch NSO display complements the single seven-inch NSS display below in the master cabin. Instrumentation is uncluttered and easy to read for the owner-operator.

The forward saloon/lounge seats six comfortably, with dinette table and retractable TV. Two Stidd helm chairs can swivel around at anchor, creating a superb, open-plan space for socialising. Large wraparound windows let in the light and offer unobstructed views.

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Durman’s wife, Kristy, helped by professional interiors specialist Jan Cormie, took charge of the décor, which is a neutral palette of cool grey ultraleather and fabric, contrasting with the timber work and occasional bursts of navy and teal, all topped off by accessories that give the boat a chic city apartment feel. Working from an almost blank slate, owners are able to customise interiors to their own preference.

Down the companionway – which boasts a handrail covered in pony-hair ultraleather with stitching much like a Bentley’s steering wheel – to the accommodation, the Elandra will spoil her guests for choice.

The VIP cabin and full-beam master cabin are both studies in optimising space. The forward VIP suite shares a bathroom with the twin bunk room. The full-size queen bed is set at an angle, allowing freedom of movement. There’s storage underneath and full-length cupboards for all the gear and gowns you would possibly need on your epic voyage.

The master cabin has a studio-style wardrobe, day bed and make-up vanity. The full-size queen bed has large bedside tables and elegant lamps on each side.

In the en suite, mother-of-pearl mosaics add flair. At each end are the full-height shower and a separate WC with frosted glass doors.

In the twin bunk room, 1.8m bunk beds will handle the kids or extra guests. The separate 8kg washer and dryer are hidden behind the timber panelling.

The Elandra 53 is powered by twin MAN R6-800 six-cylinder turbo-diesel engines with common-rail fuel injection, giving a top speed of 34.3 knots, but owners can opt for Scania or Caterpillar engines. The engines deliver up to a rated 588kW (800hp) of power and 2,700Nm of torque. A ZF joystick manoeuvering system is also standard. She comes equipped with Simrad NSO EVO electronic navigation system with wireless network.

The yacht reaches the plane at 12 knots, with no vibration, no noise or the off-putting smell of exhaust, since the main exhaust foils are under water.

Fuel economy is another of Elandra’s distinguishing features. “She can travel around 400 nautical miles at 24.5 knots on a 3,000-litre tank of fuel,” states Durman. “Her most efficient cruising speed range is between 16 and 27.5

knots. At 20.6 knots she uses 123 litres per hour, with a range of 454 nautical miles.”

At cruising speeds, the Elandra 53 is at least 10 per cent more fuel efficient than other sports yachts of comparable hull length.

Solid Quad/Kevlar composite construction allows the company to offer a full 10-year structural hull warranty, double that of competing builders, along with a four-year limited stem-to-stern warranty.

The company will build a maximum of three vessels a year and, not resting on its laurels, is already toiling on numbers two and three. New Zealanders are likely to get their first look at the Elandra 53 at the 2015 Auckland on Water Boat Show next September.

Durman predicts a warm reception. “This is the boat you want to be in when you’re running up the Australian or New Zealand coastline in a three-metre sea. You can have absolute confidence your boat is built tough and built right.”

And you can guarantee you’ll attract more than your fair share of admiring looks to boot.

Sleek, fast and economical, the Elandra 53 will cruise at up to 27.5 knots, using 10 per cent less fuel than comparable sports yachts.

www.elandrayachts.com

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55m / 180’ 4YOU - Amels - Sleeps 10 guests ZÜRICH | ALBOURNE | ATHENS | AUCKLAND | DUBAI | DÜSSELDORF | FORT LAUDERDALE | FRENCH RIVIERA | GENEVA | LONDON | MONACO | MUMBAI | NEW YORK | PALMA DE MALLORCA | VIENNA |

Email: auckland@ocyachts.com | Tel +64 9 358 3446

THE place to be seen Diverse cuisine, welcoming locals, lively ports and sparkling azure waters; the winning combination that is the Mediterranean. A magical setting, perfect for your next luxury yacht charter.

Our brokers provide clear, unbiased and expert advice so you can make sound, informed decisions. OCEAN Independence can assist you on all aspects of yachting and management, with absolute confidence. The depth of our knowledge ensures we are a cut above the rest.

GOLF PLANET

BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS, PACK YOUR CLUBS AND GET READY TO UNLEASH YOUR INNER RORY MCILROY. ANDREW MARSHALL PICKS 10 OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR COURSES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE FOR THE ULTIMATE FANTASY GOLF VACATION.

NEW ZEALAND Cape Kidnappers “To me, the key with Cape Kidnappers is that it’s just different from everywhere else,” says American architect Tom Doak, who has skillfully linked together 18 amazing holes on a triangular headland that juts 8km into the Pacific at Hawke’s Bay. Cape Kidnappers’ fabled fingers of fairway dodge menacing ravines and skirt the Cape’s signature white cliffs that rise some 150 metres from the sea below. “I’ve always thought that ‘Pebble Beach on steroids’ is a good description of Cape Kidnappers,” says head professional Jonathan McCord. www.capekidnappers.com

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BARBADOS

Sandy Lane

At the exclusive Sandy Lane resort on Barbados is a Caribbean golf classic known as The Green Monkey. Created and sculpted from a once working limestone quarry, course designer Tom Fazio slowly builds drama through the first eight parkland-style holes, then startles golfers with a rapid descent into an abandoned quarry where 27m-high coral walls dwarf the fairways. The signature hole is the photogenic 206m par-3 16th, where players hit down into the old quarry to a green edged by a massive bunker featuring a grass island carved in the shape of a Bajan green monkey. www.sandylane.com

BULGARIA

Thracian Cliffs “You will not find a golf course like this anywhere else on the planet,” says course designer Gary Player about his stunning layout framed by rugged coastal cliffs and the vast blue of the Black Sea. The 302m par-4 7th sums up what Thracian Cliffs is all about. The men’s regular tee is a small island in the Black Sea and a carry of nearly 170m is required to reach the fairway. The best approach is to aim at the bunker on the lefthand side of the fairway, but be careful: short or slightly to the right and you are in the water.

Once safely on the fairway, a precise short iron second is required to the elevated green. www.thraciancliffs.com

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SPAIN

Anfi Tauro Designed by Robert Von Hagge, Gran Canaria’s impeccably maintained desert-style PGA championship course, set amid rocky canyons and gorges, teeming waterfalls and glistening lakes, offers a perfect contrast to the surrounding volcanic mountains. Anfi Tauro is one of those rare courses that generate a genuine sense of awe from one hole to the next for an unforgettable round. The course is a dream for golf photography and even the most inexperienced snapper can’t fail to capture a good image here. One of the most photogenic holes is the classic 209m par-3 6th, framed on either side by swaying palms and with a pyramid-shaped rock as a backdrop. www.anfi.com

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THAILAND

Black Mountain Black Mountain Golf Club at Hua Hin is one of those courses that grab your attention the moment you enter the property. On the left before the main entrance is an exquisite 9-hole par-3 course set in a valley with water on every hole. And then you arrive at the clubhouse, which sits on a ridge looking towards the black rock mountains that give the course its name. A wonderful range of uphill and downhill holes and just enough water to make you think where to hit the ball, are among the many reasons Black Mountain has been named Thailand’s best course for the past few years. It has hosted several Asian Tour events as well as the annual Royal Trophy played between Asia and Europe.

Black Mountain

www.blackmountainhuahin.com Black Mountain

Stoneforest

CHINA

USA

There may be no more spectacular setting for a golf course anywhere in the world than Stoneforest International Country Club, set among 200 million-year-old karst rocks of all shapes and sizes that have visitors reaching for their cameras as often as a club. With three 18-hole layouts, one reserved for members, Stoneforest has more than taken full advantage of its location. Some holes, playing among the rocks, are simply dazzling. Others, sweeping uphill or down, are as enticing in their visual appeal as they are enjoyable to play. The A course, rising to a high plateau, is arguably the most dramatic, while the back nine of the B course isn’t far behind. Situated at some 1,800m above sea level, Stoneforest is in a region rapidly emerging as China’s golf capital, with 15 courses in play and as many again under development.

Located 124km north of Las Vegas at Mesquite, this is 18 holes of ultimate fantasy golf.

Opened in 2000, this visually captivating design immediately drew rave reviews and Wolf Creek is now firmly established as one of the top public courses in the United States. Carved beautifully out of the surrounding desert, Wolf Creek looks as though strips of green velvet have been laid out on a Mars-like landscape.

After the tee shot at the 530m par-5 opening hole, it’s a roller-coaster golfing adventure among sculpted hills, canyons and ravines, with several elevation changes, 98 bunkers and forced carries over streams and ravines.

www.stoneforestgolf.com

www.golfwolfcreek.com

Stoneforest

Wolf Creek

Wolf Creek

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SCOTLAND

Turnberry This iconic links, which regularly ranks among the world’s top 20 courses, came to international prominence with the infamous “Duel in the Sun” between Tom Watson (champion) and Jack Nicklaus over four sweltering days of the British Open during July 1977. Since then, Greg Norman (1986), Nick Price (1994) and most recently Stewart Cink (2009) have made up the quartet of golfers to lift the Claret Jug at Turnberry. The 413m 9th, called Bruce’s Castle, is one of Turnberry’s trademark holes. Adjacent to the famous lighthouse and the remains of Robert the Bruce’s Castle, it’s a daunting par-4, especially from the championship tee perched on a rocky premonitory on the edge of the sea. www.turnberry.co.uk

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IRELAND

Old Head Built on a 90-hectare diamond of land in County Cork and jutting out over 3km into the Atlantic Ocean, Old Head Golf Links is another of the planet’s must-plays. With the everchanging sea breezes and over 6,583m in length from the tips, the course provides a stern test for players of all levels. Nine of the holes play along the cliff tops, and all 18 holes provide breathtaking ocean views. The pick of the short holes is Coosgorm, a terrific 170m par-3 set tight to the ocean. www.oldhead.com

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SWEDEN

Bro Hof Slott From the moment you drive through the gates of Bro Hof Slott (about a 40-minute drive from Stockholm) and glimpse the white hilltop castle, manicured fairways and glistening Lake Mälaren, you know you are at a special course. “Everything is big at Bro Hof. The holes are longer, the greens are bigger, the course has more water and the bunkers are larger and well placed,” says Robert Trent Jones Jr, who designed this superb lakeside layout with state-of-the-art facilities. Only open for play since 2007, Bro Hof Slott’s Stadium Course is now a world top 100 golf course and has been host to the Nordea Masters European Tour event. www.brohofslott.se

Bro Hof Slott

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Explore All Oman’s Secrets

T he su lta n ate of om a n Beauty has an address

www.tourismoman.com.au

Explore All Oman’s Secrets There are some places in this world that must be experienced for yourself, since even the most well-chosen words could never express their exquisite beauty. One of those places is Oman, the best kept secret of Arabia. Where the footsteps of prophets and kings have their mark on this majestic land.

Where you’ll find serenity and reverence in the beauty of the mountains as they rise 3000 metres above the sea. Where visits to ancient forts, castles and souks will unearth hidden treasures from a bygone era. And where elegant hotels envelop visitors under a blanket of Arabian stars.

local Treasure Be welcomed right across this majestic country with its rich history dating back more than 5000 years. From the ancient souks of Muscat to the postcard villages of the Hajar Mountains and the tropical beaches in the country’s south, you’ll experience the warm hospitality and charm of Oman firsthand. This, after all, is the friendliest nation in the Arabian Peninsula.

grand advenTure Oman is a natural wonderland and a haven for enthusiasts of the great outdoors. Hikers delight in its canyons, mountains, oases and coastal walks. Water-sports enthusiasts appreciate the unspoiled coastline of islands and beaches, and seas brimming with a rich marine life. And the golden sand dunes are perfect for adventurers and romantics who’ll love the mesmerising sunsets.

ancIenT PaTHs Witness age-old traditions such as clay pottery, carpet weaving and the indigenous rock rose harvest perfectly preserved and passed down through generations. Feel the energy and excitement of the weekend souks, where locals converge to display their best merchandise and haggle for others.

In Oman, the traditions of a bygone era are still being practiced today.

WIld aT HearT The landscapes are stunning and the weather is beautiful all year-round. Combine that with the historic capitals of Nizwa, Muscat and Sur – bustling with museums, galleries and restaurants – and there is always something around every corner to capture the imagination. Whatever you’re seeking, you’ll find it in Oman.

ToTal Indulgence Replenish body and soul in the heart of Arabia. A holiday to Oman is a complete sensory journey. The fragrances of frankincense and oudh follow you around the towns. You’ll be enchanted by sparkling vistas taking in ocean, mountains and desert. And, at the end of a day exploring, you can put yourself into someone else’s hand and pamper yourself with a massage – perhaps even on your own private beach.

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JOHN HAWKESBY DISCOVERS THE SECRET BEHIND THE PENINSULA HONG KONG’S REPUTATION FOR INCOMPARABLE HOSPITALITY AND SERVICE. World Magazine

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General manager Rainy N.K. Chan.

A

fter a longish flight from Auckland to Hong Kong, it is such a relief to see a representative from The Peninsula holding up a sign bearing our names. Whisked through Customs and security without a hold-up – there are obvious benefits to being a guest of Hong Kong’s most prestigious hotel. Not that we asked for, nor expected, any special treatment; it’s just the way it is. So relax, enjoy and go with the flow.

We are ushered into one of The Peninsula’s 14 deepgreen Rolls-Royce. For our driver Tony this is a dream job and one that is highly prized and sought after.

“For me,” he says proudly, “this is a job for life and so far I’ve been doing it for 20 years.”

Tony is 45 and answers my questions courteously and with enthusiasm. “I have a great job, a house, food and family – I am very happy.”

Our 30-minute drive from the airport is seamless. The music playing at precisely the correct volume is swing and jazz from the big-band era of the 1940s and seems entirely appropriate with the highly polished burr walnut and the delicious smell of leather. The car is roomy and silent and we glide through the bright lights of the city like a swan on a placid lake.

It’s around 10pm local time when we arrive. Tourists are having their photos taken by the fountain on the forecourt or standing alongside one of the impressive cars lined up as if for the start of the Monaco Grand Prix. As

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we alight from the Rolls an English tourist with a broad Yorkshire accent asks, “Cor, did you come from the airport in that? Are you royalty or something?”

“Certainly not,” I reply, “but I’m starting to feel like it.”

It’s The Peninsula way: a writer from New Zealand and his wife are treated as if they’re guests of genuine consequence. There’s no hanging about in the grand foyer, buzzing with activity, where smiling guests or casual visitors dine, wine, chat or listen to the trio playing from a mezzanine balcony.

Straight to our room on the 18th floor, a spectacular corner suite with endless views in every direction. If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Hong Kong is a close relative. But in our elevated room, the noise stays on the vibrant streets below. There is the largest fruit bowl I’ve ever seen and perfect tiny sweet and savoury pastries.

Arriving with our luggage is a pot of refreshing Chinese tea in a beautiful china pot.

The hotel recently went through a major renovation, with a special emphasis on modern technology.

Everything in our luxury suite works off an iPad and, fortunately for Luddites like me, it is very simple to navigate. Despite all the whiz-bang technology there are some fall-back on/off switches in case it all gets a bit overwhelming. As you would expect, the rooms are serene and classic, combining the old with the new in a superb layout that is divinely comfortable. The large swirl bath in the corner of the bathroom allows you to luxuriate as you watch the busy harbour below – with room beside you to balance a flute of champagne.

Sophisticated decadence seems to be second nature here and The Peninsula does it in such a way that you don’t feel any sense of guilt.

We are here for four magnificent days and so intend to make every second count.

The Peninsula is without a doubt a “grand” hotel, but manages to avoid pretentiousness and the kind of stuffy primness that can make some guests feel ill at ease. You soon discover the reason you are made to feel less like a paying guest and more like a member of the family is The Peninsula family itself. It’s a unique gift and the reason it exists in truckloads at this hotel is due in no small measure to Rainy N. K. Chan, regional vice-president and the general manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong.

“Being in hospitality is when I’m at my happiest and my guests need to be happy,” she says. “It’s very important to do what you do best and I value my ability to work with people – complaining guests are my speciality.”

Chan is most impressive and her story is the stuff of Hollywood legend.

“Twenty years ago I was living in Hawaii, working in a small hotel. Somehow I got noticed and got a call from The Peninsula for an interview to be a front office

manager. I got picked up at the airport in the Rolls-Royce, which was a good start.”

Chan got the job and rose rapidly through the ranks.

She’s charming, articulate, disciplined and highly motivated.

“I’m very driven and I don’t like to fail… Being single, I’m adaptable. When I first got the position in Hong Kong my fiancé wouldn’t budge, so he got left in Hawaii. My university is The Peninsula.”

The eldest of five girls, Chan came from humble beginnings and worked in a factory illegally after lying about her age so she could pay for her own high school tuition.

“My dream as a young person was to be a social worker,” she says.

In some ways she fulfils that role for her 900 staff, all of whom speak about her with genuine affection, awe and reverence.

“My team is everything,” says Chan. “I’m a cheerleader; you’ve got to lead your people, share your passion and keep everyone happy and motivated.”

Chan has implemented a programme called “In Your Shoes” where senior staff members, herself included, become a waitress or housemaid and get to do someone else’s job for a day or night. “We need to stick to basics,” she says. “I’m big on staff-related development programmes and lots of meetings and team-building; ultimately, all problems are people-related.”

A question about women achieving in top-echelon jobs that have traditionally been dominated by men is tossed aside with a smile.

“I never looked at the glass ceiling,” she says, “for me it simply didn’t exist.”

Rainy Chan’s positive attitude has obviously permeated the entire Peninsula staff and as you move around the hotel you do feel you are valued and everyone is thrilled to have you stay at “their place”.

After a great night’s sleep and having encountered no problems with the technology, breakfast in the Grand Lobby is a leisurely affair. Sitting amid the palms, we enjoy delicious fresh New Zealand free-range poached eggs on wafer-thin hash browns, with Scottish salmon and excellent coffee served in exquisite china. The service matches the beautifully presented food. But, aware of the culinary journey that awaits us in the next 10 or so hours, we pass on the seductive array of other goodies.

Moderation is the key, at least for now.

We venture out onto the streets. I love to walk in Hong Kong. I love the hustle and bustle, the smells, the traders, the shysters, the street food – and the seething mass of humanity that seems to be in an eternal hurry to be who knows where, for who knows what.

Despite the clutter and the incessant crowds, Hong Kong does have a sense of order about it. You don’t have the crazy repetitive honking of horns you are subjected to in New York or Bangkok. It is, however, 31°C, with stifling humidity – and that’s before lunchtime – so we crave shelter in upmarket shops or those cavernous malls that offer the ultimate enticement: air conditioning.

ABOVE: The Marco Polo Suite: classic luxury and a complimentary chauffeured Rolls-Royce.

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You’ll search in vain for men’s shoes above a regular size 10 and the women’s fashion definitely errs on the side of petite and very petite – even Kate Moss would struggle to find something off the rack. Never mind, fabulous jewellery has a universal size and you’ll always find something that works, even if you have to push the credit card beyond its legal limit.

We head back to The Peninsula and are greeted as long-lost friends. We already feel as if we are home. After freshening up, we go to The Verandah for lunch, where delicious food is artfully set out to tempt you beyond your ability to refuse: sushi, sashimi, baby barbecue ribs, fresh salads with a range of dressings I never knew existed, seafood of every variety, pasta, fresh ham off the bone, legs of pork and sides of beef and a raft of delectable soups. Showing remarkable restraint, we choose the cream of celeriac soup (which was absolutely divine), weakened a little at the range of seafood but then triumphantly managed to pass on the gorgeous desserts, arrays of fresh berries, tiny macaroons and light pastries. All right, I did sample the strawberries...

The Verandah is very popular with locals as it’s family friendly and so most days a booking is required. It is extremely good value for money and a most vibrant and pleasant dining experience.

Our suite is so lovely we head back there to revive ourselves and I spend a relaxing hour lounging in and around the large swimming pool with its magnificent city views and water at a constant 30°C. Now we need to galvanise ourselves for what is to become a most memorable gastronomic evening.

You could call this a foodie’s evening of gluttony and indulgence, but at The Peninsula it is simply known as a “Culinary Journey”. This is a brilliant concept cleverly executed and gives diners the chance to sample what is on offer at most of The Peninsula’s restaurants. Here’s how it works. We are requested to be at The Lobby at 7.30pm. Here, we are greeted, seated and given a menu with our names printed on the top and a list of the restaurants and the dishes we will be served during the course of the evening.

At night The Lobby becomes a casual dining experience, having already played host during the day to the fashionably famous Peninsula Afternoon Tea. A glass of Ruinart Champagne, perfectly chilled, arrives and our charming waitress asks if we are happy with the first course, Carpaccio of Scottish salmon and Hamachi marinated in chive vinaigrette with shellfish consommé jelly. Sounds wonderful, but my wife and I are sadly both allergic to shellfish. Could the jelly be put to one side? No problem. In a flash the chef appears from the kitchen and wonders if instead of shellfish a white bean puree with light Melba-style brioche would suffice? Absolutely perfect, and everyone is happy. I can’t think of many places in the world where the chef makes a personal appearance to placate the guest and offer a creative alternative.

The carpaccio of salmon is a perfect match with the French boutique champagne and a great way to start the evening.

We have just finished when a smiling gentleman arrives to

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escort us to our next dining location – Spring Moon. This is a marvellous room decorated in art deco style with traditional artefacts scattered about. The food is authentic Cantonese and they serve selected Chinese teas to accompany it. The special tea ceremony at the start of our visit is a wonder to behold.

The light-green leaves are washed and then placed in a delicate china cup and dish. The oolong tea, freshly brewed at our table, is an excellent preparation for our braised shredded bean curd with conpoy – a morsel of wonderful, hitherto unknown taste – followed by sautéed spider lobster with matsutake (a Japanese mushroom) served with two dipping sauces and accompanied by wickedly addictive toasted walnuts. This is paired with a lovely French Chablis that has the necessary dry minerality and acidic balance to counter the sauces.

From here we are guided through the hotel to one of Hong Kong’s smartest restaurants – Gaddi’s. White linen tablecloths, candelabra, soft lights and lounge music all ooze flair and

panache. This is classic French cuisine with an eclectic wine list that includes a number of New Zealand labels from such prestige producers as Ata Rangi, Seresin, Misha’s Vineyard, Craggy Range, Villa Maria, Kumeu River and Cloudy Bay. French wines are well represented, including an astonishing 1982 Cheval Blanc – a steal at HK$41,000 (around NZ$5,200). The plates, cutlery and glassware are like a marriage between Versace and the court of Louis XIV and in this romantic intimate dining room an excellent three-piece band provides just the right level of backing to a fine

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ABOVE: The Phillipe Starckdesigned Felix, uber-hip dining and cocktail spot on the hotel’s 28th floor, comes alive around midnight.

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female vocalist with a cruisy style reminiscent of the great Peggy Lee. For the record, we have two courses: roasted scallop with hazelnut crust, celery root puree and crunchy pea salad, followed by stuffed leg of Bresse pigeon with muscovado sugar and seasonal vegetables. Both are light and delicious. I ask our Mexican waiter to please convey our thanks to the chef and his team. He grins and says, “Of course, no doubt you’ve already worked out we are the best… All the others get jealous!” It’s said with a twinkle and you get the distinct feeling that if there is any competition between The Peninsula’s restaurants it’s on the friendliest of terms. On his next visit to our table our sommelier asks would we like a bottle of ’86 Chateau Lafite. At HK$45,000 a bottle I mumble that, perhaps next time…

Our final destination is Felix, the uber-hip, minimalist Philippe Starck-designed restaurant on the 28th floor.

This is where all the young and not so young come to sip champagne and cocktails, people-watch and perhaps hope to be seen, groove to the sound of local and international DJs and choose from an amazing array of

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dishes. The house music is that European electro-funk much loved by hairdressers, with an upfront bass track and strobe lighting to match. There are marble table tops, art deco lamps, black and white photos of the staff on the backs of the chairs, an elevated catwalk bar for fashion shows, a private dining room and a groovy bar at the top of a spiral staircase and, finally, a tiny, enclosed cigar and champagne room with bottles on display of the world’s most expensive champagnes. Yes, smoking is permitted and the cigars are likely to be hand-rolled in Havana and the champagne either Cristal or Dom Perignon.

The place really comes alive around midnight, but we are here earlier and we are here for dessert – which reveals itself as a work of art. Called simply Compass, it is poached pear with chocolate mousse, saffron cream, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sable. As a chaser there is a small glass of the excellent Torbreck Muscat 2011 from Australia. Totally replete, we thank all the staff and are grateful it’s just a few floors down in the lift to our suite.

One man with legendary status, who started work at The Peninsula as a message boy in 1957, is barman Chung Kam-hung, universally known as Johnny Chung. Chung is a

delightful man whose father worked at the hotel before him as a captain in the lobby. Johnny now works the morning shift, from 6am to 2pm.

“These days I mainly do all the juices for the restaurants; the nights are too tiring for me now,” he says with a smile that would warm the bleakest winter night.

His favourite cocktail is the Singapore Sling and 20 or so years ago he won the award for making the best dry martinis in Hong Kong. Over the years he has served many international celebrities: William Holden, Rex Harrison, Jack Hawkins, President Jimmy Carter and The Beatles, to name a few. He relates his encounter with Clark Gable in 1957 with a delightful giggle.

“Gable ordered a screwdriver and I had only started behind the bar and didn’t know what he meant, so I gave him an actual screwdriver.” Apparently, Gable thought this was hilarious and came behind the bar and said to Johnny to watch closely and he would teach him.

Johnny is coming up for his 60th year working at The Peninsula and signs a yearly contract.

“I will stay working for the rest of my life,” he says. “I love my job, it’s very easy for me. The Peninsula is like my

family, it’s a great place to work and the staff are lovely.”

On the roof of The Peninsula is the China Clipper lounge and heliport. This is the only hotel in Hong Kong with its own helicopter. It’s a quick, convenient transport option, but personally I’d find it hard to go past the Rolls.

In keeping with the demands of today’s world-weary traveller, there’s a fully equipped fitness centre and spa where you can be pampered with bespoke treatments involving European, Oriental and Ayurvedic philosophies for body and mind.

“We’re keen to cover everything possible for our guests,” says Rainy Chan. “Over the last 10 years, guests want the functionality of technology as well as looking after their health and wellbeing… We’re more than somewhere to lay your head; we want your stay to be a memorable experience. There are more younger people travelling and they want to bring their young children. We’re constantly looking at how to personalise our service and how to keep up with the contemporary needs of our guests.”

Each year Chan hosts all Peninsula past employees for afternoon tea or lunch. She knows them all by name.

“It’s wonderful to catch up with those who have

ABOVE, FROM LEFT: Barman Johnny Chung started work at The Peninsula almost 60 years ago; Gaddi’s - fine French cuisine in one of Hong Kong’s smartest restaurants.

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helped create the reputation of The Peninsula… I can get very emotional, I’ve been known to burst into tears!”

It’s a telling revelation and an important clue to the pulse and personality of this unique hotel.

There are probably exquisite palaces to stay elsewhere in the world that have more marble in the bathrooms, higher ceilings, grander chandeliers, wider staircases and more expensive art on the walls. But at The Peninsula – well, they get it. Ultimately, it’s the intangible, the unseen touches of magic that can only be created by hosts who understand and anticipate a guest’s every whim in such a way you don’t even realise it’s happening.

I ask Chan a final question. Of all The Peninsula’s restaurants, including the much-heralded Japanese Imasa,

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where would she prefer to dine?

She answers in an instant.

“My favourite place to eat in the hotel is the staff canteen – I’m there often.”

At precisely that moment I realise I’ve unlocked the mystery to the astonishing success of The Peninsula Hong Kong.

It’s called leadership. But not from the top; rather from alongside.

If there’s a Rainy Chan hovering somewhere in the other nine hotels in the Peninsula chain (Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, New York, Chicago, Beverly Hills, Bangkok, Manila and now Paris) they ought to be in great shape. And also deserve a place among the planet’s top grand hotels.

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ROYAL RAJASTHAN

AS INDIA POWERS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, IT’S STILL POSSIBLE TO LIVE LIKE A MAHARAJA IN THE PALACE HOTELS OF RAJASTHAN. KAREN HALABI SURRENDERS TO THE MAGIC OF THIS “LAND OF KINGS”.

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T Taj Lake Palace Hotel seems to float like a mirage on Lake Pichola.

Within the walls are ponds and formal gardens, while rooms and suites are fantasies in marble, gold and mosaic.

The hotel’s spa boat (opposite), meanwhile, offers treatments afloat.

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hey say India is not for the faint-hearted.

I remember on my first trip to India alighting from the night train in Jaipur onto a dark station platform lined with sleeping human bodies and smells that sent my senses reeling.

This time, however, I went five-star and when I flew into Udaipur I was met by an immaculately turbaned and mustachioed gentleman who ushered me into an airconditioned limousine that whisked me away to an ornate jetty on the edge of Lake Pichola. There, across the water, lay the mesmerising sight of the white 18th-century Taj Lake Palace, seeming to float like a mirage in the middle of the lake.

Dubbed the Venice of India, Udaipur is dotted with floating palaces and lakeside havelis (mansions). The lake and the City Palace (Jag Niwas) were the setting for scenes in the James Bond movie Octopussy.

LADY OF THE LAKE The Taj Lake Palace hotel is a fantasy of pearlescent white marble and coloured mosaics that glisten in the twilight.

The view from the palace rooftop, with its scalloped arches and niches, is quite special, day or night. This ethereal hotel, with its old-world charm, has features you won’t see anywhere else – incredible coloured glass

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windows that look out over the water, intricate mirror work, fine glass mosaic inlays and fretwork screens. In some rooms, bejewelled swings hang from the ceiling.

Here you can sit and swing and look out over the water.

The coloured glass and mirror work are only seen here at Lake Palace and at the City Palace across the water.

I sat over breakfast looking out across the lake to the city beyond as if from a Venetian palazzo or a spectacular cruise liner.

During my stay at the exquisite Lake Palace I couldn’t lift a fork without a waiter appearing at my elbow, or sit down at the rooftop pool without an attendant arriving to turn my umbrella, fold my bathrobe and present me with a tray of rose-scented iced tea, a cold towel, complimentary sunscreen and newspaper.

The Lake Palace, Rambagh Palace and Umaid Bhawan – also in Rajasthan – leave you open-mouthed. Gobsmacked, I felt like Alice in Wonderland after stepping through the looking glass to find wonderment at every turn.

Rajasthan, India’s northeastern desert state, literally means “land of the kings” – or as they were known, “raj”. Today, many of the formerly grand residences of the princes and maharajas of Rajasthan have become luxury accommodation run by groups like Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces – creating new sources of revenue for their former owners and opulent, once-in-a-lifetime experiences for visitors.

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RAMBAGH PALACE Rambagh Palace, in Jaipur, 400 kilometres to the north, is the former home of Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II and his wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi. Its rooms are filled with period furniture and named after famous guests. Mine was the Lord Mountbatten suite. Winding marble corridors, hung with Rajasthani art, lead to fountains and parterre gardens.

A marriage of Rajput and Moghul architecture, Rambagh is spread over 19 tranquil hectares where peacocks still strut the expansive manicured lawns and rolling gardens evoke memories of the elephant matches and polo-playing princes whose domain it once was.

Built in 1835, it became the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Taj took over the palace in 1957, restoring it to its former glory and converting it to a five-star hotel.

In the finest tradition of Rajput hospitality, Rambagh

offers its guests a taste of royal living that was once the sole preserve of kings. It also has an amazing new Grande Jiva Spa, often rated the best spa in India.

Arriving here is like entering another world. Leaving the buggies and rickshaws outside, I enter the sweeping driveway to find butlers, doormen and Rolls-Royces.

Soon I’m sipping a cocktail at the Polo Bar and looking across the sprawling green lawns to a 400-year-old fort in the distance, which is now the residence of the current Rajmata (Queen Mother) of Jaipur.

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UMAID BHAWAN Special though it is, Rambagh Palace is no match in size for the big daddy of them all: Umaid Bhawan. The domed and turreted palace built of luminescent pink desert sandstone that turns to gold at dawn and sunset perches atop Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodphur, overlooking the desert city with its looming Mehrangarh Fort.

On arrival I am given a royal welcome. “Courtiers” in traditional red turbans hold aloft a red tent canopy with swords while I walk the red carpet beneath. Then, as I enter the sandstone foyer, sari-clad hostesses throw rose and marigold petals at my feet, placing garlands

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of flowers around my neck and anointing me with an auspicious red tilak dot.

My elegant guides sweep me across a spectacular domed foyer to the Trophy Bar, where I’m served sweet lime juice and tea surrounded by the mounted heads of stags and tigers, elephant tusks and old hunting photos of the maharaja.

The palace itself, I discover, is built of giant slabs of sandstone that interlock without mortar or cement, designed in such a way that the temperature remains a constant 23°C. The main staircase is hewn from one slab of

golden stone; others are made of marble. Giant chandeliers hang from ceilings supported by towering sandstone columns. Outside on the sweeping lawn is an open-sided pavilion, the Badari, where peacocks like to strut.

The most photographed residence in India (Vogue was shooting there during my stay), Umaid Bhawan is the last of the great Indian palaces – and was one of the largest private residences in the world.

Set amid 10 hectares of lush gardens, this 347-room palace still serves as the principal residence of the Maharaja of Jodphur and his family, who now live in one wing. It’s

highly likely you’ll catch a glimpse of the Maharaja during your stay. Just ask the concierge where to linger.

Guests can savour the grandeur of one of the world’s most spectacular palace hotels with a choice of 64 luxurious art deco-inspired rooms and suites. The piece de resistance is the Maharaja or the Maharani Suite.

Little wonder that Liz Hurley chose it for her lavish over-the-top Bollywood-style wedding to handsome Indian industrialist Arun Nyar in 2006 – an event that made the front covers of newspapers and women’s magazines around the globe.

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MODERN RAJ

Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, a 21st-century palace hotel named among the world’s best.

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Then there are the “recreated” hotels, newly built but modelled on Indian palaces and forts.

When Bikki Oberoi built Rajvilas at Jaipur, India’s first boutique hotel, he modelled it on a Rajasthani prince’s fort and, more recently, he built Udaivilas, with a royal palace as its inspiration.

Set in 13ha of landscaped gardens complete with pavilions and reflection pools, Rajvilas’ villas and luxury tents are set around courtyards and private pools in a fort-like setting with crenellated lime-washed walls, high bastions and turrets, on the outskirts of Jaipur.

You enter via a wide circular driveway lined with gulmohar amla (gooseberry) and jacaranda trees. The smell

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of jasmine and night queen fill the air, elegantly sari-ed and turbaned staff bow and bid “namaste” as they sweep me through elaborate giant hand-beaten brass and silver doors into an exquisite foyer filled with antiques, flowers, marble, onyx, porcelain and mirrored wall murals, miniature paintings and hand-carved columns.

Not surprising that Condé Nast Traveller and others consistently rate Rajvilas one of the world’s top resorts.

With its mass of butter-coloured domes that turn to gold at sunset, Udaivilas sits on a hill on land that was once the hunting grounds for the maharajas of Udaipur.

Outside, it’s marked by domes, turrets and niches; inside, I find a high, domed ceiling covered in gold leaf and glass mosaics, endless open-air corridors and jalis (intricately patterned screens). Udaivilas even has its own wildlife sanctuary complete with peacocks, spotted deer wild boar and foxes.

When Udaivilas opened in 2002, Gallivanter’s Guide, the upmarket traveller’s bible, gave it the first six-star rating ever – putting it in that “otherworldly” class of rarefied royal retreats and proving that India, indeed, has some of the world’s top hotels. It was the first Indian hotel to be named the world’s best in 2007 by Travel + Leisure magazine.

There is a clear difference between the Taj and the Oberoi resorts – and it’s like the difference between say, a brand-spanking-new apartment and a fastidiously renovated historic one with age, but also character and depth. Each has its unique appeal, so it depends what you are after. For me, however, I know what appeals.

If the Oberois host fussy travellers, the Taj resorts seem to attract the celebs.

SECRET JEWELS But there are other top hotels that blow totally off the Richter scale in terms of a visual sensory experience – little-known spots that Incent Tours took me to on my whirlwind tour of the best Rajasthan has to offer.

Devi Garh is a converted hillside fort in the village of Delwara. This stunning heritage hotel is housed in a converted 18th-century hilltop palace fort that has been restored and turned into a luxurious, sophisticated and impossibly romantic retreat. Nestled in the Aravali hills, 28km away from the bustle of Udaipur, this all-suite luxury resort assumes the look of new India with an emphasis on design and detail. While the ancient exterior has been preserved, inside, Devi Garh has been transformed in a modern, minimalist manner.

It was the royal residence of the rulers of Delwara principality until the mid-20th century. I spent most of my time here gaping in awe at the design, colour and spectacle confronting me at every turn. If you love design hotels you’ll love Devi Garh.

Another highlight of my Rajasthan sojourn was my visit to the Camel Camp at Osian, in the Thar Desert, which I arrived at by camel. The camp is owned by Reggie Singh, a cousin of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, who has set up a permanent tented camp here.

There’s something almost hypnotic and strangely sensual about sitting out in the desert under a brilliant night sky, surrounded by miles of sand dunes, tent canvas gently flapping, hot desert scents on the air and with oil lamps and torches lighting the magical scene.

It’s so very Lawrence of Arabia – wrong time and place, of course, but I feel as if I’ve stepped back into the days of the British Raj. Reggie himself is a very Raj-type chap who drives a vintage Rolls-Royce that he parks out front.

He dresses in very pukkah safari suits and sports a handlebar moustache. The central tented lodge has trophy animal heads and black and white photos of the Maharaja on safaris and hunts.

Rajasthan is full of fabulous palaces and forts. And when you’re not staying in a palace you can visit one of the non-hotel variety, such as the Amber Fort and Palace outside Jaipur or the Palace of the Winds in Jodphur, not to mention the spectacular city palaces in Jaipur and Udaipur.

India will send your senses reeling – from gritty streetlevel grime and raw humanity to the explosive grandeur of the refined, palatial world of the new Rajs. From the food, to the smells and its visual splendour, Rajasthan is a revelation. Forget the backpack, but pack the jewels and get ready for the right-royal treatment in Rajasthan, the land of kings.

Within the ancient palace walls, Devi Garh has been transformed into a spectacular design hotel.

Karen Halabi travelled in India courtesy of India’s luxury travel concierge company, Incent Tours: www.incent-tours.com

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GOT A COOL HALF

I

Pieces

MILL HANGING AROUND? THEN YOU CAN BUY A PLOT IN PARADISE.

f you rather fancy the idea of owning your own island – or a plot of land on which to plonk your beach hut – with only the fish and the wide blue sea for company, then the dream is at hand.

The Conflict Islands comprise 21 little known or visited islands in the Coral Sea southeast of Papua New

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Guinea (actually, between the northeast tip of Australia and PNG) in what’s designated Milne Bay Province.

Unknown, yes, but not for long. Not if Australianborn, London-based entrepreneur Ian Gowrie-Smith has anything to do with it. The Conflict Islands were so named after their 1886 discovery by naval survey ship

of Heaven

A FEW MILLION AND YOU CAN PROBABLY BUY A WHOLE ISLAND, WRITES KAREN HALABI.

the Conflict. Gowrie-Smith stumbled across them while involved in gas and gold exploration in Papua New Guinea (he was the head of Kea Petroleum), and bought them in 2003, lock stock and barrel, for an undisclosed amount.

At first, Gowrie-Smith thought he’d keep these uninhabited islands for his own private use, but more

recently he’s realised their tourism and conservation potential and become a bit of a conservation advocate for PNG. “When I stumbled across the islands for sale…

I had no idea what an extraordinary, rare jewel of an investment I had lucked upon”, he says.

This little piece of paradise is one of only three privately

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ABOVE RIGHT: Ian Gowrie-Smith surveys his islandparadise kingdom.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Panasesa Resort, seen here from the air, boasts just six tiny beachfront bungalows fringed by coconut palms and a clubhouse (bottom).

Together they form the only development on the Conflict group’s 21 islands.

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held freehold atolls (or island groups) for sale in the world.

It’s also one of the world’s best diving sites and is well known among sports fishermen for its variety of fish.

The Conflicts group is also one of the last true eco destinations. Recognised for its exceptional beauty and marine biodiversity, it is one of the last untouched regions in the world.

The entire group of islands has a total area of 375 hectares. The 21 tropical islands surround a spectacular lagoon about 22 kilometres long and 10km wide.

Lapped by the pristine waters of the Coral Sea, the islands boast the most extensive biodiversity and coral reefs in the world and a third of the world’s species of fish – home to everything from the tiny ghost pipefish to huge manta rays and killer whales.

Most of the islands are for sale leasehold. Only about 5 per cent are available freehold, which makes these islands the most exclusive property in the world, says island broker Cheyenne Morrison, who is tasked with selling them.

“This is one of only three private coral atolls for sale in the world,” she says. “The other two have no runway, no boat access into the lagoon, and are 6-800 miles out into the ocean from the nearest access point, so there’s no comparison. The closest comparison is Palmyra Atoll, which at two-thirds the size of the Conflicts, sold in 2000 for $37 million to the Nature Conservancy.”

Those of us whose budgets don’t quite stretch to buying an entire island, however, can still stay on one and enjoy it – or, better still, take over the whole island for a group of friends, family or a bunch of fishing or diving mates.

Gowrie-Smith has developed a rustic-style resort on the third-largest island, Panasesa. It’s idyllic in a thatched hut, barefoot-in-the-sand, kind of way.

Panasesa Resort can accommodate up to 12 guests in six beachfront bungalows with air conditioning and en suite bathrooms. A resort clubhouse that overlooks the turquoise lagoon features a restaurant with daily fresh specials from the resort’s resident chef.

It also has a 650-metre runway capable of accepting short-haul flights from Cairns, Port Moresby and the Milne Bay capital, Alotau, 130km east of the Conflicts, or most private jets, after say, a leisurely four-hour flight from Sydney.

I spent a few days in the Conflcts recently. What to do?

Well, there’s no shopping. But, with a whole atoll to yourself, you can fish, snorkel, dive, sail the lagoon in a local fishing boat or picnic on one of the many deserted beaches.

If you’re into fishing, the resort has a 9m sport fishing boat, and there’s a huge range of fish to be had, including yellowfin tuna, giant trevally, Spanish mackerel, coral trout and other reef fish. Nomads Sportfishing Adventures has included it in its 2014 itinerary and has exclusive access to the lodge for six weeks of the year.

Snorkelling and diving, though, are the main reasons

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people come here. An atoll formed from a volcano, the Conflict Islands’ protected lagoon is ideal for snorkelling.

Millions of fish feed in the rich currents that stream through the surrounding reefs.

Turtles also love to nest in the natural lagoons and sandy beaches on the islands. Take a stroll around Panasesa and you’re likely to see turtles scurrying down to the water or come across a trail of eggs. You can even see turtles coming up to nest on the beach just minutes from your bungalow.

Gowrie-Smith is keen to set up a turtle hatchery, saying, “I can think of no better way to teach people how special the ocean and islands are than to let them watch baby turtles hatch and then to release them into the lagoon.”

Migrating orca, minke, pilot and humpback whales,

manta rays, dolphins and reef sharks can all be seen frequently from the main resort area.

It’s worth taking a visit to some of the islands in the group. Island tours and picnics can be organised to some of the main islands such as Irai or to Itamarina, the picturesque central island in the lagoon that GowrieSmith describes as “the jewel in the crown”.

Gowrie-Smith has a vision of developing the islands into an exclusive eco-travel destination. He is inviting investors to buy freehold islands or beachfront land for private luxury residences.

One of the first “like-minded individuals” to buy a beachfront plot is internationally known photographer Anthony Horth. “Where else would you get a beachfront with a view like this for half a mill?” Horth says.

Development plans includes a runway capable of

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VISITOR Options

Panasesa Resort is a private resort complex featuring a clubhouse with spacious dining and lounge facilities and internet access.

Accommodation includes six air-conditioned beachfront bungalows with en suites. It is currently available for private hire.

The Conflict Islands hosts tailored holidays for couples and groups at Panasesa Resort, as well as individual stays at restricted times during the year. To inquire, email Sales@ ConflictIslands.com or visit www.conflictislands.com to check available dates.

Prices per person for a seven-night stay start at $5,000 per person (twin share) and include accommodation, all meals and leisure activities, including two dives a day, snorkelling, kayaking, recreational fishing and other island activities.

This includes either a return private air charter ex-Port Moresby, or a commercial flight from Port Moresby with boat transfers from Alotau.

Exclusive hire of Panasesa Resort (with accommodation for 12 guests twin share) is available upon request. The resort is ideal for families and friends to hire out exclusively, for scuba diving and fishing groups, or retreats. Resort-only pricing, without transfers, is also available upon request.

How to get there

International flights on Air Niugini, Airlines PNG and Virgin Australia to Port Moresby or Alotau from Brisbane, Cairns and Sydney, as well as other international ports. Transfers are then available by boat (2½ hours) or private charter (35 minutes).

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handling regular commercial flights, with customs and immigration facilities, as well as private jets.

“I only have one caveat for buyers: they must be passionate about protecting the environment to ensure the survival of the Conflict Islands’ unspoilt pristine wilderness,” says Gowrie-Smith, whose main concern is to stop practices such as giant clam and turtle killing, sea cucumber harvesting and shark finning, by providing alternative sources of income for the local Melanesian people of the Louisiade Islands.

“My intention in buying the islands was to never sell them, and to pass them down to my children and their offspring,” he says. “But I very quickly realised that I had something quite unique and it deserved to be protected.

“I could have just kept the island for my own private use and just flown my family there occasionally but I realised I had a duty to do something… Doing nothing is not an option,” he adds.

“I am unlikely to be able to achieve my goals of

protecting and preserving the islands without selling an interest in them… If I find potential investors who share my passion for them, then I hope to establish a community of like-minded people.”

The largest island, Irai, has 7km of unspoiled beachfront land and could accommodate a 3,000m runway capable of landing a private jet from anywhere in the world.

Other opportunities will include the option to buy into one of the private residences with exclusive communal facilities. Preliminary plans include a marina, 1,500m runway, dive and fishing centre, tennis courts and beach club.

Gowrie-Smith is looking to develop only the three largest islands, Panasesa, Irai and Arorau. The rest may remain undeveloped, but he is also considering giving a long-term lease on one of the islands for a marine research station, partnering with a foundation or group to study, preserve and protect the local ecology. www.conflictislands.com

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BE PART OF THE LEGEND

Embark on the world’s greatest journey through breathtaking scenery with the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

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ME LONDON From our table in the open-sided Radio rooftop bar atop the swish ME London, the lights of the capital stretch and sparkle in all directions – from Tower Bridge and The Shard through to Waterloo Bridge and The London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and over to the

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rooftops of Covent Garden. Serving, appropriately, Tapas con Vistas – perhaps white asparagus with aioli, deep-fried zucchini flowers stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with truffled honey – the 10th floor covered terrace attracts up to 240 smart revellers each night.

In the heart of London’s theatreland (the corner site once housed the Gaiety Theatre) the 157-room flagship property of the Spanish-based ME by Meliá group has reinjected glamour and style into the precinct. It’s the first London hotel for Foster + Partners, who have seamlessly blended the wedge-shaped building in with neighbouring Marconi House while giving the interior plenty of punch.

After sweeping through the sculptural Marconi Lounge, guests are whisked to the first-floor reception atrium for a welcome prosecco. Here, inside this nine-floor-high pyramid, a mesmerising light show is projected onto the marble walls each evening.

In-house dining options include STK, an American-style steakhouse and Cucina Asellina, with its menu of rustic Italian fare.

In our corner Passion Suite we can entertain guests in our private dining room, luxuriate in a pool-sized bath and enjoy plush ringside views over the Strand. – Tricia Welsh www.melia.com

PALAZZINA G VENICE There are, I was told, 286 mirrors in this boutique hotel beside Venice’s Grand Canal. That’s a lot of mirrors for a hotel with only 22 guest rooms and suites, but French designer Philippe Starck has caught the essence of this through-the-looking-glass city perfectly with his lush, eccentric interiors.

The hotel, once home to a 16th-century nobleman, is tucked away down a tiny alley near the San Samuele vaporetto stop. Once inside, though, there’s no sign of a shrinking violet: marble, glass and chrome, velvet and leather, 15th-century columns and elaborate custom-made Murano glass chandeliers and lamps, gilded sofas, photos from Hollywood’s golden age… Starck, in concert with owner Emanuele Garosci, has created a hotel unlike any other in Venice while staying true to Venice in its spirit of Carnevale.

A small, mirrored reception area leads into a lounge, dining room and bar, over which hang four ornate glass chandeliers created for the hotel by Murano glass artist Aristide Najean. An open kitchen runs along the opposite wall and elsewhere in the hotel I found the members-only Krug Lounge and Terrace.

My first-floor Superior Room was not huge, but stately backlit mirrors (one containing a discreet TV screen) on the walls and a mirror-glass wardrobe gave the illusion of space,

while adjustable lighting produced a cosily decadent setting. In the bathroom, more mirrors and a beautifully contoured bath.

Other categories of rooms are larger and some have their own terrace. In an adjacent canal-front building, seven suiteapartments repeat Starck’s décor scheme on a larger scale, culminating in the sumptuous Grand Canal Suite with its row of arched windows framing the famous waterway. The fabulous JD Suite, meanwhile, is so called because Johnny Depp spent three months in it during a film shoot. – Patrick Smith www.palazzinag.com

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SAINT JAMES PARIS Hot-air balloon cabanas in the garden, leopard-skin carpets and a crazy link of seven chandeliers called “Chaos” in the foyer tell you the Saint James Paris hotel is anything but ordinary.

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This three-storey chateau-hotel in the exclusive 16th arrondissement was recently given a magical makeover by designer Bambi Sloan, who transformed the former student accommodation into one of the most appealing and romantic hotels in the City of Light.

Built in 1892 on what was Paris’ first aerodrome, the hotel offers guests warm hospitality in its 48 suites and rooms and, as the private Saint James Club, welcomes members from some 185 reciprocal clubs around the world, including the Wellesley Club in Wellington and the Christchurch Club. Member benefits include a VIP welcome, early check-ins and late check-outs and upgrades on availability.

Décor is whimsical, romantic and at times quite mad: hot-air balloon light fixtures that match decorative balloon-themed wallpaper, and checkerboard carpets that mimic the marble tiles in the foyer, with its grand staircase and dramatic black and white My Fair Lady style.

Guests will love the small details such as tasseltrimmed cushions, Lanvin toiletries, breakfast scrambled eggs served in individual glass-lidded jars, masses of perfect rosebuds and a convertible Smart Car for hire.

With Michelin-starred chef Virginie Basselot in the kitchen, there is little reason to leave the hotel – except that the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower are within easy walking distance, as are the Museum of Modern Art, the Marmottan-Monet and Guimet Museums. – Tricia Welsh www.saint-james-paris.com

THE MANDALA HOTEL BERLIN

Photos courtesy of Design Hotels

A smart five-star boutique hotel in the heart of Berlin, The Mandala occupies an enviable site in glittering Potsdamer Platz, an area that’s been reborn since the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago. The busiest traffic hub in Europe and the heart of Berlin nightlife during the 1920s and 30s, Potsdamer Platz was laid to waste in World War II. It remained that way during the Cold War and when the Wall went up in the early 60s, Potsdamer Platz was cut in two.

Redevelopment plans began in the early 90s when Potsdamer Platz became the largest building site in Europe. Today it’s a shiny commercial, entertainment and hospitality hub, with galleries, theatres, restaurants and the futuristic Sony Centre among its attractions. The Brandenburg Gate, the Tiergarten and the Reichstag are just up the road.

Stepping out of the doors of the Mandala, then, was always an exciting event during a recent three-night stay, while from the first-floor Qiu bar and restaurant we could watch the rush-hour bustle on Potsdamer Strasse in comfort.

A member of Design Hotels, The Mandala is not the sort of place that shouts its presence. Service is cool and efficient while the décor speaks of understated luxury.

It claims its rooms are the most spacious in Berlin and I certainly wouldn’t argue with that. I might also wonder if the beds here aren’t the most comfortable in the city.

The hotel boasts a Zen-like Ono Spa and a fitness lounge. Its light-filled signature restaurant, Facil, under chef Michael Kempf, is one of only a handful in Berlin to claim two Michelin stars. What else? Oh yes, it took out Germany’s Leading Hotel Residences gong in the 2014 World Travel Awards. – Patrick Smith www.themandala.de/en

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PALAIS-HOTEL ERZHERZOG JOHANN GRAZ Graz is Austria’s second city and the capital of Styria.

A 2½-hour train ride from Vienna, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its Old Town is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe.

You couldn’t get much closer to the city’s heart than the venerable Erzherzog Johann, which sits just off the main square. Back in the 16th century the building was already the largest inn inside the city walls. It was turned into a grand Baroque palace in the 18th century and 100 years later it was transformed into a hotel – the “premier house on the square” – named after the much-loved Archduke (or Erzherzog) Johann.

For the past 100 years the hotel has been owned by the same family, whose members have kept the place in tune with the times without destroying its impressive history and old-world charm.

Its central feature is a soaring glass-roofed atrium that would once have been an open courtyard. At ground level is a popular bar named after Austrian artist Ernst Fuchs and a café/restaurant that serves decadent Austrian cakes and pastries. On upper floors, greenery drips from Baroque ironwork and corridors snake away to guest rooms and suites.

My room was large and comfortable, with separate living area and a spacious, modern bathroom. Top suites

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are huge and richly appointed, with crystal chandeliers, brocaded chairs, gilt mirrors and oriental rugs. They also boast free Wi-Fi, Nespresso coffee machines and iPod docking stations.

The hotel has a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a sauna and infrared cabin. The Rooftop Terrace, meanwhile, is a pleasant spot to catch some rays with a glass of Styrian wine to hand. – Patrick Smith www.erzherzog-johann.com

ONE&ONLY ROYAL MIRAGE DUBAI “When others went up, we went out,” Melanie Daultry told me as we walked around the green oasis that is the One&Only Royal Mirage resort in Dubai. The Royal Mirage’s three low-rise properties – The Palace, Arabian Court and Residence and Spa – spread across 26 hectares of landscaped gardens, lawns, courtyards and pools facing Palm Island Bay across a kilometre of private beachfront.

On the landward side, Dubai’s glass towers appear above the palm trees.

The Palace was the first property here, built in 1999. This was followed by the Arabian Court and The Residence and Spa (a member of Leading Hotels of the World). Together they form a picturesque, Arabic-themed resort by the sea instead of what might have become a monolithic tower or two.

I loved my two-day stopover here, which included a vigorous session in the exotic Oriental Hammam, where

I was scrubbed with Moroccan black soap, exfoliated, wrapped in Ghassoul clay, annointed with amber and musk body gel and finally massaged on the heated marble slab.

My extremely comfortable suite was in The Gold Club area of The Palace, which included an exclusive lounge and dedicated reception and lift. Elsewhere, rooms and suites offer escalating levels of luxury, but all include the latest in modern technology alongside opulent Moorishstyle furnishings.

Specialty restaurants and outdoor eateries are scattered throughout the resort (I can vouch for the delicious food at the beachside Eauzone), there are water and land sports, a fitness centre and studio and two swimming pools, one for adults only. Nearby are eight world-class golf courses, horse riding and scuba diving. Great shopping, of course, is a given. – Patrick Smith www.oneandonlyroyalmirage.com

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THE PARKER PALM SPRINGS

CALIFORNIA

The “Yachtsman’s Voyage”, one of the signature spa treatments here, delivers a 60-minute deep-tissue massage, a 30-minute pore-cleansing facial and a 30-minute scalp massage. It is sensational, as you might expect from an iconic hotel spa in the one of the most famous spa locales in the US. Palm Springs never grows tired. It remains as vibrant today as it was when celebrities from Hollywood’s Golden Age made it their capital of fun (check out the Palm Springs Walk of Stars) and ushered Palm Springs into the American psyche as the country’s most fêted resort town, still attracting current A-listers such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

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Palm Springs will forever be a must-visit place because it keeps reinventing itself. There’s always something new happening here, while the past is continually made over.

The Parker Palm Springs hotel is an example of that.

Set amid a lush 5ha estate, The Parker Palm Springs was thought of as “California chic” before it became “California retro”. But in 2004, New York architect Jonathan Adler directed the hotel’s complete refurbishment. The result is a kind of contemporary expression of the architect’s own eclecticism (some might say eccentricities), for it is not just one style but many, from classic (four-poster beds) to ethnic (Moroccan leather and leopard-skin furnishings) to the architect’s own artistic tastes, such as his ceramics (Adler is also an accomplished potter).

If anything here remains timeless it might be the Gene Autry suite, once the home of America’s original singing cowboy. You can book it. Alternatively, book a character one-bedroom villa with a private patio.

On the estate are three swimming pools, hammocks strung out between palm trees, quiet, shady gardens and tennis courts. Nearby are several golf courses and the Backstreet Arts District, with galleries and workshops owned by local artists. And at the end of the day, what better than a visit to the hotel’s glorious spa? – Don Hope. www.parkerpalmsprings.com

ST. REGIS HOTEL HAWAII The Hawaiian island of Kaua’i is commonly referred to as the “Garden Isle”. It may or may not have more gardens than other islands in the group, but it is the least developed (as in fewer condos and hotels) of the main Hawaiian Islands. It’s the most rural and rustic and in that way sustains a sense of Hawaii before tourism.

The drive up the coast from the airport at Lihue is truly scenic. In under an hour you arrive at the island’s best fullservice resort, the St. Regis Princeville, on the northern coast overlooking beautiful Hanalei Bay. If you saw the George Clooney film The Descendants you will have had a peek at the hotel and its setting.

The St. Regis Princeville has 252 nicely appointed guest rooms, including seven Ocean View suites, a Presidential Suite and a Royal Suite. Its spa is rated among the best in

the state and, come meal time, there’s alfresco breakfast on the Makana Terrace, lunch with a sweeping view of the bay at the Nalu Kai and fine dining at the Kaua’i Grill, where famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has created a sophisticated menu the combines the best of French and Hawaiian cuisines.

Two scenic golf courses, a variety of water sports at Hanalei Bay, helicopter tours of the extraordinarily rugged Na Pali Coast (no road access) and a visit to Waimea Canyon (Hawaii’s Grand Canyon) are some of the highlights for guests to pursue each day before photographing another stunning Hawaiian sunset, dining at the Kaua’i Grill and heading off for a solid night’s sleep on the most comfortable bed on the island. – Thomas Hyde. www.stregis.com

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OYSTER BAY INN TANZANIA

We touched down in Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, after a five-hour flight from Dubai. Auckland travel agent World Journeys commonly books guests here for a night before and after each game-viewing safari elsewhere in the country.

We were met at the airport by a driver and before long pulled into the grounds of this small boutique hotel, a serene oasis located in the leafy part of town with views of the Indian Ocean. Friendly staff greeted us with a chilled hand towel and an icy fruit drink.

Just eight spacious rooms (70sq m), each with ocean views, are spread over three floors. The rooms are air conditioned but are naturally cool thanks to an ocean breeze flowing through louvred shutters. Décor throughout the hotel is what might be described as “African chic”, with contemporary African art, antiques and furnishings expressing the best of local style.

Complimentary Wi-Fi was fast, so we didn’t spend long clearing email before heading back down to a dinner table set and waiting on a veranda facing a garden highlighted by three large African metal sculptures and a 15m lap pool.

Our dinner, meanwhile, was two broiled crayfish and a vegetable salad – more than we could eat. We declined a glass of French red in favour of a glass of locally brewed beer.

Ten days later, after bouncing around the Serengeti, photographing wildlife, we returned here for a final night in Tanzania and confirmed the website’s claim that “Your ‘enforced’ stay in Dar Es Salaam becomes yet another highlight of your holiday.” We loved it. – Thomas Hyde www.theoysterbayhotel.com

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MNEMBA ISLAND ZANZIBAR Zanzibar. The name alone evokes thoughts of romantic adventure. The main island, whose central hub is Stone Town, lies about 30km off the coast of East Africa. Stone Town is the birthplace of the late Queen front man, Freddie Mercury, but the only memorial to him there is a mediocre restaurant bearing his name.

Still, Stone Town is where tourists commonly spend their time in Zanzibar because it’s a heritage district where diverse cultures have intersected (and clashed) for more than 1,000 years. The daily food market and maze of shopping alleyways are worth exploring, while the old Slave Market and its dungeons are a reminder of just how brutal life here once was.

Today, Zanzibar may be best known for its beach hotels and resorts that, with one exception, remain attached to the everyday bustle of the island. That exception is Mnemba Island, a privately owned island with 10 beautiful beach “bandas” that accommodate up to 20 guests (e.g. 10 couples) at a time.

Mnemba Island is an eco resort in so far as the island is a breeding ground for the endangered green turtle and miniature antelopes such as Aders’ duiker. The coral reef is a marine reserve. Here, guests can dive or snorkel or charter a boat for a spot of deep-sea fishing. Then again, you can also kick back in a beachfront cabana with a good book.

No matter, all guests are treated to first-class personal service that includes a driver to and from the airport and the boat for the 10-minute trip out to Mnemba and back again. Fine food and drinks are included. We enjoyed sharing travel stories with guests from Cape Town, Brussels and New York, among others. After dark we sat around a bonfire under a starlit sky while staff members played guitars and sang popular songs. – Thomas Hyde www.andbeyond.com/mnembaisland

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PEN-Y-BRYN LODGE OAMARU

We stayed at this historic lodge on our way to Dunedin and entered a world of beautifully restored Victoriana encompassing accommodation in five well-appointed suites.

Americans James Glucksman and James Boussy – a.k.a. “the two Jameses” – bought Pen-y-Bryn in 2010 and set about restoring the 1889 homestead, retaining its Victorian heritage features while bringing its amenities into the 21st century.

Pen-y-Bryn (Welsh for “top of the hill”) sits on South Hill amid well-kept formal gardens, with views over the town. We stayed in the Victoria room overlooking an Oamaru stone terrace and gardens and warmed by the afternoon sunshine. Its polished wood floor, rugs and

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antique oak furniture added to the room’s cosy ambience, while the en suite bathroom had a heated floor of period tiles. Other guest rooms, looking out to the grounds or towards the sea, were furnished in similar period style.

Public rooms included spacious dining and lounge rooms with tall windows, wonderful stained glass, stately bookcases and carved wood panelling, and a billiard room with full-sized table.

The two Jameses (and their two dogs) gave us a warm welcome. Glucksman is the chef, an Officier Maître Hôtelier in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs culinary society and, after drinks and hot and cold canapés beside the open fire, delivered a rich four-course dinner with a main of North Otago venison.

If you choose to have dinner, its timing can be adjusted to allow an evening visit to the Oamaru blue penguin colony. Other local attractions include the Moeraki Boulders, Janet Frame’s house, public gardens, galleries, a golf course and the very tempting Whitestone Cheese shop.

Breakfast was a big, generous affair, with jams and marmalades, scones, muffins and muesli made on the premises, along with local free-range eggs, bacon and homemade sausages.

Pen-y-Bryn is a member of Luxury Lodges of New Zealand. – Patrick Smith www.penybryn.co.nz

HILTON LAKE TAUPO From its first incarnation as The Terraces Hotel back in 1889, when people came to bathe in its health-giving pools, to fish or frolic in the lake, this has always been one of the prime holiday locations in the North Island. So the opening of Hilton Lake Taupo on the site a few years ago continued a long tradition of hospitality here – although, I’d suggest, of a very different standard to anything seen before.

Hilton Lake Taupo is a beautiful property on a beautiful site. It’s close to the airport and the town centre, but away from the summer crowds and with sweeping views of Lake Taupo or the Onekeneke Thermal Valley.

The graceful old two-storey Terraces building has been lovingly restored and updated and a new wing of suites and apartments added.

We stayed in a top-floor suite that I’d have to say was

probably the best hotel suite I’ve stayed in anywhere in New Zealand. Cool and modern, it had a huge lounge, a separate bedroom and en suite bathroom with walk-in shower, a couple of big flat-screen TVs and an outdoor terrace with great views of the thermal valley.

A heated outdoor pool and thermal spa sit between the suites and a very well-equipped fitness centre with sauna and steam room. There’s also a tennis court, though we were more interested in the food at Simon Gault’s Bistro Lago, the hotel’s signature restaurant, where we ate that night. An elegant dining room with picture windows to take in the view, we sat by the open fire and feasted on tuatua fritters and venison loin. In summer you can dine outside on the terrace and enjoy a truly unique setting. – Don Hope www.hilton.com

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THE OBEROI NEW DELHI With its exceptional interiors, modern technology, outstanding dining options and genuine, personalised service, The Oberoi, New Delhi, enjoys an unusual reputation: it is loved by business and leisure travellers equally.

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Not as centrally located, perhaps, as its major rivals, it does however overlook the refreshing fairways and greens of the prestigious Delhi Golf Club – the lungs of the city of 17 million – and through to the fabulous 16th-century tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun.

The hotel’s 283 beautifully appointed guest rooms, including 31 suites, are serviced by three of the city’s most awarded restaurants: Threesixty° offers all-day multi-cuisine dining with yakitori, sushi, Mediterranean and Indian specialties; Travertino serves traditional and authentic Italian fare with a creative twist; while Taipan is consistently rated the best Chinese restaurant in Delhi.

Even The Oberoi Patisserie and Delicatessen – the country’s first exclusive gourmet food store – wins national plaudits for its vast choice of exclusive products, from homemade pastas and pastries to imported cheeses and fabulous single-origin chocolates.

And when you’ve time to chill out, you can hit the state-of-the-art gymnasium, do laps in the indoor or outdoor pools or indulge in Ayurvedic treatments in the Oberoi Spa and Fitness Centre. – Tricia Welsh www.oberoihotels.com

THE OBEROI AMARVILAS AGRA Think India and the world’s greatest monument to love immediately springs to mind: the mesmerising and absolutely captivating Taj Mahal. Its classic domes and minarets are universally recognised as the symbol of India, drawing thousands each day to Agra, 230 kilometres south of Delhi.

In a perfect romantic pairing, the Oberoi Amarvilas offers the most idyllic accommodation for guests wishing to overnight in Agra so they can visit the Taj Mahal at dusk and again at dawn without the crowds and when the softer light shows it at its beguiling best.

The hotel, with its stunning Moorish and Mughal architecture, is a mere 600 metres away. In fact, you can see the stunning mausoleum from nearly every room – even from your bathtub in the suites.

The resort has 102 guest rooms, including seven suites, and is surrounded by manicured terraced lawns, playful

fountains, reflection pools and exotic shady pavilions.

Lavish interior furnishings, intricate filigree, beaded gold embroidery and marble inlay work evoke a bygone era of maharajas and palaces.

Dining options include the Bellevue, with continental and Indian fare and the atmospheric Esphahan restaurant that serves a wide variety of authentic Indian dishes.

But the place to be at the end of the day is on your own private balcony sipping a gin and tonic while watching the sun go down, twilight appear and night descend over the Taj Mahal. And to complete the experience, next morning enjoy an indulgent breakfast served in true style on the balcony by our own personal butler in full Indian attire and topknot – with what is considered to be the most beautiful building in the world as a backdrop. – Tricia Welsh www.oberoihotels.com

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THE IMPERIAL NEW DELHI When The Imperial opened its doors to discerning guests in 1936, it was the city’s first five-star hotel – the pinnacle of English architect Edwin Luyten’s grand vision for the new capital city’s original master plan.

With its Italian marble, Persian rugs and fabulous art deco objets d’art complementing its unique blend of Victorian and old colonial elements, it was the first among the legendary “Four maidens of the East”: The Strand in Rangoon, Raffles in Singapore and the Great Eastern in Calcutta.

Once through the avenue of 24 historic palm trees, today’s guests are greeted with polished marble floors,

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gleaming brass trim, abundant fresh flowers and that same wonderful colonial air. Adorning the walls of its numerous corridors is a priceless collection of the “British Art on India”, making this literally a museum hotel.

Boasting high ceilings, classic décor, spacious bathrooms, dressing rooms and equipped with all the latest technology, the hotel’s 235 rooms and suites overlook plush, manicured gardens. Twelve Eliza rooms, designed specifically for single women travelling on their own, offer added security and personalised services.

Hailed as one of the 10 top restaurants in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, atmospheric Spice Route, with its intricately carved and painted walls and ceilings, is just one of nine appealing food and beverage outlets in the hotel.

Its menu reflects the journey of spices from Kerala’s Malabar Coast through Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to Vietnam.

But the icing on the cake is the magnificent Moroccanstyled underground Imperial Spa & Salon. The sumptuous complex has nine treatment rooms plus the indulgent Moghul suite, a luxury private space for couples. – Tricia Welsh www.theimperialindia.com

L ife can be p e rf e c t

ROOM SERVICE THE DORCHESTER COLLECTION

A GROUP OF 10 OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXCLUSIVE HOTELS REDEFINES THE MEANING OF IN-ROOM DINING.

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stablished in 2006, the Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of 10 of the world’s most prestigious heritage hotels, known for their timeless elegance and charm. The collection includes eight hotels in Europe and two in the United States. Among these are The Dorchester in London, Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, Hotel Eden in Rome and, in the US, The Beverley Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air, both in Los Angeles.

The Dorchester Collection is famous for the high quality of its service, quality derived from a passion for excellence and innovation. In March 2014, for example, it introduced penthouse and presidential suites to offer guests “an incomparable experience within a private setting; where classic luxury and elegance meet modernity and the latest technology”.

Vitello Tonnato Hotel Principe Di Savoia, Milan Created by the 17th-century chef, Pellegrino Artusi, who first revealed his recipe in his book, Science in the Kitchen, and again in his follow-up tome, The Art of Eating Well.

The modern interpretation is made from slices of cold veal garnished with tuna sauce and a colourful salad.

Now the group has taken its continuing quest for novel points of difference to a new level with the introduction of its “Taste of Dorchester Collection”, a new in-room dining menu with dishes from each of its 10 hotels. These selected signature dishes are now available for in-room dining at all hotels in the collection.

Bread and butter pudding

The Dorchester Of course, quintessentially British fare.

Victorian in origin, it’s been served here since the hotel opened in 1931. It remains a sweet and very special treat.

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Garden vegetable soup

Hotel Bel-Air A popular dish created

by Wolfgang Puck that includes pistou, a traditional French condiment made with tomato, basil, garlic and olive oil, which, added to the soup just before serving, produces a burst of flavour.

The Croque-Plaza

à la Hotel Plaza Athénée A modern interpretation of the croque-monsieur that was popular in Parisian cafés in the early 20th century.

It consists of chicken breast with a black truffle filling made to be enjoyed any time of day.

Le Swiss delice The Lobster club sandwich

Le Meurice in Paris Actually originating in the US in the late 19th century. Believed to be a favourite of King Edward VIII, it’s a traditional club sandwich layered with baked lobster.

The McCarthy Salad

Beverly Hills Hote Created by Neil McCarthy, a regular guest at the hotel’s Polo Lounge restaurant, who was very specific about the ingredients: iceberg and romaine lettuce, beetroot, cheddar, smoked bacon, hardboiled eggs, grilled chicken, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.

Le Richmond Hotel, Geneva Featuring air-dried grison, a Swiss delicacy derived from beef marinated in white wine and seasonings.

The addition of gruyere makes this an exceptional sandwich with an exceptional taste.

Butter lettuce salad

45 Park Lane, London A signature dish of CUT, the hotel’s immensely successful in-house American steakhouse. Fresh ingredients are drizzled in a herb vinaigrette made from fine Tuscan olive oil – a perfect light lunch or main course accompaniment.

Fish and chips Rigatoni alla Norma

Rome’s Hotel Eden A classic Italian pasta dish originally created as a tribute to Bellini’s opera, Norma. It’s made with fresh cherry tomatoes, ricotta, aubergine and basil.

Coworth Park Hotel, Ascot A year-round favourite at the hotel’s restaurant, The Barn. The deliciously crispy beer-battered fish is served with freshly cut chunky chips and served with the restaurant’s own (and secret) tasty tartare sauce.

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COMING HOME... BY JOHN HAWKESBY.

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n a desperate bid to disinherit the children, the Hawkesbys have spent the last few years doing a reasonable amount of travel. Clutching SuperGold Cards (courtesy of Winston), we enjoy free off-peak travel on the ferry from our island home on Waiheke. Alas, it has no international benefits; it seems not even the mercurial Mr Peters can manage that one.

Being in the early twilight zone – that vaguely defined space between partial retirement and wondering how long you can repel the horror of being cast into a rest home by your children – does focus the mind. Looking back, you do wonder where it all went and with what astonishing speed it seems to have overtaken you. Looking forward, a sense of mild panic sets in as you realise all those adventures you wish to complete and places you want to explore may not be an easy option in the not too distant future. Not being morose – just dealing with the reality of being part of the baby-boomer generation and the prospect of replacing hips, shoulders and various valves, learning to navigate mobility scooters around supermarket aisles and spending way too much time in doctors’ waiting rooms.

The clever Nike mantra, Just Do It, never seemed so relevant.

And so it has come to pass, with a flurry of helter-skelter

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moments, criss-crossing the globe and struggling to find a clean page for the stamp in the passport.

There are still plenty of places to conquer and corners to explore, but the majority of the planet’s most exotic and awe-inspiring locations have been covered – if at times only once-over-lightly.

What is remarkable is that after each trip away, on returning home to New Zealand we find ourselves with a renewed appreciation of what this unique, tiny country offers, both in its natural beauty and relative safety and peacefulness.

In the midst of what often seems a world spinning out of control and torn apart by deep-seated anger, prejudice and madness, it’s a relief and a great joy to embrace a place of freedom, tranquillity and opportunity.

Many have said our isolation is our greatest disadvantage.

Today, it seems to have turned out to be our greatest, most enviable strength.

Location, location, location, the mantra of real estate agents, is true of New Zealand the country. It may not be perfect and it may not be as clean and green as we’d like. But it’s ours – and it’s home.

We mess with it at our peril.

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