Leisure Lifestyle Edition 2013

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LEISURE TRAVEL AWARDS 5-STAR ALL-INCLUSIVES

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Special Edition

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leisure lifestyle

’s GUIDE TO THE LUXURIOUS WORLD OF LEISURE TRAVEL

Globility

A World of Luxurious Leisure

W

elcome to the first edition of Global Traveler’s Leisure Lifestyle Book, which introduces another first, Global Traveler’s Leisure Travel Awards.

Leisure activity can be as brief as an afternoon spent in a museum or getting to know a historic neighborhood, or as long as several weeks on a photographic safari in Africa or island-hopping on a cruise ship.

My favorite leisure experience is on a sailboat with no auxiliary power, coasting among islands and dropping anchor in a different port each night.

But if a sailboat is not readily available, I would be just as happy exploring the historic attractions in Turkey, skiing in the Swiss Alps, wandering an exotic locale with a luxury tour operator, or just lazing around at an all-inclusive 5-star resort, waiting for someone to peel me a grape.

If you long for some fresh leisure travel ideas, take a look inside at the results of Global Traveler’s inaugural Leisure Travel Awards. GT ’s readers voted for the best leisure activities and destinations, and it is interesting what struck their fancy.

The Leisure Lifestyle Book also fills you in on all-inclusive 5-star resorts, concierge butler service, deciphering hotel and restaurant rankings, indulging in indigenous spa treatments and — for when the thought of all this leisure activity makes you thirsty — signature cocktails around the world. Who knew there were so many?

So sit back and relax and read about places to go on your next vacation, activities to enjoy when you get there and, of course, some libations to try when it is time to relax.

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2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 3

contents

8 Globility

®

6

8 At Your Leisure Kick back with the winners of

EDITORIAL

Global Traveler’s inaugural

Editor in Chief LISA MATTE lisa.matte@globaltravelerusa.com tel 781 331 5423

Leisure Travel Awards.

BY KIMBERLY KROL

Managing Editor K imberly Krol kim.krol@globaltravelerusa.com

16 Luxury Included

Exclusive all-inclusive resorts

cater to guests seeking 5-star

service and amenities.

BY LOIS FRIEDLAND

Digital Media Manager KATIE SKRZEK katie.skrzek@globaltravelerusa.com Senior Editor J ANICE HECHT jan.hecht@globaltravelerusa.com Associate Editor/Copy Editor Patricia Vanikiotis patty.vanikiotis@globaltravelerusa.com

eFlyer Editor MONIQUE BARRETT monique.barrett@globaltravelerusa.com

24 Shaken or Stirred

For cocktail connoisseurs,

the perfect drink is a

memorable one.

BY ALLISON VOIGTS

ART Art Director T RACEY CULLEN tracey.cullen@globaltravelerusa.com

Staff Photographer CHRISTOPHER P. OTTAUNICK christopher@globaltravelerusa.com

34 Star Struck

Special Events Video Editor VANCE PICCIN

Within the galaxy of

restaurant and hotel ratings,

luminaries occasionally collide.

BY DEBRA BOKUR

Contributors Debra Bokur Lois Friedland Stephen Jermanok

40

Richard Newton Allison Voigts

For complete bios, visit globaltravelerusa.com

40 Indigenous Indulgence

Spas the world around look

to local natural elements and

therapeutic traditions.

BY RICHARD NEWTON

Circulation Specialists John Wroblewski, louie atsaves Managers JAYHAWK EVANS, MARK P. FORD, TERESA JACKSON, ANTHONY “SCRAPS” DIMERA Circulation Director Michele Shannon Circulation Manager Anna Pudzianowski Research Consultant Sharon Sterne

46 Beck and Call

Across the travel industry,

proper butlers stand ready

to fulfill discerning guests’

every need.

BY STEPHEN JERMANOK

Advisory Board

COVER PHOTO: Gourmet dinner at Clayoquot

46

Wilderness Resort Photo: © Clayoquot wilderness Resort

Chairman Michael Donahue President Carlos Cappuccio COO Michael Kiely Treasurer Kevin Ryan Secretary Stephen Doherty Vice President Asia Edward Jefferson Vice President Europe Wayne Tallman Vice President Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean Frank LoVerme Vice President Middle East/Africa Gary Oswald Vice President Special Events and Photography Christopher Ottaunick

Contact Us General Inquiries/Issue Requests tel 267 364 5811 Subscriptions tel 818 286 3134 | gbtcs@magserv.com Public Relations Kimberly Krol tel 267 364 5811 ext 202 | kim.krol@globaltravelerusa.com Letters to the Editor letters@globaltravelerusa.com Reprints Ed Kane | FosteReprints tel 800 382 0808 ext 31 edk@fosterprinting.com Global Traveler is published monthly by FXExpress Publications, Inc., 310 Floral Vale Blvd., Yardley, PA 19067. The U.S. subscription rate is $42 for one year, $79.95 for two years, $121.95 for three years.

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to Global Traveler, 310 Floral Vale Blvd., Yardley, PA 19067

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Thailand Is For Everyone Families, adventurers and more — everyone will find something to love in Thailand.

Thailand is a magical land begging to be uncovered. Discover the kingdom’s fascinations, from Buddhist temples and wildlife to its spectacular history and cuisine. No matter what you seek on your next visit to Thailand, the country offers something sure to please each and every person.

Family Travel Looking for a destination for your next family vacation? Consider the wondrous world of Thailand — a destination that will earn parents major cool points from their children.

While it may not be the first spot to come to mind for family travel, Thailand really does have it all. It is warm and comfortable. It won’t break the bank. The people are welcoming. Each and every traveler is treated as a special, honored guest.

From theme park hotels to homestays and from days exploring the scenery to joining family-friendly tours, itineraries in Thailand can be crafted to meet the needs and wants of every family. A few suggestions will get your family on its way.

To take in loads of history, families should visit Bangkok’s many treasures. The Grand Palace, The Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Temple of the Dawn are just a few stops on the long list of must-sees in the city. Chiang Mai is also a perfect destination for soaking in the local culture. With a wealth of its own gems, it is also a perfect spot for excursions to learn about hilltribe villages. The Doi Inthanon National Park is a daytrip from Chiang Mai. The bird-watcher’s mecca is also great for visiting breathtaking waterfalls.

Children crave the outdoors, and Thailand’s natural wonders are sure to delight.

Nature tours can be arranged, or families can opt to hit the open road and soak it all in on their own. Thailand has scores of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and forest reserves. Consider Khao Yai National Park, a one-hour drive from Bangkok.

Here, children will marvel at wild elephants, tigers, bears, gibbons and monkeys.

Zoos, aquariums and cruises are also popular with families and available aplenty in Thailand. Dusit Zoo and Khao Kheow Open Zoo are also perfect choices for the family to enjoy.

Don’t forget to take the family to temples, museums, cultural shows, monuments, shrines and palaces. The National Museum is an excellent overview of the country and the Children’s Discovery Museum allows kids to learn in a hands-on environment.

Take your family on the adventure of a lifetime and make memories to last forever.

Learn more at tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/ Theme-Travel/family-travel-in-thailand.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Adventure Travel It’s time to challenge yourself and see the world in a new way. Experience adventure and nature in Thailand, where adventure tourism is gaining in popularity.

White-water rafting is especially popular in Thailand, taking brave tourists seeking adventure into remote parts of the landscape accessible only via waterway. Take on the running rapids and be part of a Thailand only some have experienced.

For calmer waters, tourists can canoe or kayak on the rivers and seas of Thailand. These are great ways to take in the coastal scenery and explore the islands, mangrove forests, bays, lakes and rivers.

Without question, Thailand’s most popular water sport and adventure activity is scuba diving. The coastline is known for some of the most beautiful dive sites in the world and there is a high level of training for the sport. All reputable dive shops are affiliated with PADI or other international dive bodies. Diving is possible year-round. New adventures under the sea include wreck diving in the Gulf of Thailand and cave diving along the Andaman Sea coastline.

Thai elephants are a rich part of the country’s lifeblood. Considered royal animals, elephants were companions to Thai kings and important to the lives of Siamese people. Elephant ecotourism initiatives allow tourists to experience the animal’s magnificence through elephant jungle trekking, mahout training and shows.

Becoming more popular among Thailand tourists is rock climbing — a perfect activity for travelers seeking challenge, excitement and the great outdoors. Ao Railay in Krabi is a perfect spot for partaking in rock climbing, with white-sand beaches and limestone cliffs. Rock climbing excursions can be found in many tour programs, as well as rappelling, jungle and waterfall trekking and cave exploration.

Tourists can also choose to explore Thailand from the air. For the ultimate thrill-seeker, there’s skydiving or touring with paragliders. Calmer travelers will appreciate ballooning over the incredible country in the early morning.

Find the adventure you’ve always craved in the limitless land of Thailand.

Learn more at adventure.tourismthailand.org.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Medical Travel Nearly 2 million international tourists traveled to Thailand for medical procedures in the last few years, making the country a leader in the increasingly popular medical tourism market. Thailand ranks among Asia’s top destinations for medical tourism for a number of reasons.

No. 1 among those reasons are its internationally accredited medical facilities. Hospitals and medical facilities across Thailand have the most rigorous accreditation and certification classifications, ensuring a safe, comfortable, welcoming environment for patients. Thailand was the first Asian country to receive JCI accreditation; 23 hospitals hold the standard. A number of these institutions also hold Clinical Care Program Certification for excellence in specific clinical care services and treatment of specific diseases and conditions.

Thailand’s medical professionals are also well trained at the highest levels, with more than 500 practicing American Board Certified Thai doctors.

The cost savings draw international tourists to Thailand for medical procedures. The prices in Thailand are significantly less than in most places around the world. A heart bypass in the United States typically costs $130,000, while the same procedure with skilled, qualified doctors in an accredited hospital in Thailand costs $11,000. Cosmetic treatments are approximately 50 percent less in Thailand than in the United States; dental treatment savings are also available.

Medical tourists will experience no-hassle scheduling for medical treatments in Thailand. With a number of facilities and surgeons, there is little, if any, wait time to arrange treatments, even the most complex and invasive procedures.

State-of-the-art technology available at hospitals around the country enhances the appeal of medical treatment in Thailand.

Fully automated drug management systems ensure effective and seamless administration and communication.

“The Land of Smiles” nickname translates to the medical tourism industry as well. Known for compassionate care and warmth, the level of medical service available in Thailand is unprecedented worldwide. Hospital facilities rival 5-star hotels and nurses, physicians, surgeons and therapists provide a warm and caring human touch. More than 30 hospitals employ multilingual employees and translators.

Medical tourists can also opt to venture outside of the hospital walls, turning recovery time into vacation time. Medical escort services are available wherever patients choose to recover and unwind.

First-rate medical care is available in this pristine destination.

Learn more at thailandmedtourism.com.

Book Thailand Now Hotel, flight and tour packages are available now with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Book Thailand Now service. Packages are created in collaboration with trusted partners and available for a limited time. New travel packages and deals are constantly available.

Visit bookthailandnow.com.

At Your Leisure

Kick back with the winners of Global Traveler’s inaugural Leisure Travel Awards.

By Kimberly Krol

W

e’ve always known our readers were expert business travelers, which is why we seek their votes for the best in travel yearly with our GT Tested Reader Survey awards. But it turns out they are also incredibly well versed in the world of leisure travel. The January 2012 results of our Mediamark Research survey indicated our valued readers take an average of three international and six domestic leisure trips per year.

And so we launched the Leisure Travel Awards, seeking input for the best of the best in a number of leisure-related categories, naming Lifestyle, Cruise Line, Resort, Tour Operator and Island award winners.

Without further ado, we are pleased to introduce the winners of our inaugural Leisure Travel Awards.

Congratulations to the very best in the world of leisure travel!

Best Island in Australia and the South Pacific: Bora Bora Photo: © the islands of Tahiti

8 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

globaltravelerusa.com

Best Spa: The Peninsula Bangkok Photo: © The Peninsula Bangkok

Winners’ Circle Best Spa The Peninsula Bangkok Best Shopping Hong Kong Best Natural Attractions Australia Best Historical Attractions Turkey

LEISURE TRAVELERS LONG for destinations that offer a plethora of options when it comes to their favorite activity, be it shopping, sightseeing, seeking sun or hiking. Take a trip around the world with us as we introduce the best places on the globe for conquering those pastimes.

Perhaps nothing screams relaxation more than a day of pampering at a 5-star spa. The winner of the coveted Best Spa title? The Peninsula Bangkok, a 19,000-square-foot spa in the middle of the busy Thai city. The Peninsula Spa features 14 treatment rooms, four suites, a tea lounge and relaxation rooms. The tailored treatments blend Eastern and Best Hiking: New Zealand Western philosophies and practices.

Photo: © Hugoht | Dreamstime.com Retail is therapy for many a traveler, and according to our readers, the best spot to seek that solace is Hong Kong, named Best Shopping. The goods available for purchase and perusal in the hot spot range from haute couture to local goods, and the wealth of options blankets every corner of the city, meaning shoppers are never far from their next retail fix.

Australia was the recipient of two awards. The Down Under destination was honored for what comes naturally and for what comes naturally only to thrill-seekers, earning top spot for Best Natural Attractions and Best Adventure Travel Destination. Travelers can find adventure in an abundance of natural beauty, from the Australian Alps and Green Cauldron to the Greater Blue Mountains and the Great Barrier Reef. Nearby New Zealand was voted Best Hiking Destination.

Bridging the European and Asian continents and an important religious and cultural hub, it’s no wonder Turkey stood out for its Best Historical Attractions. For wonders of the animal kingdom kind, readers voted South Africa Best Safari Destination.

From frigid temperatures to the sweltering sun, hot and cold activities define leisure for travelers. For those in favor of hitting the slopes, Switzerland was voted Best Skiing. Grindelwald, Gstaad, Mürren, Zermatt, Klosters and St. Moritz — these destinations are unrivaled anywhere else in the world. Sun-worshippers, the British Virgin Islands — our first-ever Best Beach Destination — are more your speed.

How do you take it all in while visiting your favorite leisure travel destination? Our readers recommend Abercrombie & Kent as the Best Luxury Tour Operator. globaltravelerusa.com

Best Skiing Switzerland Best Beach Destination British Virgin Islands Best Adventure Travel Destination Australia Best Safari Destination South Africa Best Hiking New Zealand Best Small Ship Cruise Line Silversea Cruises Best Large Ship Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Best River Cruise Line Viking River Cruises Best Resort in the United States and Canada The Phoenician Best Resort in Hawaii Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort Best Resort in the Caribbean Four Seasons Resort Nevis 2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 9

Best Small Ship Cruise Line: Silversea Cruises ship Suite Photos: © Silversea Cruises

Winners’ Circle Best Resort in South America The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago Best Resort in Mexico Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort Best Resort in Asia and the South Pacific Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, An InterContinental Resort Best Resort in Europe The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort Best Resort in Africa Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa Best Resort in the Middle East Emirates Palace Best Luxury Tour Operator Abercrombie & Kent Best Island in the United States and Canada Kaua’i, Hawaii Best Island in the Caribbean Saint Lucia Best Island in Mexico, Central America and South America Galápagos Best Island in Australia and the South Pacific Bora Bora Best Island in Europe Capri Best Island in Asia and Africa Bali| Leisure Lifestyle | 2013 10

SETTING SAIL IS becoming an increasingly popular way to spend leisure travel time, and modern cruise lines have shrugged off the past stigma of cruising and upped the ante with luxury cruise liners; exotic, off-the-beatenpath itineraries; around-the-world options; river cruises; and exciting shore excursions.

Silversea Cruises, named the Best Small Ship Cruise Line, was a forerunner in redefining luxury cruising. The cruise line offers large-ship amenities on smaller, intimate, all-suite ships. The itineraries take travelers literally around the globe to all seven continents, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the polar regions and to 500 spots in between.

“This is a tremendous honor for us to be selected as the ‘Best Small Ship Cruise Line’ in Global Traveler’s inaugural Leisure Travel Awards,” said Ellen Bettridge, president of the Americas, Silversea Cruises. “To receive this exceptional recognition from the readers of Global Traveler is further validation that we are succeeding in our efforts to deliver an ultra-luxury vacation experience of unsurpassed quality. This recognition underlines our ongoing commitment to provide our guests with the very best cruising experience possible.”

Looming larger is Celebrity Cruises, voted Best Large Ship Cruise Line. Sailings are available to Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda, Canada, New England, the Caribbean, Europe, the Galapagos, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, South America and the Pacific.

For those looking for a more thorough, up-close-and-personal look at destinations, river cruising is a viable option. Consider Viking River Cruises, the Best Resort in Hawaii: Best River Cruise Line.

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort

NO MATTER THE destination, there’s a resort perfect for you — at least according to the votes of our well-versed readers. In the United States and Canada, The Phoenician, in Scottsdale, Ariz., is tops. The Luxury Collection resort was named Best Resort in the United States and Canada.

Perhaps the most relaxing U.S. state, Hawaii is home to a number of first-rate resorts — not to mention natural beauty.

But the best of the best in Hawaii is Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort.

“We are so thrilled and honored Hilton

Photo: © Joe Avery | Dreamstime.com

globaltravelerusa.com

Best Resort in the caribbean:

Four Seasons Resort Nevis Photo: © Four Seasons

Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort has been named Best Resort in Hawaii,” said Tracy Walker, general manager. “This award is certainly a testament to our team members who work hard each and every day to deliver world-class service to our guests. Our resort is a 22-acre oasis on beautiful Waikiki Beach, and our guests look forward to returning here year after year.”

In addition to its lush layout, the resort offers more than 90 shops and services; 16 restaurants, lounges and bars; and a Hawaiian cultural show and fireworks every Friday.

AAA Five Diamonds. Four hot restaurants. Three infinity pools. Miles of beach. These are the credentials of the Best Resort in the Caribbean, a category with plenty of competition. The winner? Four Seasons Resort Nevis.

The resort’s Dive & Dine excursion, hosted by Executive Chef Andreas Donnerbauer and a Nevisian dive master, takes guests deep into the sea to forage the catch of the day and take in the underwater sights. Later, Donnerbauer hosts a beachside barbecue with the day’s fresh lobster catch. The resort also teamed with the nonprofit Sea Turtle Conservancy and the Nevis Turtle Group to help protect endangered species and sea turtles.

“This recognition by such a prestigious publication with a well-traveled audience is especially motivating for us, given the emerging competition in the Caribbean luxury hotel sector,” said Sven Wiedenhaupt, general manager.

“If we can make every guest feel instantly at home and at one with Nevis and the Four Seasons, then we have accomplished only part of our job. The rest is to continue to delight and surprise our visitors with touches that they will remember long after their stay with us.”

In Chile, The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago won the title of Best Resort in South America. Located in the city’s El Golf neighborhood, the property offers an urban spa, four restaurants and a location equidistant to skiing and beaches.

The Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort earned the distinction Best Resort in Mexico, likely for its position on the Sea of Cortez, private terraces, infinity pools, swim-up bars, numerous restaurants, tennis courts and more.

The Method Voting for GT ’s first-ever Leisure Travel Awards took place May 1–Dec. 31, 2012, online at globaltravelerusa.com/leisureawardsballot. Each category included a number of nominees as well as an option for voters to fill in and vote for their favorite. Global Traveler surveys receive thousands of responses yearly. Employees of FXExpress Publications, Inc., and affiliated members of the travel industry were not allowed to participate.

Best Resort in Africa: Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa Photo: © Hilton

Open since 2006, the 80 overwater bungalows at The InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa were a factor in enticing our readers. Equally interesting is the resort’s eco-friendly air-conditioning system, which deploys a nearly 8,000-foot pipe to a reef 3,000 feet off Bora Bora. Ice-cold deep-sea water pumps through a titanium heat exchanger to power the air-conditioning.

The resort is a perfect spot for spa-going, romance, dining and activities.

“The award recognizes our commitment to provide exemplary service and an unforgettable experience to our guests,” said Guillaume Epinette, general manager. “The resort exhibits a number of unique attributes, including its location on a virgin beach on Motu Piti Aau (meaning ‘two hearts’ in Tahitian) with breathtaking views of Bora Bora’s majestic Mount Otemanu; 80 luxurious overwater villas, each with a split-level terrace and sundeck for easy access to the turquoise waters of the lagoon; one of the finest culinary experiences in French Polynesia at our restaurant, Reef; and our award-winning Deep Ocean Spa by Algotherm, which utilizes deep-sea water and minerals extracted from the Pacific Ocean in its signature spa treatments.”

Mallorca, Spain’s nearly perfect year-round weather, rich cuisine and location on the Mediterranean coast may have something to do with our readers naming The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort the Best Resort in Europe.

Kempinski’s Emirates Palace is a destination in and of itself. It is indulgent, extravagant, opulent and enticing — and it’s the inaugural winner of the Best Resort in the Middle East title.

Opened in 2011, the 111-villa Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, Best Resort in Africa, is the only resort on the private Silhouette Island. Garden or beachfront villas are available, as well as five restaurants, a host of activities, white-sand beaches and Aquum Spa. “We are delighted that Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa has been honored as the Best Resort in Africa,” said Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “With its white-sand beach setting on the hideaway Silhouette Island and luxurious villas, the resort has emerged as an exceptional vacation destination, as well as a marquee leisure property in our Hilton Resorts collection.”

WHERE IN THE world to go for your next leisure trip? Perhaps you consistently return to your favorite island; maybe you continually seek new experiences.

Whichever traveler you fancy yourself, here’s a list of islands worldwide worth considering.

12 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

Best Island in the Caribbean: Saint Lucia Photo: © Lawrence Weslowski, Jr. | Dreamstime.com

Hawaii’s fourth-largest island, Kaua’i deservedly won the honor of Best Island in the United States and Canada. It overflows with natural wonders, from the 3,567-foot-deep Waimea Canyon to the cliffs of the unspoiled Nāpali Coast. The five main resort areas include Princeville and Hanalei on the North Shore; The Royal Coconut Coast on the east side; Lihu’e, the island’s gateway city; Po’ipū Beach to the south; and the old-fashioned plantation-style towns of the west.

“Having Global Traveler determine that Kaua’i is the best of all the islands in the United States and Canada is a tremendous honor, and we are absolutely thrilled,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director, Kaua’i Visitors Bureau. “Time spent on Kaua’i is a rejuvenating experience inspired by our island’s incredible natural beauty and the fascinating diversity of outdoor activities there is to enjoy. Every visitor has a favorite place for memories on Kaua’i — like the Nāpali Coast, Wailua River or Waimea Canyon — that makes the Garden Isle uniquely special from any other travel destination.”

Attractions include the Piton Mountains, Pigeon Island, Volcano and Sulphur Springs, Castries Market, Rodney Bay and the Diamond Waterfall. European and ethnic culinary options abound. Accommodations range from all-inclusive options and boutique properties to privately owned villas and luxury hotels.

The island? Saint Lucia, the Best Island in the Caribbean.

“We are honored to be the first to be named Best Island in the Caribbean by Global Traveler. This award speaks to the dedication of the government, hotel and tourism partners and service workers who help make Saint Lucia a highly sought-after destination,” said Louis Lewis, director of tourism, Saint Lucia Tourist Board. “From our diverse ecosystem that includes the UNESCO World globaltravelerusa.com

Best Island in Europe: Capri Photo: © Freesurf69 | Dreamstime.com

Best Island in Australia and the South Pacific: Bora Bora Photo: © Lawrence Weslowski, Jr. | Dreamstime.com

UNCOMMONLY GOOD:

Scandinavian Airlines’ service Photo: © Scandinavian Airlines

globaltravelerusa.com

Heritage Pitons, pristine beaches and rainforests to events like the annual Saint Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival and even our weekly Friday Night Jump Ups, Saint Lucia offers rich cultural, culinary and adventure experiences for every visitor.”

A place of exquisite wildlife is the winner of Best Island in Mexico, Central and South America — the Galápagos Islands. No matter which of Darwin’s Enchanted Islands one chooses to uncover, wonders of nature exist aplenty.

Bora Bora is only 18 miles in circumference, yet it is often considered the most beautiful place in the world. It is also the first-ever Best Island in Australia and the South Pacific. The waters surrounding the island contain a circle of coral, and the mountains are a background for the aquamarine, sheltered lagoon. It sounds beautiful, even in words.

“On behalf of Tahiti Tourism and the Islands of Tahiti, we are honored Global Traveler has named our pearl of the Pacific, the island of Bora Bora, the Best Island in Australia and the South Pacific,” said Jonathan Reap, managing director, Tahiti Tourism North America. “The islands of Tahiti, the quintessential South Pacific getaway, are much closer than many think, just eight hours from Los Angeles. The island of Bora Bora is a quick 45-minute flight from Tahiti and offers romantics, families and adventurers alike stunning, lush mountains; aquamarine lagoons; iconic overwater bungalows; world-class resorts; and quaint, French-inspired restaurants — all for the ultimate private getaway.”

Best Island in Europe is Capri, a playground for fabulous people three miles off the coast of Italy. The landscape is breathtaking, with a jagged coastline and caves opening into grottos, the most well known being the Blue Grotto.

With excellent shopping and cuisine, travelers to Capri certainly enjoy a taste of la dolce vita.

“We are thrilled to have Capri awarded Best Island in Europe by Global Traveler readers in the first-ever Leisure Travel Awards,” said Eugenio Magnani, director, The Italian Government Tourist Board North America. “We would like to thank Global Traveler for delivering its readers their expert message of travel, and for proposing Italian destinations as among the most exciting and exclusive. A deep thank you also to the Global Traveler readers for voting Capri among the inaugural winners.”

As part of the Indonesian archipelago, tourism in Bali is continually on the rise. Life on the Best Island in Asia and Africa winner is guided by the Tri Hita Karana concept of a spiritual bond between the human, God and the environment — a perfect place for soul-searching, rest and relaxation.

Let’s raise a glass — little umbrellas included — to the inaugural winners of GT’s Leisure Travel Awards.

2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 13

ALFRESCO: Gourmet meal at Dunton Hot Springs Photo: © Dunton Hot Springs

Luxury Included

Exclusive all-inclusive resorts cater to guests seeking 5-star service and amenities. By Lois Friedland ‘All-inclusives are a bang for your buck. You avoid sticker shock when you check out, and you have a great experience for your money.’

— Linda Scaperotto, director of marketing for the Palladium Hotel Group

P

rivate car pickup from the airport? Check! Butler service and nannies? Check! Restaurants presided over by celebrity chefs? Check! Posh accommodations with an aura of privacy? We have it. Upscale activities from scuba diving or skiing to golf and tennis? No problem. Welcome to the world of 5-star all-inclusive resorts.

“All-inclusives are a bang for your buck. You avoid sticker shock when you check out, and you have a great experience for your money,” says Linda Scaperotto, director of marketing for the Palladium Hotel Group, summing up the reasons guests choose to stay at one of the company’s aptly named Royal Suites.

“It’s not a price thing,” premium travelers tell Christopher Bush, executive vice president of The Canyon Group of Companies, which owns the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort and Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado. “We hear, ‘We’re not nickeled and dimed.’ ’’

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While the “Leave your wallet at home” philosophy has been around since the 1950s, it was primarily 2- to 4-star properties adopting the approach. Now, with a growing number of hoteliers creating 5-star all-inclusive resorts, affluent travelers are showing up in droves.

Xavier Mufraggi, CEO of Club Med North America, explains the expanding trend. “Guests really get the best of what they are looking for: a high level of service and the convenience.” He says research now shows that “especially in the U.S. market, 60 percent of the wealthy and premium travelers would definitely go to an all-inclusive.”

Why? “It’s like being on a static cruise ship,” says Bush. “It has everything you might want.” Guests at Dunton Hot Springs, for example, pay one fee for an ultra-luxurious experience set in a restored ghost town in southwestern Colorado. While the outsides of the hand-hewn log cabins may look primitive, the insides are exquisitely furnished. In the winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are among the daytime choices, followed by a soak in the hot springs and a gourmet meal. In the summer, it’s hiking and exploring the surrounding mountains.

AS THE MARKET GROWS, different styles of 5-star allinclusive resorts develop in terms of size, cost and audience.

Today there are resorts (or sections within resorts) where globaltravelerusa.com

only adults can stay while others offer activities to entice families, and at least two companies focus on romance for couples. Some “all-inclusive” rates only cover lodging, food and certain activities; rates at other resorts cover everything a traveler might want to do while on vacation, such as golf, skiing and scuba diving.

The size of the resort is important to many affluent travelers who demand to be treated as VIPs. Some of the largest resorts have 900 or more guestrooms or suites spread around several buildings, and everyone has access to all of the amenities and restaurants. Others are large but divide the property in sections, with special areas only for the most discriminating guests. This resort-within-a-resort concept gives premium guests privacy while they still have access to all of a large resort’s amenities.

At the Grand Velas Riviera Maya, the Grand Class is an adults-only section (although teens are now allowed on certain floors) with ocean-view suites that may include a private plunge pool. This section has its own restaurant, bar and beach access.

Two other sections at the resort — the oceanfront Ambassador family-friendly area and the Zen Grand Section, three-quarters of a mile from the beach but near a convention center — are open to all guests.

One of the lures at Sandals all-inclusive resorts is the inclusion of scuba diving and golf. You get those and more when visiting Saint Lucia and staying in the Millionaire Suites, which are the epitome of luxury at Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa. Step outside the bedroom and cool off in the private infinity pool, or choose the whirlpool on the lower deck. Butler service, room service and private car transfers from the airport come with the suite.

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The family-friendly Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji, which has a long list of awards, especially for scuba diving, offers both all-inclusive packages and à la carte pricing for diving and other activities. A Scuba & Rejuvenation package, for example, includes lodging, meals, several off-site excursions and diving.

Another trend among affluent travelers is health and wellness, according to Mufraggi. He says more wealthy people are showing up at Club Med for the sports and activities that come with the all-inclusive rate. “They used to come just to relax. What we see now with wealthy people is they want to go back not just with a nice tan but also to go back in shape. It’s going to be a big game changer.” A game changer, perhaps, but one that’s in sync with Club Med’s focus from the beginning. Today the company has

SUITE SPOTS: Millionaire Suite at Sandals (top), and Grand Class Suite at Grand Velas Riviera Maya (bottom) Photos: © Sandals, © GRAND Velas Riviera Maya

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TAKE IN THE VIEW: Club Med 2 (top), and Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa (bottom)

Photos: © Club Med 2, © Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa

22 ski properties alone, including 20 in Europe and one each in China and Japan. Guests at Club Med Sandpiper in Florida have access to the Tennis and Golf Academies, where instructors are paid big bucks to teach players aspiring to go pro.

MOST PEOPLE KNOWLEDGEABLE about the all-inclusive resort movement agree the trend started in Majorca, Spain, when Gerald Blitz founded Club Med in 1950. He wanted to create a new style of vacation that included spending time outdoors playing active sports.

The concept worked, so in 1955 a Club Med was opened in Tahiti in the South Pacific, soon followed by a Club Med in Leysin, Switzerland.

By 1967, the first guests were returning with children, which led to the creation of Mini Club Med, a key component of today’s properties.

In 1989, Club Med 1, the first floating village on water, set sail. Today, Club Med 2 is a floating 5-star resort. Some 63 years later, Club Med has more than 80 resorts in 25 countries, all staying true to the original concept of offering all-inclusive vacations with lots of active sports and leisure activities.

The all-inclusive concept for romantic resorts popped up in Jamaica in 1978, when Couples Resorts founder Abe Issa decided to combine luxury, romance and value at Couples Ocho Rios. Gordon Stewart founded Sandals in 1981 when he took a property in Montego Bay and turned it into an all-inclusive resort designed for twosomes.

Around 2004 and 2005, several companies started rebranding some of their all-inclusive resorts as properties designed to appeal to upscale travelers. The resorts were remodeled to create more luxurious accommodations with private pools, butler service and other amenities affluent travelers were willing to pay for without batting an eye. Lots of restaurants were added — as many as 11 at one Sandals — with some overseen by celebrity chefs.

Club Med made a big change around 2004. According to Mufraggi, the company was already closing many of the 2-star properties and reducing the number of 3-star properties in North America, turning the business toward 4- and 5-star resorts. “The move was dictated by profitability and by customer expectation,” he says. “It was a business reality to either go midscale and value for the money, or go for a more upscale clientele and get a much better margin.”

TRAVELERS WHO PREFER small boutique properties have interesting choices spread around the globe. Many of these resorts are tucked into the wilderness, on private islands or in the middle of a jungle, and the accommodations stretch from tents to thatched-roof cottages to luxurious suites set on hillsides. Some of the packages at these properties have the customary all-inclusive components while others include activities such as safari drives, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, rock climbing and other outdoor adventures.

Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa is an award-winning design hotel situated so guests look out over Lake Sarmiento and the mountains in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

Excursions include treks, horse rides, scenic trips and bicycle rides.

At Curtain Bluff in Antigua, a 72-room boutique property where the guest return rate tops 60 percent, the fully inclusive tariff includes scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and tennis. The resort sits on a promontory 18 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

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Globility

SPECIAL EDITION Coming July 2013

2013 Global City Guidebook

Along with Global Traveler, the Global City Guidebook is celebrating its 10th anniversary!

Busy travelers have come to rely on the comprehensive Global City Guidebook for everything they need to know about cities around the globe. The annual guide is a compilation of over 30 individual city reports all wrapped up in one easy reference. The Global City Guidebook is a keepsake.

INTIMATE HIDEAWAY: Villa at Laucala Island (top), and Clayoquot Wilderness Resort (left)

Photos: © Laucala Island, © Clayoquot wilderness Resort

that juts into the sea between two beautiful beaches.

You’ll get turn-down service in your tent at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, a seaplane ride from Vancouver, British Columbia. It comes along with an en suite bathroom with a heated floor and indoor/outdoor shower in 12 of the 20 tents, gourmet meals and alcoholic beverages. But most of the guests come for the personalized guided adventures, from fishing and bear watching to rock climbing and surfing.

Guests at Lupita Island stay in 11 thatched-roof cottages or two family cottages that overlook Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika, the longest and seconddeepest lake in the world. Hiding away here includes full board, visiting local villages, some water sports and other excursions.

While safari lodges in Africa aren’t marketed as all-inclusives, the reality is that many properties include everything from food and accommodations to safari drives. Several companies go far beyond the basics. The Singita Lodges, for example, offer game-rich settings where guests stay in luxurious suites strung out on hillsides or private cottages overlooking grasslands or rivers where elephants and other animals come to drink. (Having a lion sleep near your doorstep or a monkey knocking at your window is a thrill.) Everything is included, except French Champagne and spa treatments.

Once the Forbes family private retreat, today Laucala Island is a hideaway where guests expect, and get, over-the-top luxury and service. Everything — from play on the 18-hole championship golf course to scuba diving coral-rich reefs, a spa treatment and horseback riding on the beach led by a horse whisperer — is included. Guests stay in 25 villas, elegant versions of traditional Fiji dwellings, spread around the 3,200-acre property. Residences come with a nanny, a chauffeur and food and beverage service.

Winter and summer sports in the Adirondack Mountains are open to guests at The Point, a small but ultra-high-end property in upstate New York. The lodge and guest cabins maintain the aura created by William Avery Rockefeller 20 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

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when he built this estate as his family’s private home a century ago. Twin Farms in Vermont is another intimate, low-key and exclusive hideaway whose name doesn’t begin to hint at the property’s luxury.

THE PALLADIUM HOTEL GROUP, based in Spain, is one of the companies that took a resort-within-a-resort approach to offer discriminating travelers pure opulence. “We found we had a traveler who was looking for a bit more luxury, adult-only, and something more peaceful,” says Linda Scaperotto, Palladium’s marketing director. That’s when the hotel group created the three adult-only Royal Suites sections tucked into large Palladium resorts.

“We don’t have an all-inclusive feel,” she says about the Royal Suites. Each offers a level of privacy and VIP service far beyond what guests in the rest of the resort receive. At the Royal Suites Turquesa by Palladium in Punta Cana, guests have a variety of suites to choose from, butler service, two restaurants, four bars, seven swimming pools and a private beach section for their exclusive use. Guests also have unlimited access to the wide array of services available at any of the three resorts located in the 5-star tourist complex: Grand Palladium Palace Resort Spa & Casino, Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & Spa and Grand Palladium Bávaro Resort & Spa. The Royal Suites Yucatán by Palladium, set in a private area within the Grand Palladium Resorts of the Mayan Riviera, and The Royal Suites Punta de Mita by Palladium at the Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa in Puerto Vallarta are run in a similar manner. Guests at both also have unlimited access to the array of activities and services of the full resorts.

Club Med also offers this style of experience, which the company calls 5-Trident

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DELUXE ADVENTURES: Grand Palladium Resorts of the Mayan Riviera (below), and luxury accommodations at Singita Lodges (bottom) Photos: © Palladium Resorts, © Singita

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Gourmet dinner at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort

Photo: © Clayoquot wilderness Resort

Luxury Spaces, in private areas at several 4-Trident resorts. At the Club Med in Val d’Isère, France, affluent skiers opt for a suite in Le Refuge, the 5-Trident Luxury Space, when they want to ski. It’s an exclusive section with a dedicated lounge and a hot tub with a view over the Massif de Solaise. Staying here, guests have privileged access to activities, concierge service and in-room continental breakfasts. Other 5-Trident Luxury Spaces can be found at Kani, the Maldives; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Cancún Yucatán, Mexico. Club Med even has luxury villas with private swimming pools at its properties on Mauritius Island and the Turkish Riviera.

THE ALL-INCLUSIVE PROMISE may be misleading at many all-inclusive resorts. Generally, it means your rate includes accommodations and food and drink at the restaurants. (At some properties, you may have to pay extra to dine at certain restaurants and pay extra for more expensive brands of liquor and wine.) Access to activities at the resort may be limited to the pools, certain group activities and non-motorized water sports.

Golf, spa treatments and scuba diving all cost extra at most of the all-inclusive resorts. At the Grand Velas Riviera Maya, for example, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and excursions to other adventures and Mayan ruins are all extra.

Other resorts include normally costly sports. At Sandals resorts, golf and scuba are included. Club Med vacations include all the activities. Sports and premium wines and liquors are part of the experience at the ultra-high-end properties such as Laucala Island and Twin Farms.

Prices range widely from about $650 per person per night up to $3,600 a night at the most opulent properties. Many of the larger properties offer special deals ranging from a percent discount to including an airfare credit, or allowing children under a certain age to stay for free.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort wildretreat.com

Lupita Island firelightexpeditions.com/lupita

Club Med clubmed.us

The Point thepointresort.com

Couples Resorts couples.com

The Royal Suites by Palladium palladiumhotelgroup.com

Curtain Bluff Resort curtainbluff.com

Sandals Resorts sandals.com

Dunton Hot Springs duntonhotsprings.com

Singita Lodges singita.com

Grand Velas Riviera Maya rivieramaya.grandvelas.com

Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa tierrapatagonia.com

Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji fijiresort.com

Twin Farms twinfarms.com

Laucala Island laucala.com

Visual Itineraries visualitineraries.com

22 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

THE TREND FOR HIGH-END all-inclusive resorts has found a home in the Caribbean and Mexico, where there are lots of choices from certain properties in chains ranging from Sandals, Couples and Dreams to Palladium and Iberostar resorts. Elsewhere in the world, it’s more difficult to find highend all-inclusive properties, according to Michael Cottam, president of Visual Itineraries, a Web service offering travel agents a way to give clients a visual tour of upcoming itineraries. (Scrolling down on the site lets anyone see pictures and videos of all-inclusive resorts around the globe.) Club Med has 5-Trident Luxury Spaces in its resorts in Europe, but you won’t find many other all-inclusive resorts there. Safari lodges in Africa have long offered all-inclusive packages, although they aren’t marketed this way. There are a few ultra-high-end resorts in North America, including The Point, Dunton Hot Springs, Twin Farms and Clayquot Wilderness Lodge.

The goal of all 5-star all-inclusive resorts is to make each guest feel special. Properties that anticipate all of a guest’s needs and wishes and then make them come true are thriving. globaltravelerusa.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Te Araroa: The Long Pathway Te Araroa, or the long pathway, runs the length of both New Zealand’s islands and is the ultimate hiking experience. Beginning at Cape Reinga, at the northern end of North Island, the trail ends at Stirling Point at Bluff, at the bottom of South Island. The interconnecting trails, officially opened in 2011, vary in difficulty, from easy walks to alpine traverses, all while soaking in the natural splendor of gorgeous New Zealand.

The Great Walks of New Zealand

Hikers on any of New Zealand’s nine Great Walks will pass through magnificent destinations and by local icons.

Hiking Kepler Track

On the Trail in New Zealand

PHOTOS: © Hugoht | Dreamstime.com, © Dmitry Pichugin | Dreamstime.com, © Jiri Foltyn | Dreamstime.com

See why GT readers voted New Zealand the best place to hike on the planet.

New Zealand’s landscape is best experienced by foot. The country’s vast outdoors offers hundreds of walking and hiking trails perfect for people of all fitness levels. The choices range from walking tracks in wide-open spaces and urban heritage trails to native bush walks and adventure hikes. Beyond the beautiful scenery, New Zealand offers a diversity unrivaled around the globe. New Zealand stands out.

If you prefer to stick to the cities, Auckland’s inner city trails cover the city’s 49 volcanic cones, including Rangitoto Island. The new multi-day Hillary Trail is 30 minutes from Auckland. Wellington’s Botanic Garden and Otari-Wilson’s Bush are full of tracks, bush and garden walks. Walkers and hikers in Christchurch will experience coastal views along the banks of the Avon River or the Port Hills. New Zealand’s small size allows travelers to quickly and easily access spectacular hiking 30 minutes from any major city.

Adventurers should check out Queenstown’s heli-hiking in a remote alpine setting. Fiordland allows heli-hikers to land on a glacier and take a walk across the ice. The Franz Joseph Glacier walk on the west coast is also a must-see.

New Zealand allows hikers to experience beaches, bush, glaciers and mountains. Travelers can even explore for themselves the locations where blockbusters such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings filmed. Thousands of miles of trails cover the terrain and a number of options exist for all ability levels ranging from 30 minutes to multiple days. On-site facilities along all the trails are well maintained, high-quality and easily accessible.

Don’t just dream about it. Start planning your New Zealand hiking adventure now. Visit newzealand.com/us/hiking for more amazing NZ hiking articles, images and stories.

Lake Waikaremoana: Rainforests and wetlands await on this track through Te Urewera National Park.

Tongariro Northern Circuit: The walk through Tongariro National Park encircles active volcanoes and lava flows.

Whanganui Journey: A canoe trip and walk all in one, the journey flows through native forest with abundant birdlife.

Abel Tasman Coast Track: The track runs along beaches and rock formations, offering coastal views.

Heaphy Track: Rainforest, sub-alpine tussock, mountains, lowland forest and beaches — this track passes through it all.

Kepler Track: Fiordland is showcased on this trail, with its mountains, native forest, glacier-carved valleys and waterfalls.

Milford Track: Also in Fiordland and famous, the journey traverses to lakes, mountain peaks, valley views and the tallest waterfall in New Zealand.

Rakiura Track: This track navigates the much-unchanged habitats of New Zealand’s Stewart Island.

Routeburn Track: This great walk is a link between Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park.

Crater lakes, Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Korokoro Falls, Lake Waikaremoana

Shaken or Stirred For cocktail connoisseurs, the perfect drink is a memorable one. By Allison Voigts

T

he perfect cocktail is a sensory experience, capable of recalling an anniversary at The Ritz-Carlton or a balmy afternoon in Bangkok. Although many of today’s cocktails originated in the 1800s, mixologists around the world continue to put a unique spin on these creations, taking inspiration from craft liquors, local ingredients and the bar atmosphere.

At the New York Bar inside the Park Hyatt Tokyo, for example, four signature cocktails take their cues from the enormous paintings of New York landmarks hanging throughout the bar.

“The red hues of the Radio City [cocktail] are inspired by the music hall’s spotlights,” says the bar’s assistant manager, Utaro Izaki. “Our Yankee Stadium is a beer cocktail — what baseball game would be complete without it? — paired with apple juice, of course, and a touch of lemongrass to match the outfield.”

Not that cocktails need to be unusual in order to be memorable. With a contemporary emphasis on fresh herbs and fruit juices, sometimes an old standby is the star of the cocktail menu.

I will never forget the mojito I had at a family-run restaurant in Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar, muddled with mint leaves and limes from a garden next to the kitchen. Through the open window, the sound of strange incantations mingled with the smell of rain, creating a memory forever connected to the taste of Mandalay Rum.

‘ The red hues of the Radio City [cocktail] are inspired by the music hall’s spotlights.’

— Utaro Izaki, assistant manager, New York Bar

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:

The Radio City cocktail at Park Hyatt Tokyo’s New York Bar Photo: © Park Hyatt Tokyo

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DEEP SOUTH: Cox & Kings Antarctica tour Photo: ©Cox & Kings

SOME SAY THE Bloody Mary originated at Harry’s New York Bar, where Hemingway and his friends hung out in Paris. Others attribute its invention to comedian and actor George Jessel, while still others suggest a waitress named Mary at Chicago’s Bucket of Blood Club inspired it.

No matter who conceived combining vodka and tomato juice, everyone agrees it was popularized by French bartender Fernand Petiot, who began spicing the Red Snapper (he deemed the name “Bloody Mary” too distasteful) when he took over the King Cole Bar in New York’s St. Regis Hotel in 1934.

“I cover the bottom of the shaker with four large dashes of salt, two dashes of black pepper, two dashes of cayenne pepper and a layer of Worcestershire sauce; I then add a dash of lemon juice and some cracked ice,” he told The New Yorker.

Nowadays, St. Regis hotels worldwide tap into regional influences when putting their twist on the Bloody Mary, replacing the vodka with Tsingtao beer in Beijing or tequila and chili in Texas. But the globaltravelerusa.com

King Cole Bar continues the tradition of serving Petiot’s signature Red Snapper.

ONE MIGHT EXPECT America’s best Manhattan to be made in the Big Apple; instead, it’s served in Detroit. Bartender Travis Fourmont of Roast restaurant at The Westin Book Cadillac hotel took home the title at this year’s Woodford Reserve Master of the Manhattan contest for his version of the classic cocktail, the Midnight Manhattan.

Like the original Manhattan (which was supposedly invented at a banquet held for Winston Churchill’s mother at New York City’s Manhattan Club), Fourmont’s concoction includes American whiskey and house-made bitters, but the similarities end there. Where a traditional Manhattan uses sweet vermouth, Fourmont substitutes a mixture of Italian Amaro, Campari and cherry liqueur.

“Now that whiskey is so good, you want it to be whiskey forward,” he told the Detroit Free Press. “You want to taste the whiskey.”

The award-winning creation, which uses two ounces of Woodford

SIGNATURES:

A Red Snapper at The St. Regis New York’s King Cole Bar (left), and the Midnight Manhattan at The Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit (right) Photos: © St. Regis Hotel, © The Westin

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Reserve’s small-batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, is achieving notoriety at the bar at Roast. Too bad for New Yorkers, it’s a 500-mile trip to try the country’s tastiest Manhattan.

CLASSICS: A Margarita (right), and a Martini at Dukes Hotel in London (below)

Photos: © Gabriel Nardelli Araujo | Dreamstime.com, © Dukes Hotel

MARGARET, MARJORIE, RITA: A number of women have claimed to inspire America’s favorite tequila-based cocktail — and a number of bartenders claim to have invented it. Among the Margarita’s purported origins are an Acapulco cocktail party hosted by American socialite Margaret Sames; a bar south of Tijuana where a showgirl named Marjorie King frequently drank; and the Agua Caliente Race Track, where Rita Hayworth performed.

Whether or not it was born in Mexico — where tequila is not typically mixed — by the 1950s it was ubiquitous in America’s bars and Mexicanstyle restaurants.

“She’s from Mexico, Señores, and she is lovely to look at, exciting and provocative,” wrote Esquire magazine in 1953 about the combination of tequila, triple sec and lime juice.

Fast-forward 60 years and the Margarita has taken the world by storm, achieving infamy with its own holiday (National Margarita Day, Feb. 22) and incarnations as varied as its creation myths. Devotees can drink a $100 Margarita made with edible gold flakes and blood orange “caviar” at L.A.’s Red O Restaurant or order a Margie mixed with popcorn-infused tequila at Chef Brian Malarkey’s San Diego outpost, Gingham.

E.B. WHITE CALLED IT “the elixir of quietude.” Journalist H.L. Mencken dubbed it “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.” Its proportions of gin and vermouth may have evolved, but the almighty Martini has never gone out of style.

As early as the 1860s, bar patrons at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel were drinking a combination of gin and dry vermouth named after the nearby town of Martinez. But it wasn’t until Prohibition and the proliferation of bathtub gin that the simple blend of spirits flourished. As the quality of gin improved, the amount of vermouth shrank. (Winston Churchill is said to have simply whispered the word “vermouth” to a glass of gin).

The Martini’s greatest publicist, novelist Ian Fleming, was inspired by the drinks at Dukes Hotel in London, a tiny traditional bar that is still said to serve one of the world’s best Martinis.

Bar manager Alessandro Palazzi selects a dry amber vermouth from Sacred, a London micro distillery, to give a flavor similar to Bond’s preferred Kina Lillet.

Lemons from Italy’s Amalfi Coast and a cold, crisp pour complete the classic cocktail. Whether it’s served shaken or stirred, well, that part’s up to you.

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HINT OF MINT: The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans’ Mint Julep, and a traditional Mojito (below) Photos: © Kris Piotrowski, © Artcasta | Dreamstime.com

“IT IS THE VERY DREAM of drinks, the vision of sweet quaffings,” begins bartender Chris McMillian, quoting from an ode to the Mint Julep written by journalist J. Soule Smith. Whenever McMillian — who tends bar at the Davenport Lounge inside The RitzCarlton New Orleans — mixes the bourbon beverage, he recites this 1890s elegy.

Only a drink of Southern origins could inspire such rhapsodizing, and the Mint Julep has roots in Virginia barrooms dating back to the 18th century.

But the cocktail’s biggest break came in 1938, when it was selected as the official beverage of the annual Kentucky Derby. Nowadays, almost 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served over the two-day racing period each year.

For bourbon imbibers who don’t have tickets to the race, Louisville’s Proof on Main offers the next best thing: Mint Juleps made with one of more than 50 of Kentucky’s finest artisanal bourbons, some bottled exclusively for the Main Street bar.

As J. Soule Smith put it, “Sip it and say there is no solace for the soul, no tonic for the body like old Bourbon whiskey.” globaltravelerusa.com

ORIGINALLY DUBBED “El Draque” after English sea captain Sir Francis Drake, the 19th-century cocktail combined mint, lime and sugar with a rough liquor distilled by slaves in Cuban sugarcane fields. With the introduction of refined rum came a new name for the popular cocktail: Mojito — possibly a reference to mojo, a widely used Cuban seasoning made from lime.

Perhaps the drink’s biggest proponent was Ernest Hemingway, who patronized La Bodeguita del Medio, a Havana grocery store-turned-restaurant popular with mid-century artists and intellectuals. “My mojito in La Bodeguita, My daiquiri in La Floridita,” he wrote on the bar’s wall — an inscription that can still be seen today.

A number of La Bodeguita replicas have opened everywhere from Australia to Macedonia, but the best bars continue to take their inspiration from freshly muddled mint and superior rum. Miami’s Tap Tap restaurant, which is widely considered to serve the city’s best mojito, makes a break from tradition with Rhum Barbancourt 5-Star Haitian rum. But most importantly, Tap Tap’s bartenders aren’t in any hurry; the Haitian restaurant eschews pre-made mixtures for the old-fashioned mortar and pestle.

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MODERN TWISTS: An Old-Fashioned (left), and a Pisco Sour (right) Photos: © Gabe Palmer | Dreamstime.com, © Ildipapp | Dreamstime.com

Cocktail historians agree that the frothy combination of Peruvian pisco (a type of brandy distilled from young wine), lime juice, syrup, egg white and bitters came about at Morris’ Bar in Lima during the 1920s.

28 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

LONG BEFORE THE MARTINI became king of the cocktail bar, nostalgic patrons of America’s speakeasies were asking for “old-fashioned” whiskey cocktails. A proliferation of absinthe and other liqueurs in the late 1800s led purists to long for the days when a cocktail was, as a newspaper editor put it in 1806, “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters.”

The Old-Fashioned concoction enjoyed a heyday around the turn of the century, but sometime after Prohibition, bartenders began tossing fruit into the mix. Turn on an episode of Mad Men and you’ll see Don Draper drinking his period-appropriate Old-Fashioned with a muddled cherry and a heavy dose of club soda.

These days artisanal cocktail slingers such as Prime Meats in Brooklyn stick to a simple list of ingredients while mixing things up with inventive basics like house-made Bartlett pear bitters. JBird Cocktails on the Upper East Side devotes an entire menu page to the drink, including a Honey-Nut Old-Fashioned that features roasted peanutinfused bourbon. For now, at least, the Old-Fashioned’s return to style has also meant a return to dignity.

JUST BECAUSE IT’S ONE of the few cocktails with a definitive origin story doesn’t mean the Pisco Sour’s invention isn’t in dispute. Cocktail historians agree that the frothy combination of Peruvian pisco (a type of brandy distilled from young wine), lime juice, syrup, egg white and bitters came about at Morris’ Bar in Lima during the 1920s. But neighboring Chile soon claimed the spirit as its own, setting off a decades-long dispute that includes dueling national holidays to celebrate the Pisco Sour.

Regardless of the beverage’s back story, it’s enjoying a renewed popularity among young professionals in Lima’s contemporary bars and restaurants. Trendy drinking holes like Huaringas Bar put a modern spin on the Pisco Sour with flavors like golden berry and passion fruit.

San Franciscans have been imbibing their own incarnation of the cocktail since the 19th century, when trading ships from Peru introduced the potent pisco. Called Pisco Punch, the mixture of pineapple, pisco, lime juice, sugar and acacia gum can still be consumed at bars like Comstock Saloon, where the concoction includes a secret tincture of herbs and artisanal Encanto Pisco. globaltravelerusa.com

First in Business gourmet cuisine

New! Non-stop from Washington Dulles to Brussels 5 times weekly as from June 18, 2013 • • • • •

A lovely start: Enjoy your choice of aperitif, including Laurent Perrier champagne, with a selection of delicious finger food Gastronomic: 4-course menu with a selection of starters and main courses, with highlights from Belgian cuisine Savor the best: Enjoy fine wines and spirits from prestigious cellars Sweet delights: Indulge in our world-famous Belgian chocolates, desserts and ice-cream Healthy bites: Fresh fruit available throughout the flight

Now available on all our intercontinental flights

As selected by Global Traveler’s Wines on the Wing Business Class Wine Survey; www.globaltravelerusa.com

brusselsairlines.com/experience or your travel agency

LEGENDARY LIBATIONS: A traditional Sidecar (left), and Raffles Hotel Singapore’s Singapore Sling (right) Photos: © Fibobjects | Dreamstime.com, © Raffles Hotel Singapore

LEGEND HAS IT the Sidecar was named after the mode of transportation of an American Army captain who was driven to drink (literally) at a Paris bistro during World War I. Whether or not the etymology is true, the cocktail of cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice was likely composed at one of two Paris institutions: the Ritz Hotel or Harry’s New York Bar. Nearly a century after the Sidecar’s heyday, it’s all but absent from the menus of Paris’ most popular cocktail bars. A version of the drink priced at more than $1,600 — featuring cognac from the mid-18th century — was being served at the Ritz Hotel’s Hemingway Bar until the establishment shut its doors for extensive renovations last year.

Fortunately, cocktail connoisseurs with a hankering for one of Hemingway’s and Fitzgerald’s favorite drinks can still find the Sidecar on the menu of eight classic cocktails at Harry’s New York Bar. And across the pond, the concoction has made a comeback among New York City mixologists like Audrey Saunders, who includes a Tantric Sidecar made with Calvados, pineapple juice and green chartreuse on the menu of Soho’s legendary Pegu Club.

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THE SINGAPORE SLING may not be the world’s most distinguished drink, but it certainly knows how to have fun. Invented around 1915 by a bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon at the Raffles Hotel Singapore, the original recipe more closely resembled a Daisy than a classic “sling” of liquor, sugar, lemon and water.

Ngiam’s cocktail called for gin, Cherry Heering, Benedictine and fresh Sarawak pineapple juice — a combination that British writer Charles Baker called “a delicious, slow-acting, insidious thing.”

Over the next few decades, the Singapore Sling’s ingredients were slowly stripped away until the foamy mixture once enjoyed

by Somerset Maugham consisted of little more than gin, bottled sweet and sour, and grenadine. But with the resurgence of fresh fruit juices came even more additions to the mix: The Raffles recipe today includes Cointreau, grenadine, lemon juice and bitters.

While Raffles’ Long Bar remains a nostalgic place to knock back a few, cocktail connoisseurs nowadays descend on Orgo, the Singapore bar of renowned Japanese mixologist Tomoyuki Kitazoe. Kitazoe uses only cut-to-order fruits and fresh, organic ingredients (with the exception of the gin) for a Sling best sipped on sultry afternoons. globaltravelerusa.com

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TALL ORDER: A traditional Tequila Sunrise (left), and a Tom Collins (right) Photos: © Eugene Bochkarev | Dreamstime.com, © Wollertz | Dreamstime.com

ASK FOR A TEQUILA SUNRISE and you’ll end up with one of two very different drinks. The original, created at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in the late 1930s or early 1940s, consists of tequila, crème de cassis, lime juice and soda water. As the story goes, bartender Gene Sulit invented the custom cocktail for a longtime guest who loved soaking up the Phoenix sunshine poolside.

But the Tequila Sunrise as most people know it today — tequila, orange juice and grenadine — originated three decades later at a Sausalito restaurant popular with rock and rollers, the Trident.

Apparently the Rolling Stones enjoyed the new libation at Trident’s kickoff party for their 1972 tour; they proceeded to introduce the cocktail across the country.

These days the Art Deco-style Arizona Biltmore serves both — as well as a third, the Tropical Tequila Sunrise, featuring fresh pineapple juice and Pama Pomegranate liqueur. Mixologists around Phoenix have also put their spin on the colorful classic: At award-winning pizza joint The Parlor, the Jalisco Sunrise combines spicy Serranoinfused Corzo Tequila with pink grapefruit, cilantro and lime.

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“HAVE YOU SEEN Tom Collins?” asked many a practical joker in 1874. “He’s at the bar around the corner spreading lies about you!”

Sightings of the libelous Tom were reported in newspapers across America that summer. And while the unsavory character remained elusive, neighborhood bars began serving a liquid version of the sought-after Mr. Collins: gin, lemon juice, gum syrup and soda water.

No one knows exactly where Tom Collins came from. In 1891, a British physician suggested a fellow Brit by the name of John Collins created the drink, but American cocktail connoisseurs were doubtful.

“The essentially American character of [this and other drinks] is obvious,” wrote H.L. Mencken. “The English, in naming their drinks, commonly display a far more limited imagination.”

In any case, the English have proved among the most faithful to the cocktail’s original recipe (which suffered from the introduction of pre-mixed sweet-and-sour). LAB, the London Academy of Bartending’s lounge, devotes an entire page to the Collins family, including Lychee Collins, with vanilla sugar and lychee purée, and Honey and Fig Collins, featuring homemade honey water and fig liqueur. globaltravelerusa.com

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2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 33

Star Struck Even if you number among the travelers who confidently assume that stars, diamonds, rosettes and first-place accolades are always a matter of quantity ensuring quality, making sense of the plethora of ratings systems in use may just leave you too exhausted to eat or sleep.

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P

erception, some claim, is everything.

Confronted by the comfortable familiarity of, say, a restaurant displaying a Michelin star or a luxury hotel sporting a 5-diamond AAA rating, a prospective customer assumes a certain level of trust. Along with this trust comes anticipation — and the legitimate expectation of a dazzling experience.

But even if you number among the travelers who confidently assume that stars, diamonds, rosettes and first-place accolades are always a matter of quantity ensuring quality, making sense of the plethora of ratings systems in use may just leave you too exhausted to eat or sleep.

Nevertheless, when it comes to dining, consistently reliable sources include establishments that have earned Michelin stars or which boast a chef who’s been the recipient of a prestigious industry award from the James Beard Foundation or the Bocuse d’Or. Finedining devotees understand such prestige comes not only from the difficulty of achieving but also maintaining consistently high levels of performance. Rigorous evaluations and judging systems offer clear guideposts for diners, leading them to a fully vetted dining

globaltravelerusa.com

Photo: © Alexander Limbach | Dreamstime.com

Within the galaxy of restaurant and hotel ratings, luminaries occasionally collide. By Debra Bokur

Photo: © Arne9001 | Dreamstime.com

experience that they can feel confident will deliver the level of culinary encounter they seek. Now, for instance, that Atera in New York City has been newly anointed with two Michelin stars, and Spain’s Azurmendi has three, diners will feel an added sense of both confidence and excitement upon arrival of their amuse-bouche.

Along with their awareness of awards, astute travelers tend to develop an individual methodology for selecting restaurants and hotels, rarely depending on a single system.

“When booking travel to a new city, I follow slightly different approaches for restaurants and lodging,” offers Adam Coyne, vice president of communications at Mathematica Policy Research.

“I begin both, however, with personal recommendations from people I know and trust, or find interesting choices in major travel publications or newspapers such as The New York Times. That being said, I often Google ‘best restaurants’ in a specific location, and then drill down using a combination of Yelp, Zagat and Urbanspoon.”

While Coyne acknowledges that traditional guidebooks, such globaltravelerusa.com

as Michelin, will direct him to a certain kind of dining experience, he’s often looking for what he describes as more along the lines of hidden gem, local favorite or unique experience. That goal is often met through social review tools such as Urbanspoon or Zagat, which he says help him to better understand the “wisdom of the proverbial crowd.”

Considering the astronomical number of restaurant choices available across the planet, few travelers would demur at the prospect of a little guidance. Since information is essential to making wise decisions, ratings from respected sources can be particularly significant. But when it comes to hotel ratings, things quickly grow murky. While a multitude of ratings are available from a corresponding multitude of sources, there is no universal, standardized system to consult. A recent trend report published by leading hotel industry data tracking firm STR Global totes up 13.4 million hotels worldwide — that’s a lot to choose from, even when narrowed down to a specific category.

Though some progress has been made in the quest to establish global ratings, with the Belgium-based organization World

Considering the astronomical number of restaurant choices available across the planet, few travelers would demur at the prospect of a little guidance.

2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 35

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online traveler review paradigm — says the value of social media when applied to reviews is that extraneous content is filtered out.

The immediate feedback from travelers translates to instant karma for properties not living up to their claims. Authenticity, says Carlin, is paramount. TripAdvisor has investigators, along with a team of academics and professionals, who constantly filter information.

“TripAdvisor is more than a website,” says Carlin. “It’s a community with a very active travel forum where you can find information that is immediate and up to date. There’s an average of 60 new contributions coming in every minute.”

If a highly rated restaurant has just lost its star chef or a hotel has suddenly decided to renovate its lobby, repave the parking lot or paint the pool, that information is quickly available to travelers as they’re making plans. Where such information may be less effective is with consumers who have formed strong attachments to a particular chef, restaurant or hotel brand. Brand loyalty can, in fact, be so powerful that even spongy fusilli bucati or underdone ostrich can be overlooked if it’s served in a favorite restaurant. At least, overlooked up to a point.

Boaz Mourad, CEO of New York-based Insight Strategy, a research firm focused on the travel industry, is also a professor of globaltravelerusa.com

Photos: © Simon Thomas | Dreamstime.com,

Hotel Rating working to standardize a system, the overabundance of ranking schemes currently in existence can lead to confusion and, in some cases, disappointment.

A growing number of hotels — including the Burj Al Arab in Dubai — have gone super-nova, assigning themselves ratings of six, seven and eight stars, outside traditionally accepted industry scales.

Consumers may wonder if the next step is the assignment of entire constellations. These otherworldly ratings have no basis in an independent assessment, which is where social media and the concept of critical mass have proven to be especially valuable.

“The rise of the trends — TripAdvisor, Yelp and similar sites — have added more information to the system,” says Darren Dahl, professor of marketing at Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia, “and that’s useful to the consumer. It means that they have more data points to use when making a decision and can therefore be more comfortable with that decision. While it may, to some degree, be possible to manipulate these systems, I would think it rare. If you have 8,000 people rating the same thing, not just two or three, you can assume a level of reliability. Simply put, once you have mass, you have credibility.”

Lesley Carlin, spokesperson for TripAdvisor — pioneers of the

Photo: © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com

psychology at New York University who special‘People have a need to say, “Yes, it’s really good, because I paid a lot.” ’ izes in the psychology of decision-making.

— Boaz Mourad, CEO of New York-based Insight Strategy “If, for instance, a particular hotel brand has come to represent a standard in your mind, and you have one event that deviates, you might be willing to dismiss it as an anomaly and give them the benefit of your doubt,” explains Mourad. “But then they’re on probation, and if you later go to the brand’s Paris property and it’s not great either, your relationship to the brand will weaken.”

If you’ve paid top rates for a suite or for a table at a highly regarded restaurant, there’s both conscious and subconscious pressure to find an acceptable excuse for a less-than-stellar experience.

“This is cognitive dissonance, the need to justify a decision or choice,” Mourad elaborates.

“People have a need to say, ‘Yes, it’s really good, because I paid a lot.’ You’ll do it to the extent that you can, but repeated disappointments will make you abandon the brand entirely. If something really unpleasant occurs that you can’t justify — an atrocious meal or unclean room that disrupts your experience — then the spell is broken, and you actually become very critical of the entire brand.”

The experts say that being extremely annoyed or being exceptionally pleased with a travel experience is exactly what motivates a consumer to take the step of voicing a written opinion on an online travel review platform.

“All of these information systems have their skeptics and detractors, and you tend to get the two ends of the spectrum,” admits Dahl. “But if you can triangulate your information — Yelp says the restaurant is a 4.5, it has a Michelin star, and Expedia says these things — then you as a consumer can say, okay this information averages out to this number, and that’s information I can believe.”

Ratings, whether in a guidebook, displayed on a door or found online, needn’t be mutually exclusive, nor should one detract from another. Michael Petrone, director, Tourism Information Development, American Automobile Association, believes consumers appear to be more confused than ever by individuals who purport to be experts. This, he says, may explain the appeal of input from other travelers, especially when that input appears to be unmotivated by any self-interest.

“The key questions,” says Petrone, “are which ratings are accurate and reliable, and what is their basis? At AAA, professional inspectors use published criteria based on our members’ perspective, along with the latest industry trends. We’ve employed full-time inspectors since 1937.

Since the purpose of ratings is to help travelers make informed decisions, it is very important that rating authorities are transparent — disclosing their meaning and how they are determined. The fact is that very few systems are based on substance and expert opinion. There is also the matter of unclear rating definitions.” globaltravelerusa.com

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— Arabella Bowen, executive

editorial director of Fodor’s Travel

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globaltravelerusa.com

Photo: © Keqiang Lu | Dreamstime.com

‘Far from being outdated, traditional ratings systems should be thought of as an essential complement to user reviews.’

The concept of guides offering recommendations is nothing new. As the 20th century began to unfold, so did a growing love affair with the automobile and the freedom to wander long and winding roads. Advancements in highway and road construction made car travel inviting, and holiday explorers were no longer limited to inns clustered around train and livery stations. Printed guides became a valuable tool in trip planning. But in today’s world of instant feedback, do they still carry the same cachet?

“Far from being outdated, traditional ratings systems should be thought of as an essential complement to user reviews,” offers Arabella Bowen, executive editorial director of Fodor’s Travel. “[At Fodor’s,] professionals evaluating hotels and restaurants visit many each year, giving them a unique and informed perspective to assess properties in comparison to one another.

Reviewers often visit a property multiple times to get the most accurate picture, which is rarely the case in user-generated reviews, as travelers typically stay or eat at any given property only once during a vacation.”

What user reviews do offer, says Bowen, is a personal perspective that gives insight into how other travelers experienced a particular property at a specific moment in time.

“They are subjective by nature,” says Bowen, “and may not take into consideration all the factors an expert reviewer looks for, such as how the property compares to others in the area, or all the services and amenities offered to guests. Combined, these two ratings systems merge objective criteria with real-time personal experiences to provide an excellent overview of how properties stack up. To this end, Fodors .com displays recent TripAdvisor ratings and reviews alongside our expert hotel reviews wherever possible.”

User reviews are unlikely to entirely replace traditional guides any time soon, and the sheer volume of online reviews will continue to be off-putting to many people. In Mourad’s words, the volume can be hard to “waddle through.”

“Is there room,” Insight Strategy’s Mourad asks, “for Michelin guides and other reliable sources to help people break through the clutter and get a point of view? Yes. TripAdvisor doesn’t have a point of view; Michelin does. Tripadvisor doesn’t break through the clutter; it is the clutter. Any rating that has a point of view is helpful to people. Michelin has an agenda; TripAdvisor doesn’t. There’s room for both the wisdom of crowds and sources with a point of view.”

Reviews, opinions and brand loyalty aside, the simple truth is this: Chefs come and go, service staffs change, and even the very best hotels have the rare bad day. Ascertaining whether or not your meal will be the stuff of legends or if your hotel stay will transform your life isn’t a sure thing based solely on diamonds, stars or 5,000 reviews — but those tools can certainly point you in the right direction.

Charting the Stars Here’s a quick guide to familiar ratings and awards systems for restaurants.

James Beard Foundation Award

Introduced in 1977, AAA’s guides to restaurants and hotels include diamond rankings, broken out as one diamond for basic good food and overall quality; two diamonds for themed restaurant with good menu selection; three diamonds for presence of a professional chef and staff, distinct theme and comfort; four diamonds for fine dining in first-class surroundings; and five diamonds for world-class food and dining experience. Ratings are determined by professionally trained inspectors who make unannounced visits.

Established in 1990 and considered the highest honor for professionals working in North America, this award is given each spring in honor of the late cookbook author and teacher James Beard. Within the Restaurant and Chef category, subcategories include Rising Star Chef, Best Chef (by region), Outstanding Pastry Chef and Outstanding Chef. Judges are selected by awards committees based on expertise and may not enter their own awards category during the year they are judging — though they are free to enter other categories. Nominees are announced in early spring. Winners are selected after careful review of entries, with voting by secret ballot.

Automobile Association

Michelin Guide Stars

In 1905, the Automobile Association in Britain created a guide for members, recommending dining and lodging establishments. In 1912, a multicolor, 5-star rating system was added; and in 1955, a subjective award system of “rosettes” was introduced. Inspectors award one rosette for restaurants exhibiting quality food, ingredients and service; two rosettes for great precision in cooking and higher-quality ingredients; three rosettes for outstanding flavor, ingredients and service; four rosettes for top restaurants worthy of national recognition; and the very rare five rosettes in recognition of world-class cuisine and a “highly individual voice.” Annual awards, judged by industry experts, are given in multiple categories for hotels and restaurants, including AA Chef’s Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year and Pub of the Year.

The Michelin Guides — including the esteemed series of Red Guides — evolved from a travel guide published in 1900, created by brothers André and Édouard Michelin to rate restaurants in France. The Michelin system awards between one and three stars to establishments that have demonstrated high standards of food preparation, presentation, service and ambience.

One star designates “very good cuisine in its category,” two stars designate “excellent cuisine, worth a detour,” while three stars designate “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” A level of three stars is not easily acquired and remains a relatively rare accolade. Authorized, anonymous Michelin inspectors conduct regular assessments of starred restaurants throughout the year. Awards are annual, and just as stars are given, stars are frequently taken away.

Additional awards include the Bib Gourmand, which recognizes “good food at moderate prices,” and Rising Stars, a separate call-out for restaurants that may eventually qualify for a full star.

In the past, controversy surrounded the inspection system, regarding whether Michelin employs as many inspectors as it claims and whether the inspections are carried out as frequently as stated.

American Automobile Association

Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition Founded in 1987 by Chef Paul Bocuse, the Bocuse d’Or is widely recognized as the world’s most challenging culinary competition. Teams consist of a single chef and his or her commis, with a coach who is required to remain outside of the designated kitchen area. Teams are chosen from 24 countries and compete in a grueling, five-and-a-half-hour cooking competition in front of 24 chef judges and a live audience in Lyon, France.

Up to 40 points are given for quality, 20 points for presentation and 20 points for a combination of factors. Held every other year, teams qualify at various national events, including the Bocuse d’Or USA, Bocuse d’Or Asia, Bocuse d’Or Europe and the Copa Azteca Latin America. Additional wild card selections are made from around the world.

Gault Millau This prestigious guide to restaurants (and now, hotels) uses a system of 20 points, with 20 being the highest achievement.

Restaurant critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau founded it in 1965 with a focus solely on food. In recent years, the guide has been scrutinized for its close relationships with restaurants recommended within its pages. globaltravelerusa.com

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Choices are made by British trade publication Restaurant.

Though being named to the list has very real benefits for restaurants, debate surrounds the judging system, which sometimes included chef judges also vying for a place on the list. Category awards include Best Female Chef, The One to Watch, Continental Restaurant Award and The Slow Food UK Award. Entries are compiled from The Diners Club World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, a group of industry experts from 26 regions around the world. Confidential votes are cast by academy members who must have dined at the property within the prior 18 months. Judges are prohibited from voting for restaurants with which they have any personal financial interest.

American Automobile Association aaa.com Automobile Association theaa.com Bocuse d’Or International Culinary Competition bocusedor.com Fodor’s fodors.com James Beard Foundation Award jamesbeard.org Michelin Guides michelintravel.com TripAdvisor tripadvisor.com Urbanspoon urbanspoon.com World Hotel Rating worldhotelrating.com The World’s 50 Best Restaurants theworlds50best.com Yelp Yelp.com Zagat Zagat.com 2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 39

Indigenous Indulgence

Spas the world around look to local natural elements and therapeutic traditions.

By Richard Newton

Y

ou know exactly what to expect from a modern spa. There will be ambient music, subdued lighting, vases with artfully arranged twigs and branches, displays of smooth pebbles and a pervading scent of expensive, brand-name oils. The same reassuringly familiar environment is replicated in luxury hotels across the world.

But it wasn’t always this way. For centuries, spa resorts were the product of their immediate environment. They came into being around thermal springs or close to natural sources of volcanic clay, minerals or endemic plants. Indigenous treatments evolved in situ, and people traveled great distances to benefit from them.

OVERFLOW: Ayurvedic shirodhara Photo: Š Andriy Bezuglov | Dreamstime.com

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globaltravelerusa.com

Some of these treatments have been appropriated by hotel spas, detaching them from their origins. For instance, you can now experience Ayurvedic therapies in any major city, where they are often listed on spa menus alongside an eclectic selection of other treatments from around Asia and elsewhere.

Translocated to Europe and North America, Ayurveda is wonderfully exotic and fashionable; yet in southern India and Sri Lanka, it is an integral part of everyday life and has been for thousands of years.

Strictly speaking, Ayurveda is a branch of alternative medicine. In dedicated Ayurvedic hospitals, patients can be treated for a wide range of conditions, the treatments tailored to each individual, taking into account his or her body type and lifestyle.

This holistic approach extends to Ayurvedic spa therapies. My first experience was in the spa of the Kempinski Hotel on the Mediterranean island of Gozo. Before heading to a private treatment room, I was given a thorough consultation by an Ayurvedic doctor. With a questionnaire of increasingly personal questions, Dr. Kiran was able to identify my body type (or dosha). Apparently I was kapha-pitta. With matter-of-fact bluntness, he explained that basically I was overweight and unfit. He prescribed my therapies accordingly.

The Kempinski treatment room was predictably tasteful (ambient music, subdued lighting, vase with artfully arranged twigs and branches). For the next two hours, the Indian masseuse expertly subjected me to ancient Ayurvedic techniques, culminating with shirodhara, in which a constant stream of warm oil was directed onto my forehead for 30 relaxing minutes.

I could understand why some of my fellow guests had come here from as far afield as New York and Los Angeles specifically for Ayurvedic treatment.

Yet although the staff and therapeutic oils had been brought in from South Asia, could the experience genuinely be described as authentic?

A few months later, I found myself in Sri Lanka, one of the heartlands of Ayurveda. Here I was immersed in the world from which Ayurvedic medicine emerged. I drove through the forests that produce the indigenous herbs and spices that are the raw materials for Ayurvedic oils. I visited the Hindu and Buddhist temples that extol the philosophies which underpin Ayurveda, especially the concept of physical and mental balance.

The spa at the Mermaid Hotel, close to the west coast town of Kalutara, was rustically decorated, very much of its place. Part of the ceiling of the treatment room was deliberately open to the elements. The Indian Ocean provided the constant soundtrack. Occasional rain showers pattered on the floor.

Here, during a succession of Ayurvedic therapies, I began to appreciate the relationship between a spa and its setting. My senses were responsive not just to the treatments but also to the environment. The benefits of Ayurveda were complemented by three spicy Sri Lankan meals each day, daily doses of vitamin D from the tropical sun and lungfuls of clean ocean air.

In Europe, it was the Romans who started the fashion of traveling to a place for therapeutic reasons. Some of the spa resorts they created are still active today, 2,000 years later. The city of Bath in southern England owes globaltravelerusa.com

GREAT BATH: Roman Bath Museum, Bath, England Photo: Š Ollietaylorphotography | Dreamstime.com

2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 41

ON THE MENU: Chocolate facial Photo: © Subbotina | Dreamstime.com

its existence to the natural hot springs that bubble up from beneath the surrounding limestone hills. The original Roman baths preserved as a museum, modern spa tourists now enjoy the state-of-the-art rooftop New Royal Bath, which opened in 2006.

The nearby Cross Bath enables bathers to take a dip in waters that were regarded as sacred by the ancient Celts.

Another thriving spa city which can trace its origins to the Romans is Baden-Baden in southern Germany. Besides making full use of the natural thermal springs, the contemporary spas of Baden-Baden also offer treatments using local volcanic clay, which is especially rich in minerals and sulfur.

Volcanic clay has long been incorporated in some of the

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indigenous treatments offered by spas in Hawaii. It is taken to magnificent extremes at Mauna Lani Resort on the Big Island, where guests can experience an open-air lava sauna while covered head to toe in sulfurous mud.

Many Hawaiian spas also draw on an indigenous Polynesian therapeutic tradition known as lomi lomi. Translated as “massage massage,” lomi lomi is a holistic philosophy that also embraces diet and spiritual well-being. At Ihilani Spa Resort on Oahu, lomi lomi treatments are supplemented by a range of therapies employing local elements such as seawater, ti leaves and ginger sugar.

Even in locations where there isn’t an unbroken therapeutic tradition to draw on, spas are becoming much more proactive globaltravelerusa.com

in utilizing locally relevant ingredients to create indigenous treatments. At Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont, what could be more indigenous than a maple syrup and brown sugar body scrub?

Other spas draw inspiration from under their own roof. The venerable Hotel Sacher in central Vienna is synonymous with its legendary chocolate cake, the Sacher-Torte. It was therefore entirely logical for the hotel’s spa to introduce a portfolio of treatments based on the nourishing effects of chocolate. Therapies include chocolate wraps, body masks and cacao massages.

In Chodova Plana, in the Pilzen region of the Czech Republic, there could be only one source for indigenous spa treatments.

For around 500 years, the town’s fortunes have been tied to the Chodovar brewery. What better place for the world’s first beer spa?

Treatments include beer baths as well as massages and scrubs using beer-related ingredients. Far from being a novelty, the spa menu has been carefully devised to make best use of the curative properties of beer, which can boost the immune system and relieve tension.

There are also plenty of opportunities between treatments to enjoy excellent beer the old-fashioned way — by drinking it.

Similarly, Yunessun Spa Resort in Japan looked to local beverages to provide an indigenous strand to its spa menu. Here you can take a bath in a wooden cask of real saké followed by a dip in a pool of green tea. As at Chodovar, additional treatments ensure you don’t globaltravelerusa.com

reek of alcohol (or tea) when you leave the spa.

In the Caribbean, spas draw on tropical abundance for indigenous inspiration. At the Cotton House Resort on the verdant island of Mustique, therapies include exfoliation and massages incorporating coconut oil and cream, and also a lime and pineapple body wrap supplemented by local sea salt. All of the main treatments at Cotton House include a Caribbean Welcome Ritual, using local ingredients to “reflect the environment and stimulate the senses.”

At the Regent Palms on Turks and Caicos, the signature Mother of Pearl Body Exfoliation uses hand-crushed queen conch shells to clean the skin, followed by a soothing rain shower. After dark, the outdoor Moonlight and Stars massage makes best use of two ingredients beyond the reach of more northerly spas: the glittering tropical sky and the hypnotic sound of the Caribbean Sea. Other indigenous treatments are easier to replicate elsewhere.

In the early 20th century at the natural thermal springs in the town of Kangal in central Turkey, a local species of freshwater fish was observed enjoying nibbling the dead skin off bathing humans. This observation turned into a formal therapy with real benefits in the treatment of skin disease.

Unfortunately, the “doctor fish” turned out to be easy to export, and in recent years enterprising entrepreneurs in Japan and Croatia set up their own fish spas. A fad was born and quickly took off around

CARIBBEAN CALM: Regent Palms on Turks and Caicos Photo: © Regent palms on Turks and Caicos

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IN THE SWIM: Fish spa treatment Photo: Š Martinmark | Dreamstime.com

the world, often without regulation. Health concerns were raised, and fish spas were banned in some U.S. states. But back in Turkey, the treatments have long been certified by the Department of Health, and people continue to be drawn to Kangal for sessions with the original shoals of doctor fish.

Although there is always a possibility of indigenous spa treatments being appropriated, they are inevitably diluted (or corrupted) when removed from their geographic source. As modern spas become more homogenized, the incentive to seek out locally specific spa treatments has never been greater.

In the Ayurveda spas of South Asia, in the lomi lomi treatments of Hawaii, in the beer baths of the Czech Republic and in the fish spas of Turkey, there is living proof of the physical and mental benefits of the world’s diversity.

Baden-Baden baden-baden.de Balikli Thermal Springs (Kangal) balikli.com Chodovar Beer Spa chodovar.cz Cotton House Resort cottonhouseresort.com/spa Ihilani Spa ihilanispa.com Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, Gozo kempinski.com The Mauna Lani Bay Resort maunalani.com Mermaid Hotel & Club mermaidhotelnclub.com Regent Palms regenthotels.com Sacher Spa sacher.com/en-sacher-spa-vienna.htm Stowe Mountain Lodge stowemountainlodge.com Thermae Bath Spa thermaebathspa.com Yunessun Spa Resort yunessun.com 44 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

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GT Tested Awards Ballot

Please write in your personal favorites, based on your own experience, on the line next to each of the following categories.

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Beck and Call Across the travel industry, proper butlers stand ready to fulfill discerning guests’ every need. By Stephen Jermanok

46 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

W

alk into The Lanesborough Hotel at London’s Hyde Park Corner and you’re immediately escorted to your room, where check-in takes place. Once reception has completed the arrival procedures, you are introduced to your butler, who is there to be your personal assistant for the rest of your stay.

He’ll unpack for you, set up your WiFi, make restaurant reservations, draw your bath, make hotel transfers, wake you up with coffee and tea, be a personal shopper . . . and a whole lot more, if need be.

“We’ll do anything as long as it’s legal,” says The Lanesborough’s head butler, Daniel Jordaan. In the past, that included cutting the hair of a businessman who was late for a meeting; finding reindeer from a farm, people to dress up as elves and Santa, and a snow machine for an impromptu Christmas party; redecorating a private hospital room in the style of The Lanesborough for a

UNDER THE UMBRELLA: Butler service on the beach at Jamaica’s Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort Photo:© Sandals Resorts

woman who had come to London to give birth; filming a husband and wife dining together for the first time after marriage; and sending a courier on the Eurostar train to Paris to have a confidential document signed urgently.

Blame it on Carson, the hard-working butler who runs a tight ship on the popular television series Downton Abbey, but more and more high-end clientele are yearning for yesteryear, when personal service extended from the hotel or cruise line’s concierge to inside the suite.

With the addition of butlers, hoteliers now have the opportunity to serve their guests behind closed doors.

“Certainly, Downton Abbey has brought back the nostalgia and what it is to have personal butler service,” globaltravelerusa.com

says Sean Davoren, head butler at London’s iconic Fairmont Savoy, in charge of a 23-person staff. “We live in such an automated world now that it makes sense that people crave human service.”

Whatever the reason, butler service is proliferating across the travel industry, from high-end hotels to luxury cruises to first-class service on Singapore Airlines. From the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan to the new St. Regis Doha in Qatar, expect to find butler service for all suites. Jumeirah’s Burj al Arab, an ultra-luxe all-suite property, known for its unique shape modeled after a billowing Arabian dhow sail, offers 24-hour butler service to all guests of the hotel. The Burj al Arab’s butlers answer to any hotel guests’ whim, and, in fact, it could be said this property even takes service a step further — aside from butler service for every guest, the hotel boasts an 8:1 ratio for staff to suites.

According to recent estimates, there is now proper butler service at close to 400 hotels around the globe. Luxury hotels, in an effort to compete with one another, now see the butler as a necessary employee to lure the most

discerning traveler.

The trend is particularly keen in the U.K., where properties across the region have announced the introduction of your own personal Jeeves. Café Royal reopened on London’s Regent Street in December with complimentary butler service to guests in all 159 rooms. If you plan on staying at the Isle of Wight’s Priory Bay Hotel, you can have your own “yurt butler,” one who services the wood-framed dwellings on premises.

“We have a very high percentage of return guests, in excess of 60 percent.

The fact that we offer this unique service to all guests plays a major role,” says Daniel Jordaan. The Lanesborough has offered butler service since its opening in 1991, long before the current trend. “The most important aspect during welcoming is to build trust with the guest in order to make them feel at ease with their butler,” he adds.

Over at The Savoy, each suite has its own personal butler who only works with that one patron, so your Man Friday is at your service all day, every day.

AT YOUR SERVICE: Butler service (left), and Daniel Jordaan, head butler at The Lanesborough (above) Photo:© The Lanesborough

He’ll unpack for you, set up your WiFi, make restaurant reservations, draw your bath, make hotel transfers, wake you up with coffee and tea, be a personal shopper . . . and a whole lot more, if need be.

globaltravelerusa.com

2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 47

PERSONAL TOUCH: Butler dinner service (right), and shoeshine service (below) Photos: © St. Regis

They’ve had their share of out-of-the-ordinary requests, including a woman who only bathes in Evian water. The butler carried 30 liters of warm Evian water to her bath each morning. Then there’s the time a guest requested goat milk directly from the goat. The butler sent a chauffeur to northern Wales, some 250 miles away, to collect the milk. “The milk only cost 25 pounds. The chauffeur cost 600 pounds,” says Davoren.

Butler service has also extended to warm climes. Sandals Resorts has butler service at 13 Caribbean properties. The service has been such a smashing success that, starting this month, the Grande Riviera Beach & Villa Golf Resort in Jamaica will feature an “All-Butler Village,” following the resort’s recent $60 million refurbishment. Butlers handle all needs from unpacking luggage to booking dinners, activities and spa treatments to reserving chairs on the beach and ordering snacks and beverages.

48 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

“Butlers at our resorts have gone to such extremes as meeting guests at the airport two hours away, planning surprise baby showers and video-conferencing in family members who were unable to travel to a destination wedding at a resort,” says Gordon “Butch” Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “In fact, many guests will return the following year and request the same butler,” Stewart notes.

Be it land or sea, expect butler service to be top-notch. In 1990, Crystal Cruises became one of the first cruise lines to introduce butler service to their penthouse-level berths. Their butlers welcome guests with a beverage, give a tour of the ship, unpack their suitcases, provide IT assistance, run a bath, dry-clean suits and dresses, help with shore excursions and provide a slew of food delivery options like hosting a multicourse meal in your room for friends.

“Until butlers arrived on the scene, there was very little we could globaltravelerusa.com

do for guests in their suites other than the occasional amenity and room service,” says Thomas Mazloum, senior vice president of operations at Crystal Cruises.

“A cabin steward typically comes twice a day to make your bed and refresh your towels and ice, and you hardly see them at all. The butler is more available. You can call to arrange tea or coffee when you like, get your shoes shined, send out your clothes to be pressed,” notes Fran Golden, a well-known cruise writer and author of 20 books about cruising. “I remember a Crystal Cruises sailing where my butler brought hors d’oeuvres every day. He brought caviar one day, and I told him how much I liked caviar. So he began bringing it every day. I was in caviar heaven,” she says with a chuckle.

On Azamara Club Cruises’ two ships, the butler introduces himself to the highend clientele and then tests the water to see how much attention guests might enjoy.

Some relish their privacy, while others can’t wait to be pampered.

“Last year, we had a couple on board who were traveling with their grandson, an avid tennis player. A day before the ship was to be docked in Tallinn, Estonia, they asked the butler if he could find someone close to the professional level to play tennis with their grandson. The butler found a former Olympian who brought the boy to the Olympic Tennis Center in Tallinn. The kid still talks about it. It was an experience of a lifetime!” says Bert van Middendorp, Azamara associate vice president of hotel operations.

Azamara’s staff of butlers, who currently come from India and Mauritius, are trained by the Guild of Professional English Butlers, the same service that trains English butlers to work in the private estates of the English gentry. Van Middendorp seeks employees who are willing to serve and never say no.

At The Savoy, Sean Davoren says, “I’m looking for a personality. I can teach all the skills quite easily, but I can’t give you a personality.” The Savoy’s staff comes from diverse

globaltravelerusa.com

SHIPSHAPE: Sean Davoren, head butler at The Savoy (right) and (below) Butler service on board Crystal Cruises Photos: © crystal cruises, The Savoy

2013 | Leisure Lifestyle | 49

Specialties: A Fragrance Butler at Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Photo: © Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

Azamara Club Cruises azamaraclubcruises.com

The Lanesborough lanesborough.com

Café Royal hotelcaferoyal.com

The Plaza Hotel theplazany.com

Crystal Cruises crystalcruises.com

Priory Bay Hotel priorybay.co.uk

Fairmont Savoy fairmont.com/ savoy-london

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts rosewoodhotels.com

Guild of Professional English Butlers guildofbutlers.com

St. Regis Doha stregisdoha.com

International Institute of Modern Butlers modernbutlers.com

Sandals Resorts International sandals.com

50 | Leisure Lifestyle | 2013

backgrounds — employed in housekeeping, food and beverage, even acting — prior to making the switch to become the next Carson. Butlers are trained in-house and are chaperoned for at least three months.

Steven Ferry, chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers and author of Hotel Butlers, The Great Service Differentiators, notes butlers should have “satisfaction in serving others and bringing a smile to the guest’s face.” Ferry trains butlers for both private service and hospitality and was in Moscow training a private service butler when we caught up to him. He worries improperly trained butlers will dilute the service.

“There is a strong drive to garner the prestige of butlers to justify higher rack rates and appear better than the competition,” says Ferry. “Unfortunately, some established schools are quite happy to teach 500 butlers at a time for three hours total and then call them trained. The result is a general deterioration of the service butlers can bring to hospitality.”

The International Institute of Modern Butlers and a few other serious trainers are working diligently to reverse the trend. They’ve even introduced a 1- to 5-star butler rating service that critiques hotels in an effort to allow guests to anticipate what service they will actually receive from their butlers.

Adding to the overexposure are so-called specialty butlers, employed only to perform one duty.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts recently introduced its Fragrance Butler Program. Nine of its properties, from Jeddah to Dallas, are currently offering the service. Don’t have time to shower before that meeting in Manhattan? A fragrance butler at The Carlyle will spritz you with one of their 10 perfumes and you’re off and running, smelling like a bouquet of flowers for your next engagement.

At Antigua’s Jumby Bay Resort, another Rosewood property, a Sorbet Butler strolls up and down the beach offering the refreshing treat. The MGM Grand in Las Vegas introduced a Music Butler for folks staying at its Skylofts. Available anytime, the butlers will show you how to hook your iPod or iPad to the symphonic Bang & Olufsen sound system. In Paris, Le Meurice features a Family Butler who keeps kids busy around Salvador Dalí’s favorite hotel with scavenger hunts and games, along with providing kid-friendly dinner menus en suite. Then, of course, there are numerous beach and bath butlers at countless properties, waiting to assist you with suntan lotion or bath bubbles.

The Lanesborough’s Daniel Jordaan says that once luxury hotels recognize that butler service is a permanent job, like a concierge or bellman, the overexposure of specialty butlers will come to an end.

“A butler is a butler, and a butler can manage all. At The Lanesborough, we’re a one-stop shop,” says Jordaan.

Steven Ferry believes there is room for more butler service in the travel industry, especially in first-class cabin service on airlines.

“Wherever food and beverage service is provided can benefit from the smoother way butlers provide service. After all, butler service predates restaurants by several hundred years,” notes Ferry.

So if it’s not a bother, Jeeves, throw rose petals on the floor, make my bath steaming hot, iron that wrinkled collared shirt and hand me a glass of Champagne. After a long flight and the constant stresses of modern life, I’d happily allow one of Edwardian England’s best contributions to society, the butler, to fluff my pillow before I rest my weary head. globaltravelerusa.com