Harrods Travel Autumn & Winter

H A R R O D S T R AV E L

HARRODS T R AV E L AUTUMN & WINTER 2014

AUTUMN & WINTER 2014

T H E FAC E O F I T – PAPUA NEW GUINEA Australia’s hot rocks/ The Arctic’s cool bergs/ Travels with Michael Palin Parties with Mickey Mouse/Show-off skiwear/Scottish hideaways/ Luxury luggage Dr Livingstone’s hat/Stopovers in Doha/ Hammam etiquette – naked or not? harrods.com

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CONTENTS AUTUMN & WINTER 2014

Cover image Jan Masters; this page Getty Images

I’ll never forget it. Meeting a tribesman in Papua New Guinea and taking his photograph (I’m talking about the guy on the cover).

I watched him as he applied face paint with the same care as a make-up artist backstage at a runway show, then saw him dance with as much energy and pride as Carlos Acosta at The Royal Opera House.

When I look at that picture now, I remember every detail of the day. The whirl-swirl of colours.

The hypnotic singing. The sweat (on me) and the mud (also on me). Travel delivers so many things, but what I love most is the excitement of being caught up in the moment, while at the same time, knowing it’s the stuff of memories. Michael Palin, who has just published the latest edition of his diaries, Travelling to Work, remembers what a leap of faith he took in making his first travel programme, Around the World in 80 Days. While for the founder of adventure holiday company Basecamp Explorer, Svein Wilhelmsen, a chance meeting with a Masai chief changed his life. But never-forget moments don’t have to be game-changing – they might be skating with the family in Switzerland or watching manta rays in the Maldives. Or they may begin closer to home. Perhaps enjoying an amazing meal at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire or taking a short hop to the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington, where you can view artefacts such as Charles Darwin’s sextant and Dr Livingstone’s hat – a wonderful way to bring the history of travel alive.

Memories are made of this.

09_ P A L I N ’ S P R O G R E S S With a new set of diaries ready to be revealed, Michael Palin reminisces about consuming distinctive wine – and camel 14_ N E W S Paris hotels; Qantas’ LA lounge; the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort

44_ R E E F L I F E Sunshine, soft white sand, spectacular landscape and the Great Barrier Reef make tropical North Queensland as irresistible as it is awe-inspiring

16_ P O S T - I T N O T E S Vintage-style travel posters remind us of the romance of the grand journey

47_ A W O R L D A W A Y High in the mountains of Papua New Guinea live remote tribes that are infinitely fascinating. Just as enigmatic is the floating community that comes to meet them

19_ N E W S Dining in DC; the Harrods Fine Watch Room at Heathrow; Context walking tours; the best cameras on the go

56_ A L A I R D ’ S W E E K E N D With these Scottish properties for hire, gather friends and family for walks, warming fires and a dram or two of whisky

20_ S U I T E I N S P I R A T I O N Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris puts a love of art squarely in the frame

61_ I N T O A F R I C A He gave up a conventional life to walk on the wild side in the Masai Mara. Meet Svein Wilhelmsen, a true eco-warrior

23_ C R O C ’ N ’ R O L L Trunks are enjoying a comeback, with a new breed of traveller warming to their cool cred 24_ S T O W A W A Y S Why sacrifice style for practicality? Bag both 28_ B E A U T Y N E W S Dormy House spa; Globe-Trotter’s vanity case; perfect your pins; Byredo’s travelsized scents; YSL Or Rouge Crème 31_ I C E K I N G D O M The most talked-about trip is through the Arctic’s legendary Northwest Passage 32_ N E W S Superyacht charters; the Royal Geographical Society, London; volunteering on vacation; Abercrombie & Kent’s perfect partnerships 35_ D E S E R T R O S E Doha is set to rival Dubai as a tourist destination 38_ H O T R O C K S

Jan Masters Editor

7 H A R R O D S T R AV E L

65_ D I V E I N Resorts in the Maldives are evolving in glamorous and highly inventive ways 73_ S U P P E R H E R O E S Michelin-starred UK chefs? Check.

Locally sourced produce? Check.

Luxurious rooms in which to stay after an indulgent meal? Check in…

81_ R O O M W I T H A V I E W Take a deluxe waterside mansion and mix with the magic of Istanbul for a taste of Turkish delight 87_ B I R T H O F T H E C O O L We toast a century and a half of decadence, drama and daredevil stunts in St Moritz 90_ P E A K O F P E R F E C T I O N Stuck in a rut with your annual ski destination? Then it’s time for a parallel turn to somewhere indulgently different 98_ F E E L T H E H E A T The Moroccan hammam is one of the best all-over treatments for your skin – and your soul. Now Urban Retreat is bringing the experience to London

INTERVIEW

A

ole (1992)

Jan Masters How come you were nervous about being the front man for Around the World in 80 Days when you seem so calm, collected and capable?

Michael Palin Well, that’s part of me and it’s been my approach to work for almost as long as I can remember. I enjoy the work; it’s just that it takes a little time getting into it, knowing the implications of what I have to provide and what people’s expectations are.

And when I’m given more opportunities, the weight of people’s expectations becomes greater. I’m an empathetic sort of person, so I can’t just say this is only about me. I start wondering if our crew is happy and whether the BBC wants me to do this or that.

Such concerns came out in a rather acute form on Around the World in 80 Days. I’d forgotten how I’d felt until I looked at my flip-over reporters’ pads. They make rather sobering reading. I could see I was trying to reassure myself.

If you’re doing something rather different, that multiplies the jeopardy. And this was something new. It hadn’t been done before.

I came face to face with the awful realisation that there was completely no script at all and it entirely depended on me being interesting for 77 days, which was just appalling. On the

other hand, I recognised a pattern in my life – seeing the worst one day, the best the next.

JM What are your earliest recollections of travel?

MP Leaving Sheffield [Palin’s home town] on school trips to somewhere like Nottingham.

That was a big deal. And family holidays to the remotest part of the world we’d ever visited – north Norfolk. Coming over the hills – the one hill in Norfolk – and seeing the sea for the first time was enormously exciting. As exciting as seeing Victoria Falls later on.

JM As time went by, what did you find you loved about travel?

MP It was just dazzling to see great wonders.

To go through Venice, the Corinth Canal, the Suez Canal, and to be in Cairo, Hong Kong, the Rockies and Japan. I also quite like the drama of travel. It’s a bit like the acting thing – like you’re on a different stage or a different set. There are surprising costumes, noise and language that’s thrilling. The exotic element of all that appeals to me greatly.

JM What doesn’t appeal?

MP Airport lounges or shopping malls where everything is globalised. That’s depressing.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Beside the entrance to the USA’s underground headquarters at the South Pole; a revitalising treatment in Istanbul; centre of attention on the train to Shanghai

South Pole Nigel Meakin; all other photographs Basil Pao

ole t

d th o d in s (1989)

SOUVENIR

Bequia Beach Hotel, St Vincent, Havana Kerne Erickson, copyright Greg Young Publishing; Canadian National ailways Bridgeman Images; all other images Corbis

THIS PAGE David Klein recalls the past glories of TWA; OPPOSITE PAGE Vintage posters flag up some of the world’s most glamorous destinations with (bottom row) the Bequia Beach Hotel, St Vincent and Havana all brought to life through Kerne Erickson’s “retro realism”

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LATITUDE

CAMERAS TO GO FOR THE ADVENTURER Olympus Stylus Tough TG-850 Designed for rigorous trips, the shockproof Tough TG-850 is snap happy at minus 10 degrees Celsius and up to 10 metres under water. Integrated image stabilisation helps action shots remain sharp too. £269

DC DINING Washington DC is a great place to visit, especially now U Street, original home of the blues and jazz scene, is returning to its buzzing roots with new restaurants, bars and boutiques springing up. But you can still chow down at Ben’s Chili Bowl, one of Barack Obama’s favourites, fabled for its chilli dogs since

1958. There’s also a burgeoning farm-to-fork foodie scene. Ingredients picked and plucked at the 143-acre Muirkirk Farm are now used in dishes created by the historic Hay-Adams hotel. Originally home to John Hay, personal secretary to President Abraham Lincoln, the Hay-Adams, with its views of the White House, is the most prestigious DC address you can get. hayadams.com

FOR THE TECH-SAVVY Sony DSC-QX100 Selfies just got a whole new perspective. The Sony DSC is a detachable lens especially for smartphones that enhances the camera capability of your phone. Now you can take films in HD or, thanks to the 3.6x optical zoom, get brilliantly close. £369

PERFECT TIMING

FOR THE ART EDITOR Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 Despite its retro looks, the Lumix, with its 12–32mm zoom lens, is certainly not behind the times. You can opt for manual or automatic focus, record Full HD video, and operate the camera remotely via a dedicated app. £639

The new Harrods Fine Watch Room at Heathrow’s Terminal 2, with its extraordinary egg-shaped glass exterior, turns waiting for a flight into a positive pleasure. Make a considered purchase in the most elegant surroundings – black granite entrances, mosaic pathways and soft leather furniture. There are even private consultation areas allowing clients to purchase in their own time. Curated and edited by the fine-watch buying team, the choice is inspiring, with more than 30 brands from Baume & Mercier and Jaeger-LeCoultre to Chanel and Chopard. It’s unquestionably the place to head for as soon as you’re through to departures – don’t waste a second.

St Peter’s Basilica Getty Images

WHEREVER YOU M AY R O M E

FOR THE ASPIRING DAVID ATTENBOROUGH Canon EOS 5D MKIII The Canon EOS 5D digital SLR with 24–105mm zoom lens is a great choice for nature photography. Its huge 22.3 megapixel resolution and full-frame CMOS sensor deliver extraordinary image detail. £3,149 FOR THE ADRENALINE JUNKIE GoPro Never forget your most exciting moments. With the GoPro, you can capture the extreme side of life. A wide array of mounting options mean it’s perfect for filming activities such as cycling and snowboarding. From £219

Fancy exploring cultural capitals without following a map, asking for directions or trailing behind an umbrella-toting guide?

Want insider info from someone who’s in sync with the city? Then check out Context, which organises walking seminars around the globe (24 cities at present) for groups of up to six people, led by PhD and MA scholars and specialists. Explore the origins of tapas in Madrid; see the Vatican, including St Peter’s Basilica (right); or stroll though Nishiki Market in Kyoto. You’ll be quiz-ready on geography, history, the arts or even chocolate. contexttravel.com

Available from Harrods Technology, Third Floor

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DESTINATION

SUITE INSPIRATION

More than an exceptional hotel, Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris puts a love of art squarely in the frame

BY JAN MASTERS

A

rt hotels have been around in various incarnations for decades, and their collections often began when struggling artists offered their paintings in exchange for food or lodging. Think of the legendary La Colombe d’Or in Provence, which has works by the likes of Picasso, Matisse and Chagall on the walls, or the notorious Chelsea Hotel in New York, whose hallways were once chock-ablock with pieces from the 1960s and 1970s.

Today Le Royal Monceau is taking such artistic partnerships to a whole new level.

Envisioned as a modern “Palace” hotel, the interiors are designed by Philippe Starck.

Each of the hotel’s rooms and suites contains at least two works of art. And the public areas contain numerous photographs and several specially commissioned works, including Nikolay Polissky’s handcrafted reindeer under a flight of stairs and Joana Vasconcelos’ giant wrought-iron teapot in the garden.

But Le Royal Monceau goes much further than merely displaying a collection of art. It has its own gallery – Art District – hosting four major installations annually. The hotel

also has a dedicated Art Concierge on hand: Julie Eugène. Her blog, Art for Breakfast, is a guide to the latest artistic events in the city.

In addition to suggesting the best exhibitions to visit, she can plan out-of-hours museum and gallery tours, arrange for art lovers to meet an artist or curator for tea, organise studio visits or even help guests select works for their own collection.

With so much art on view, as well as La Librairie des Arts (a bookshop showcasing more than 700 titles, plus limited editions), the Royal Monceau has the feel of a private member’s club for the art cognoscenti.

Why not take advantage of the Art Package (from 990 euros)? It includes one night in an Executive room, breakfast for two at the Michelin-starred La Cuisine, two tickets for the most exclusive current art exhibition in Paris, a private visit to the hotel’s gallery, a special art gift and unlimited access to the spa for when you’re all cultured out. HMN Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris 37 Avenue Hoche, 75008 Paris leroyalmonceau.com

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FROM TOP La Cuisine restaurant; Art District gallery; the grand Art Nouveau entrance

M U S T- H AV E

CROC’N’ROLL Trunks are enjoying a comeback, with a new breed of traveller warming to their cool cred

Stylist Poppy Rock

PHOTOGRAPHER OMER KNAZ

FROM TOP D ga Travelling Wardrobe £4,995; RTA jacket £1, 225; R aovilla boots £1,080; Pr bag from a selection; K black shoes £130 and silver shoes £199; D ga Trolley with studs £3,700 Av

from Luxury Acc round Floor; Trav ond Floor; ifth Floor; and harrods.com Fashion Lab, Fourth Floor; Harrods S

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STYLE

BRIC’S BELLAGIO TROLLEY £495

RIMOWA TOPAS SPORT SUITCASE £710

TED BAKER HERRINGBONE SUITCASE £295

S T OWAWAY S Why sacrifice style for practicality? Bag both

SIMPSON WEEKENDER £1,995

MONCRIEF WEEKEND BAG £2,750

TUMI ADELAIDE SOFT DUFFLE £1,995

SERAPIAN DUFFLE £1,250

GLOBE-TROTTER 30 IN SUITCASE £1,235

BRIC’S BRIEFCASE £375

Av

from Trav

ond Floor; and harrods.com

24 H A R R O D S T R AV E L

PROMOTION

LUXURY UNLIMITED Peace, privacy and pampering. The Mulia on Bali’s palm-fringed coastline is a haven on earth Decisions, decisions. When you’re planning a dream holiday, do you go for sheer relaxation or pulse-quickening activities? Do you need somewhere that welcomes children or do you want a touch of romance? Are you looking for unabashed indulgence or a restorative healthy haven? The motto for The Mulia, Bali could well be “Why choose?” This is a luxury resort that offers such a diversity of experiences that you really can have it all.

Located on the pristine golden sands of Bali’s dramatic, palm-fringed Nusa Dua coastline, award-winning The Mulia overlooks the tranquil waters of the Indian Ocean. The sleek, contemporary space is punctuated with traditional Indonesian elements – think glittering infinity pools flanked by Balinese statues – that evoke a mood of relaxed elegance. Beautifully located, lavishly appointed, and with impeccable detail-driven service, The Mulia brings to life every fantasy of tropical luxury.

Stretching across 30 acres, the complex comprises three different resorts: the hotel with

its 111 butler-serviced suites; the 526-room Mulia Resort; and, perched on the island’s lush hillsides and offering unparalleled peace and privacy, the Mulia Villas – ranging from one to six bedrooms, each with its own hydrotherapy pool and secluded garden. The result is an environment as well suited to family holidays as to more intimate couples’ getaways – the breathtaking landscape is a fitting backdrop for weddings held at the ocean-facing Harmony Chapel or barefoot on the beach.

For those with energy to burn, the resort offers a variety of activities including water sports, tennis lessons and sunrise yoga classes.

Excursions – such as a trip to the impressive volcanic Mount Batur – can also be arranged.

Children aren’t forgotten either, with the Kidz Club laying on ample entertainment for younger guests.

The sublime location is itself a tonic for the soul, but there are further pampering possibilities at the Mulia Spa. The serene oasis boasts a menu of holistic Balinese and western treatments, as well as hammam

26 H A R R O D S T R AV E L

tables, a Finnish sauna and Asia Pacific’s first Ice Room. And even the weariest travellers cannot fail to be revived and rejuvenated by the spa’s half- and full-day wellness packages.

Indulgence of a culinary kind, meanwhile, comes courtesy of the resort’s nine restaurants and bars. Choose from pan-Asian and Mediterranean cuisine at Soleil, go for Japanese fare at Edogin, try Cantonese and Szechuan delicacies at Table8, sample French pastries from the Mulia Deli or take afternoon tea at the Cascade Lounge. As the sun sets, head to the Sky Bar to enjoy a cocktail. With lanterns dotted around, palm trees swaying in the evening breeze and postcard-perfect views of the Indian Ocean, it’s hard to think of a better way to top off another day in paradise.

For more details, email reservation@ themulia.com, visit themulia.com or ask your travel agent ABOVE The patio of The Earl Suite at The Mulia Bali overlooks the sea RIGHT The swimming pool and beach front at The Mulia

PROMOTION

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BEAUTY

VANITY CASE Travel-friendly treats and sumptuous spas

BY REBECCA BAIO

NATURE’S TOUCH For a quintessentially British break in an idyllic country setting, the 17th century Dormy House, a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds, has recently opened its new spa. Cleverly designed to make the most of its surroundings, Dormy brings the outside in, with natural earth tones and contemporary light-filled space. De-stress, rebalance and restore in the Suite of Treats, or opt for a touch of colour at the Nail Parlour – while one hand is manicured, the other balances a flute of Veuve Clicquot. dormyhouse.co.uk

ROLL-A-SCENT

GOING PLACES All packed and ready to go. You just need space for those beauty essentials – an array of luxurious balms and powders. Do you stuff them into a flimsy bag among your silk and cashmere? The risk is an explosion and a destroyed dress. Or do you make this age-old disaster a thing of the past with Globe-Trotter’s 13in Vanity Case – the travel accessory for those who take pride in their products. The case comes with a removable tray, dividers and a detachable, leather-framed mirror. It also has a combination lock and the lining inside can easily be wiped clean. It’s the ultimate insurance package for beauty fanatics. £500. Available from Travel Goods & Luggage, Second Floor

Seven of Byredo’s evocative scents are now available as 7.5ml roll-on perfumed oils – just the right size for a safe journey through baggage control. The formula also lends itself well to evenings in hot climates, lasting longer than alcohol-based fragrances.

Our favourites? The floral warmth of Bal D’Afrique and the richness of Oud Immortel. £47 each. Available from The Perfumery Hall, Ground Floor

LEG WORK

GATHERING GOLD

Spa treatments are becoming ever more targeted and personalised, and La Réserve Genève Hotel and Spa is in perfect step with the trend as it launches its new therapy focusing strictly on legs. Dr Valérie Leduc, a specialist in angiology and medical lasers, has recently joined the team to offer treatments and fitness coaching designed to tone and streamline. One innovation is cryolipolysis, a cooling technique that helps the body break down fat cells. As a reward for your hard work, 10 acres of private grounds complete with two pools, a relaxation room, sauna and Turkish bath give you plenty of opportunity to kick back and relax between sessions. lareserve.ch

Saffron, from the stigma of the crocus sativus, is, weight for weight, more valuable than gold – it takes 150 flowers to produce just one gram. Traditionally used for seasoning and colouring food, it’s also at the heart of YSL’s Or Rouge Crème. The reason? Glycans are important in tissue structure and metabolism, and a specific glycan unique to saffron – crocin – possesses antioxidant and soothing properties.

To guarantee the highest quality, YSL only uses saffron from the Atlas Mountains, gathered in autumn when it is at the peak of its concentration, which makes dipping into this cream even more special. 50ml, £275.

Available from The Cosmetics Hall, Ground Floor; and harrods.com

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LATITUDE

ICE KINGDOM Searching for excitement next summer? The most talked-about trip is through the Arctic’s legendary Northwest Passage

BY JAN MASTERS

Getty Images

T

ice stream. You will also visit far-flung islands and meet Inuits in their homes and alongside their dog-sled teams.

In Lancaster Sound, you may spot bowhead whales, the narwhal with its spiralling tusk, seals and even the magnificent polar bear. And there will be time to marvel at the Smoking Hills of Franklin Bay, steep cliffs of bituminous shale that spontaneously combust and burn.

Meanwhile, in Yukon Territory, where whaling once took place, an abundance of wildlife reigns supreme. In summer it’s home to walrus, moose, arctic fox, grizzly, black and polar bears as well as an impressive 94 species of birds.

Added to all this are shore excursions in Zodiac landing craft and a lecture programme, plus photo opportunities that bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “a great freeze-frame”. HMN

oo-blue-to-be-true icebergs. Remote landscapes that few have ever explored.

Wildlife straight out of a Sunday-night nature documentary. Polar cruises are becoming increasingly popular, with luxury travel companies going out of their way to create trips of a lifetime. And when it comes to the Arctic, Abercrombie & Kent is really pushing the boat out with its new Northwest Passage itinerary.

The exclusively chartered, all-balcony expedition ship, Le Boreal, sets sail in August 2015 to navigate the sea corridor through Canada’s Arctic archipelago. Historically, this was the holy grail for explorers hoping to find a route linking the Atlantic to the Pacific.

And while this voyage eschews the hardships endured by explorers such as Captain Cook and Amundsen, this is certainly no whistle-stop tour, with a full 20 nights spent cruising from Greenland to the Canadian Arctic and Alaska, the voyage ending in Russia’s Far East.

Along the way, discover the dramatic Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at the mouth of one of the fastest and most active glaciers in the world, Sermeq Kujalleq, doubtless hearing the growls of glacial ice calving into the

Le Boreal sails the Northwest Passage from 20th August to 12th September 2015. From £19,680 per person, excluding international flights. Book by 31st October and save up to £1,900 per person.

Abercrombie & Kent at Harrods, Lower Ground Floor; abercrombiekent.co.uk

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LATITUDE

Ti T W O ’S C O M PA N Y Abercrombie & Kent has an uncanny ability to create perfect partnerships in order to shape memorable holidays. Here’s a rundown of current collaborations…

Lu n

If you yearn to charter something a little different in the Caribbean this winter, how about pitching a tent in the middle of the ocean on the Tiara, represented by Y.CO? The elegant 54m sailing yacht not only has a beautiful Art Deco interior, but the deck transforms into a Bedouin tent (the ultimate boho-chic hangout) with an open-air cinema. Sleeping up to 12 people in a range of staterooms and cabins, this is sailing… but not as we know it.

For more information, visit y.co Scouting for a superyacht charter company that goes the extra nautical mile? Watkins Superyachts, a bespoke London-based management and charter agency, has been chosen to represent the Luna, now available for charter for the first time. At 115m, the Lloyd Werft build is now the world’s largest charter expedition yacht. With 49 crew and the ability to accommodate 18 guests, chartering the Luna is an exceptional opportunity to experience sublime luxury in even the most extreme environments. For more information, visit watkinssuperyachts.com/luna

KENSINGTON… THEN THE WORLD “The Royal Geographical Society is the place for all those who want to know more about our planet and its people.” So says Michael Palin – and he is spot-on. As you enter its hallowed halls, you feel the presence of all the explorers who have planned trips within its walls. You can also ask to see artefacts such as Stanley’s pith helmet and Livingstone’s cap, worn when they first met… we presume.

Members get access to talks, the library and the Members’ Room. rgs.org/joinus

VO L U N T E E R VAC AT I O N How many of us have watched documentaries and worried about the future of the people, places and animals we’re so enchanted by?

Earthwatch, an organisation based in Boston, Massachusetts, allows “citizen scientists” from all walks of life to participate in hands-on scientific research around the world. From studying cheetahs in Namibia to tracking sharks in Belize, volunteers experience not only the thrill of adventure, but also a sense of having done something extraordinary to help save the planet. earthwatch.org

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Land Rover Like a horse and carriage (only faster and a whole lot more comfortable) this partnership is a perfect marriage, resulting in high-octane adventure.

Newly launched Land Rover Adventure Travel offers the chance to explore spectacular global destinations from behind the wheel of an all-terrain vehicle, while enjoying creature comforts en route, underpinned by professional planning and local insight. In 2015, itineraries are taking in Iceland, Botswana, Morocco and China.

Disney Unbelievable but true: Abercrombie & Kent holds the keys to magical experiences at Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. How about accompanying Mickey to the entrance of the park to unlock the gates? Or joining Pluto, hand in paw, on parade? A&K can help create events to remember, from a ball hosted by Snow White to a wedding in a fairy-talethemed marquee. For kids and Peter Pans alike, it doesn’t get more exciting than this.

Earn Harrods Rewards points on travel with A&K. For information, call 020 7173 6440; Abercrombie & Kent at Harrods, Lower Ground Floor

Hats © Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

CHARTERED TERRITORY

Christie’s If jewellery is your passion, you could be taking a sparkling tour in London, Hong Kong or New York, hosted by a specialist from Christie’s. In London, for instance, you might handle historic jewellery at the V&A, take a private tour of the Crown Jewels, and enjoy dinner in the White Tower. In Hong Kong, you can learn about jade and dine at the China Club. Art tours include a trip through India, with visits to private museums, meetings with collectors and afternoon tea with royalty.

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DESERT ROSE An influx of sophisticated hotels, cultural attractions and a thriving fine-dining scene means Doha is set to rival Dubai as a tourist destination

BY LINDSAY MACPHERSON

Doha Getty Images

V

iewed from above, the peninsula of Qatar – a patch of golden desert sticking out into the startlingly azure-blue waters of the Persian Gulf – makes an arresting first impression. An aerial aspect also affords a perspective of the country’s surprisingly Lilliputian proportions. At just 4,416sq miles, it’s smaller than Yorkshire. Yet the scale of the country’s ambitions has always belied its size. In the 1940s, Doha was a struggling fishing village; just 15 years later it was a flourishing city. Cut to today and the oil-rich sovereign state has its sights set on another reinvention: establishing itself as a high-end tourist destination.

It’s no secret that Doha is a city on a roll.

With the 2022 FIFA World Cup set for Qatar, development has gone into overdrive: in the coming decade around $200bn will be invested in construction to cater for the influx of fans.

Already tourism arrivals are growing at an annual rate of 15.9 per cent. It’s easy to see why visitors might be drawn to Doha: the city enjoys the same year-round sunshine and pristine sandy beaches as its better-known neighbours, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In 2013, Qatar came first in the UN’s ranking of the world’s safest countries, and it also holds a key location midway between Europe and Asia, making it an ideal destination for stopovers and short stays.

Even the flight over to Qatar is an enticing proposition. In May, Qatar Airways – an airline that is fast giving Emirates a run for its money – added three new all-business-class Airbus A319s to its fleet. Carrying just 40 passengers each, the jets offer what’s possibly the world’s most comfortable business class experience, having been fitted out with fully flat beds, state-of-the-art entertainment systems and inflight menus created by the likes of Nobu Matsuhisa, Vineet Bhatia and Tom Aikens.

Equally impressive is the newly opened Hamad International Airport. Located just a short drive from the centre of Doha, the landmark structure is almost a city in itself at 600,000sq m, having been designed to accommodate 50m passengers a year. Of course its remit extends beyond merely transiting travellers: the $15bn facility also encompasses an upscale spa, squash courts, a swimming pool, art installations and two five-star hotels.

The speed of progress in Qatar is staggering, and strolling down the Corniche – Doha’s picturesque four-mile waterfront promenade – it’s impossible not to be struck by the palpable sense of optimism in the air. New architectural marvels seem to spring up like monoliths out of the desert sands, making their mark on the city’s spectacular, and ever-evolving, skyline. But it would be remiss to think of Doha as a boomtown built on X

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FROM TOP Doha today; Qatar Airways staff; Hamad International Airport

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know if I summon up the courage to go, the expedition team will take the utmost care.

Even then, I can’t help but think he’s overegging it, possibly to dissuade the more mature guests (of which there are many) from coming along and getting stuck. That was, after all, the fate that had befallen us at Camp Creek a few days earlier – though that was because a quicker-than-expected turn of the tide forced us to traverse a shallow, muddy estuary. To be fair, on that occasion it was me, rather than any seniors, who took a tumble; I’d just managed to hold my camera aloft like a stumbling drunk who, unfathomably, manages not to spill a drop of his drink. But surely, I figure, for the younger, fitter folk, today’s hike will be a breeze.

I’m wrong. Fogg’s right. It’s more of a clamber than a walk; the weather has turned

the atmosphere into a sauna; and every stitch of my clothing is saturated, with sweat as much as rain. But when I reach the top, I’m on a high. Partly because I’ve done it without inconveniencing Medevac, but mainly because the view is to die for.

Here, the river splits into two like a serpent’s tongue and thunders down sheer, carmine-coloured cliffs. We stop. We stare.

We pick up our chins, then retrace our tracks in an unstylish slither to the waiting Zodiacs – the trusty, rubber speedboats that take us on every ship-to-shore tour. The expedition team throws open a cooler box full of soft drinks, wine and beer. It reminds me of pirates revealing the contents of a treasure chest. With my mascara doing an Alice Cooper and my knickers full of mud, I have never enjoyed the amber nectar so X

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“spotters” would have seen anything lurking from a previous high tide; and c) crocs can hold their breath for a maximum of around 90 minutes, so unless one of them is eyeing up a Guinness World Record, they’d already have surfaced. I go in. But I can’t shake the feeling that Ant and Dec are looking on and there are meals for camp at stake.

Days pass with magnificent tours through mangrove-fringed estuaries where we stay on the lookout for the myriad bird species that make the Kimberley their home, from the slender jabiru (black-necked stork) to the great bowerbird. The male bowerbird builds an archway to impress the female, decorating the threshold with shells, bones and stones (or buttons and bottle-tops if he can find them). The females then strut around like ladies inspecting show homes, deciding which male has curated the best bling.

Other highlights include the King’s Cascade, a terraced waterfall that looks like a set-build for a fantasy film. The dangers that lurk are real enough, however. We learn that this is where a young American, Ginger Meadows, famously lost her life to a saltie in the ’80s, so it’s no place to take a dip. The expedition team does, though, pilot us under the waterfall for a proper drenching.

Every day throws up new experiences, whether it’s spying tawny nurse sharks splashing about in the water that laps around our ship at anchor, or watching the sun drop towards the horizon, appearing bigger and redder than I’ve ever seen it look anywhere in the world.

It’s clear from talking to other guests that Kimberley is on the bucket list of X

OPPOSITE PAGE The Bungle Bungle Range; THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Camp Creek; buoy at Crocodile Creek; the Zodiacs are made ready for the day ahead; the Silver Discoverer; the Hunter River; a “saltie” crocodile; sun-dried mud

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REEF LIFE Sunshine, soft white sand, spectacular landscape and the Great Barrier Reef make tropical North Queensland as irresistible as it is awe-inspiring

BY JAN MASTERS

C

airns is the destination of my flight, the jump-off point to catch my ship to Papua New Guinea. Should I rush from luggage carousel to gangway or stay awhile and check out the area, with its golden sands and coral sea? I give it due consideration for a good 10 seconds and decide it would be remiss to pass up the opportunity. As I travel along a spectacular coastal road, with the resort of Port Douglas in my sights, it’s clear I’ve made a smart decision.

In less than an hour I arrive. Set on Four Mile Beach along a low spit of land, Port Douglas is the gateway to two World Heritage Sites: the Great Barrier Reef and the lush rainforest of Daintree (the oldest living example on the planet). Tours to the outer and inner reefs are plentiful – a dream for divers and snorkelers – and there are beautiful walks and adventures to be had in the forests and around the creeks of Mossman Gorge. With an ever-present array of wildlife, there’s never a shortage of things to do and see.

The town has a history of booms and

slumps. In 1876, gold was discovered on the Hodgkinson River, and Port Douglas was settled by merchants looking to ship out the gold. Boom. Then Cairns took over as the main port of dispatch. Slump. Later, in 1897, sugar-cane growing proved extremely successful, reviving the town, until the crop began leaving the area by road to Cairns.

Once again, it reverted to being a sleepy fishing village. It wasn’t until holiday-makers discovered its paradisiacal charms in the 1980s, and Cairns International Airport brought them from around the world, that it grew into the tourist haven it is today, with a great range of hotels and places to stay.

For this visit, Coconut Grove, situated metres from the beach, is just right. It offers self-contained apartments with outdoor terraces, and the surroundings and the vibe are both stylish and suitably laid-back. As it’s on Macrossan Street, the main drag, it’s also perfect for shopping and dining. Don’t leave town without visiting Harrisons Restaurant, a colonial-style house where Spencer Patrick, an award-winning chef from the UK, cooks

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up a storm, with a menu that includes locally caught fish and superb wines.

One of the other must-dos is to get down and dirty (ie muddy up to your knees) with Linc and Brandon Walker, the Kubirri Warra brothers, who lead Aboriginal cultural tours at nearby Cooya Beach (Kuyu Kuyu). Once a fishing ground of the Kuku Yalanji Bama people, the beach includes mangroves and reef – the perfect environment in which to learn about the way Aborginals hunted, gathered bush tucker and found natural medicine.

Brandon offers me a spear so he can teach me how to catch a fish, but I decide I’d rather open coconuts and drink the milk. I also decline to taste the rear end of weaver ants that he assures me have a great lemony flavour and are packed with vitamin C, and stick with the citrus fruit we pick from the trees.

What I’m also keen to catch a glimpse of is the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef system, with over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, stretching 2,300km. It’s the most diverse ecosytem on the planet and Port Douglas caters for every kind of viewing

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Coral Corbis

“S ee ng ove he cle u uoise oce n, it’s b e tht ng to see the sh s of the co l” experience. There are even glass-bottom boats for those who want to stay dry.

However, don’t miss out on seeing it from above. Great Barrier Reef Helicopters has such an extensive choice of tours, it’s hard to pick just one. You can fly over the rainforest, too, and there are many day packages, where flights are linked with trips in luxury catamarans.

I enlist its services to take me from Port Douglas to Cairns so I can really understand the lie of the land. Sweeping over the clear turquoise ocean, it’s breathtaking to see the shapes of the coral – we even hover inches above a tiny island with its own white-sand beach. But it’s Green Island that has the real swoon appeal. This cay was formed around 6,000 years ago by waves depositing sand, coral and other debris. Now it’s a National Park with over 120 native plants and colourful birds – in fact, it’s the only coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef supporting a rainforest. With a quick turn, it’s but a short swoop towards the lively city of Cairns, where my ship is waiting. What a way to meet the ship. What a ride. HMN

ESSEN TI A L INFOR M ATION Jan Masters was a guest of Tourism and Events Queensland and Qantas.

Return flights from London to Carins via Melbourne with Qantas from £1,369, including taxes; qantas.com • coconutgroveportdouglas.com.au • Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours – adventurenorthaustralia.com • gbrhelicopters.com.au • queensland.com

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OPPOSITE PAGE Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas; THIS PAGE, FROM TOP Port Douglas; Cairns; The Great Barrier Reef, with around 400 species of coral

Credits TK Images

A W O R L D AWAY

High in the mountains of Papua New Guinea live remote tribes that are infinitely fascinating.

Just as enigmatic is the floating community that comes to meet them WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAN MASTERS

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I

BISMARCK SEA WESTERN HIGHLANDS

Mount Hagen SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA EASTERN HIGHLANDS

Port Moresby

Alotau

SOLOMON ISLANDS

SOLOMON SEA

PAPUA NEW GUINEA AVERAGE TEMPERATURE June 29°C, December 30°C (Mount Hagen) CURRENCY PNG Kina LANGUAGES 850 different languages; most widely spoken is Tok Pisin (pidgin)

t happens on the morning I’m leaving.

I’m chatting on the phone with Michael Palin and announce I’m bound for Papua New Guinea. He hails me with the words: “Respect. I’ve never been there.”

It’s at that moment it hits home just how farflung the country I’m headed for really is… and what a rare opportunity I’m being given – in more ways than one. Not only am I visiting a land that’s still considered to be one of the last frontiers for the intrepid traveller, I’m also to be a guest of The World. That’s the ship. You know the one. People live on it, owning their own apartments and sailing the globe on an endless odyssey, where discovery goes hand in hand with luxury.

For me, the notion of Papua New Guinea (PNG as it’s generally known) is intoxicating and unnerving in equal measure. A mysterious country well off the tourist track. An elemental land of dense rainforests, sheer ravines, cloudsnagged mountains and tropical downpours.

Of tranquil coral reefs and restless smoking volcanoes, not to mention 38 of the world’s 43 species of birds of paradise.

It is also home to numerous idiosyncratic and exuberant tribes, talking more than 800 languages between them. A place where a pig is valued far more highly than its equivalent value in money. And where shells twisted tightly onto string count as small change if there’s none of the local currency (the kina) to hand. It is also where the legendary Asaro Mudmen reside, who have intrigued me since I saw Irving Penn’s 1970 portrait of these masked people, their skin

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painted ghostly pale, their strange, slo-mo movements beckoning me to visit.

But first, I have to reach Cairns in the far north of Queensland, Australia, to board the ship. No wait. First, I have to sign a confidentiality agreement saying I won’t photograph or intrude on the privacy of residents. Because while the ship may look like an upscale cruise liner, I’m firmly reminded it is nothing of the sort. The people I will meet on the vessel are actually at home (albeit a home from which the view outside their windows constantly changes). That is why there are no references to cabins or suites. The living spaces, from the grandest to the more modest, are all called “residences”, and you purchase one just like you would buy any piece of real estate, fitting it out and decorating it as you wish. Residents also have to contribute a not un-hefty annual sum to keep the whole concept afloat. Literally. We’re talking fuel.

Maintenance. Docking fees. Wages for 260 staff. Food and beverages, and the gathering, storing and cooking thereof.

My destination – and mode of travel – are both so unfamiliar, I admit to feeling a little nervous when I arrive portside, just me, my suitcase and my straw hat. But within seconds of being shown into the Plaza (the airy reception complete with a grand piano that takes up but a fraction of the polished floor), I’m getting the warmest of welcomes. And a glass of chilled Champagne, which always helps. Then, after unpacking, I’m ushered to the lecture theatre for a safety briefing, followed by an initiation into all the wonders of PNG.

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“ hite outside no n (no s di di s ell, you see thei And what wonders, from sing-sings (tribal get-togethers) to fire dances – where young men in huge headdresses defy the incandescent anger of a bonfire. We learn that good morning in the language that binds all – pidgin – is “monin tru” and good afternoon is “apinun”.

I love pidgin. If you read it over and over, you get the gist. I don’t even mind that white outsiders are known (not maliciously, I’m assured) as dim-dims. Well, you see their point.

We also hear how the inhabitants chew the stimulant betel nut, adding lime (the chemical calcium hydroxide, not the fruit) that turns the mush into a vermillion foam.

(This explains why their smiles are often alarmingly blood red.) The lecturers also explain why we shouldn’t worry about being eaten by cannibals – apparently, the reality is far removed from the scary stories we may have heard… and I relax. Kind of.

The first leg of our journey finds us steaming to Alotau, a quintessential South Seas town and the site of dramatic fighting in the Second World War. This marks a point of barely containable excitement for I am to join the overland exploration, flying to Mount Hagen, the capital of the Western Highlands Province, located 1,500m above sea level and home to fiercely proud tribal people.

The back story is mindboggling. The area was explored for the first time in the early 1930s when Australian brothers, Mick and Dan Leahy, journeyed into the Highlands’ central plateau to prospect for gold. Pretty much everyone, both near and far, assumed the area was devoid of human X

liciously) nt”

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP A tea plantation in the Western Highlands; a typical Highlands dwelling; a young resident of Rabaul; a tribal musician; schoolchildren in Tambul; OPPOSITE PAGE The Huli Wigmen; FOLLOWING PAGE Tribal people from the Highlands

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“On ceremonial occasions, Papua New Guineans still wear their traditional costumes, many created to scare the bejesus out of their enemies” -

THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Dancing in Tambul village; a Chimbu tribe teenager; dancers on the beach at Kopar village; the Asaro Mudmen; a Western Highlands tribesman; OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT AND RIGHT The Skeleton Men; BOTTOM RIGHT A roadside coffin advertisement

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habitation. Wrong. What they discovered was a population of more than a million people, made up of hundreds of tribes who were unaware of the outside world. In many cases, they were even oblivious to each other.

Having never seen white men, they thought the brothers were returning spirits. Goodness knows what they made of the giant, bird-like light aircraft that was later drafted in.

Our chartered plane flies in over what looks like green patchwork (the Highlanders are superb agriculturalists) and, on landing, we’re met by guides and taken to our base for three nights – one of the area’s swishest hotels, complete with barbed wire on the surrounding walls. Hot and sweaty (there’s no escape in PNG, even in the cooler Highlands), and having found my room has all the basics, I hurry to the bar for a glass of wine (mine is drained from a box, which I find rather endearing, but I soon discover bottles are available). We are then briefed about our two days in the Wahgi Valley by the expedition leader, the charming and super-capable Rob McCallum. The adventure quotient has just been ratcheted up a few more notches.

What follows are 48 hours I’ll never forget.

The World’s expedition team has planned two events that, in terms of exoticism, are off the scale. In the first, they have mobilised the entire village of Tambul to put on a display (everyone in the village gets the day off), during which McCallum presents our hosts with educational materials as well as scholarships donated by a former visitor. Reason enough for a party that is a kaleidoscopic extravaganza.

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Day to day, the majority of Papua New Guineans dress in casual western style or sekonhan klos – second-hand clothes – as opposed to tribal dress (back in the 1960s, the split was more like 50/50). On ceremonial occasions they still, though, wear their traditional costumes, many of which were originally created to celebrate their culture and/or scare the bejesus out of their enemies.

Such customs, far from being archival in nature, are still very much alive and well.

So I am soon dancing with 80-year-olds bedecked with ferns and flowers; children with shaved heads, their hair arranged as faux beards, feigning the affliction of an aged bent spine as they lean on sticks; ancient (for real) wailing widows with white clay faces, draped in dozens of shell necklaces; and teenagers with faces covered in bright, geometric patterns, sporting embroidered hats (which you could sell like hot cakes in Portobello Market). It’s crazy. It’s enthralling. And pinch-myself picture perfect.

If anything, the next day is even more eye-widening. In the sanctuary of an orchid garden, McCallum’s contacts have ferried in several tribes (some journeying all night) to come and dance for us. There are the skeleton people from Chimbu Province who pick their way over the ground, bones painted on their blackened bodies; the Huli Wigmen from the Southern Highlands Province, whose headdresses are woven from their own hair, with different degrees of topiary signifying rank and status; the Silimuli women from Enga Province with moss hats and bare breasts (their collective laugh is considered to be the

most seductive sound in all of PNG). And yes, the Asaro Mudmen from outside Goroka in the Eastern Highlands Province, who, legend has it, once hid in the river to escape capture, before emerging whitened from the mud only to find their enemies, considering them spirits, fleeing for their lives.

This flamboyance is not the equivalent of hotel-foyer entertainment that takes place every night for tourists, before Nikes are slipped on and 4Gs are feverishly thumbed. You would have to go to the annual Mount Hagen games to see this kind of convergent display (and then it would be crowded). For such an up-close and personal experience, you need to know people, who know people, who know people.

In fact, given the lack of infrastructure – and because tourism is positively embryonic – it’s advisable to be accompanied by reputable guides. This is, after all, a place where paybacks and vendettas are a way of life, where the police process sits side by side with the tribal process. So if, for instance, you’re involved in a road accident where someone dies, but you’re deemed not guilty by law, you still have to pay compensation – usually in the form of live pigs at a big dinner. Otherwise, a clan fight can ensue.

While a guest on tribal land, all may be well. But in no-man’s land, towns and markets (Port Moresby, for example, has an unsavoury reputation), things can be peaceful one minute, and kick off the next. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. Take expert advice. Take no chances. But take heart: you may never see so many wide smiles or receive such a genuine welcome anywhere in the

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world. Indeed, everywhere we travel, people young and old come out to wave at us. While we’re only a few buses full of perspiring tourists, it’s as if we have been temporarily granted the status of “Missis Kwin” (the Queen).

The reverence continues when we are greeted back at the ship. We’re muddy. And sweaty.

Again. And as our bags are whisked away and trainers taken for cleaning, we ascend the steps into the air-conned luxury of, well, what some call home. A glass of Champagne is once again thrust into our ice-flannelled hands. And over dinner, having made some great friends, we chat about other fascinations to come: Kopar Village at the delta of the Sepik River where a sing-sing is planned on the beach; and Rabaul, built on the edge of a flooded caldera and ringed by volcanic cones.

Until then, it’s back to the swimming pools, the fitness classes, the spa, even playing on the gyroscopic billiard table that stays flat no matter how high the waves. There’s no getting away from it – this is spoiling on a considerable scale, a world away from where our journey has just taken us.

How would I describe this particular tribe – the residents? Well, they’re not stuffy or snobbish. Most are highly driven personalities. Most are entrepreneurial and philanthropic. They are interesting.

Interested. And treat staff like close family.

They are also grateful for, not blasé about, the privileges for which they choose to pay. A woman who I now count as a friend, just wrote to me. “I’ve realised one of the most important advantages of being on The World is that it has opened my eyes to all the realities around X

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the globe,” she says. “When you hear about them on TV or in the newspaper, it’s easy to turn the TV off or close the paper and forget about them. Seeing it first hand really brings it home. And sometimes, we can help. Because I’m discovering and understanding different cultures. Every day I travel is a gift.”

The World gave me a gift too: PNG, in all its curious, gregarious and glorious colour. HMN ESSENTIAL INFO If you own an onboard residence on The World, guests can join you, and friends and family can stay when you’re not on board. A quartet of residences are owned

by Exclusive Resorts, giving its members a chance to stay on the luxury vessel.

• 165 residences • Average time on board per year – four months • Average occupancy – 150 to 200.

The ship is one of the world’s most environmentally conscious vessels, burning clean marine diesel, and with a Zero Discharge to Sea policy.

Jan Masters travelled as a guest of The World and Qantas.

• The World: aboardtheworld.com • Return flights from London to Cairns via Melbourne with Qantas from £1,369, including taxes; qantas.com • Before travelling to Papua New Guinea, visit www.gov.uk/ foreign-travel-advice/papua-new-guinea

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A Rabaul youngster dressed in celebratory costume; Rabaul’s volcanic beach; the youngest dancer on Kopar beach; The World; the author with new, not-so-scary friends; a baby in a handmade bilum bag – used in PNG for carrying everything

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CROMLIX HOUSE Perthshire

It’s a property that can claim 500 years of stately heritage in a spectacular setting, but it is the last 18 months that have provided arguably the most significant chapter in Cromlix’s history. The reason comes in the unlikely form of 2013 Wimbledon tennis champion Andy Murray, who was announced in January of that year as the countryhouse hotel’s new owner. The subsequent refurbishment has seen the property upgraded in rather smashing fashion.

Cromlix estate has been passed down through the hands of the same family since ownership by the Bishop of Dunblane in 1487; it was only in 1874 that a house was built here, and only in 1981 that the house was converted from a private residence into a hotel. Just three miles from Dunblane – Murray’s home town – the property is set in 34 acres of secluded woodlands and grounds, complete with its own chapel and loch.

What Murray’s ownership has added is a touch of luxury and a whole lot of stardust.

The conversion has revamped many of the house’s original features while blending in a few indulgent touches: freestanding copper baths, antique Scottish furniture and, not least, a new restaurant run by Albert Roux of two-Michelin-starred French restaurant Le Gavroche. Expect slightly less formal

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fare here, but still well crafted, and with a generous leaning toward Scottish seafood.

The 15 hotel rooms are individually decorated, and have views out to the sprawling but immaculate grounds, while the intimate nature of the house makes it an attractive proposition for exclusive use.

One can well imagine a convivial gathering of friends over a long weekend, tucked away from the hullabaloo but with the history of Bannockburn and William Wallace close at hand for those wishing to immerse themselves in Scottish lore. Two drawing rooms, conservatory, dining room, snooker room and assorted smaller rooms provide sufficient intimacy for those looking to hunker down over games and afternoon tea (or something stronger – this is whisky country after all), while the woodlands and loch will reward outdoors types – particularly those who like the challenge of landing a trout. And yes, as you might expect, there are tennis courts. X Essential info: Exclusive use: £8,500 per night April to October; from £250 per night per room April to October; cromlix.com CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The grand Victorian exterior of Cromlix House; a convivial dining room; a welcoming fire in the drawing room; bathroom with freestanding copper bath

INTERVIEW

not set apart from it,” Wilhelmsen says. “Of course, the guy was much smarter than me, because he said it was an interesting idea; before I knew it, I was the proud owner of a campsite. I had no idea what to do with it, as I’d never worked in tourism.”

What made him jump into such a deal so instantly? And, more to the point, what made him sell up his private banking business to pay for it? “I thought maybe this guy was right,” he says. “I’m not saying the Masai are paragons of virtue, but I could see it was a very unfair situation. And, of course, I was moved by Africa’s beauty – its wildlife and its people.”

Wilhelmsen says he figured tourism was the only industry that could bring in enough cash to support the land. The next step was to construct the first, fairly rudimentary, camp that he built with the local community.

“It created an atmosphere of interaction,” he says. “Of course, when you employ people who’ve never worked in hospitality, it’s tough at the beginning. I think it was a couple of years before they understood the need for ice cubes in the gin and tonic.”

The next big change – the real challenge – started in 2006, when the land bordering the park and owned by the Masai started to be privatised. “This land had been owned collectively, but once you start parceling it up, it can be disastrous for an area where wildlife needs to roam freely. And the Masai need to graze their livestock,” Wilhelmsen says.

The Masai Mara and the Serengeti together hold about 40 per cent of what’s left of the bigger mammals in Africa, yet they only make up around 0.1 per cent of the landmass. It’s an indispensable ecosystem that each year sees the biggest migration in the world – think one and a half million wildebeest on the move, for example – in addition to all the species that are in the Mara year round. Animals give birth in the Serengeti in February and March. Then, as the weather turns drier, they move into the Mara. It’s already lost about half of its population of such animals over the last four to five decades. To the world, the area is priceless.

If it’s destroyed, it cannot be replaced.

“If you create individual plots and sell them to somebody, the best parcels will be committed to agriculture or outside speculators and the rest will have a fence put up around them,” Wilhelmsen says. “Then the animals can’t move. So that’s when we – and other like-minded people – started setting up our conserves. The one I’m involved with is the 50-acre Naboisho Wildlife Conservancy; it has become a respected model when it comes to community integration.

“We and other tourist partners have long-term lease agreements with local Masai landowners. This gives them a steady income

“/t’ n indis ens ble ecosyste h t e ch ye sees the bigges ig tion in th o ld - thin on n l illio ildebeest on th ove”

stream and job opportunities,” he continues.

“It’s like a brotherhood. If you come with respect, if you’re honest about your intentions and if you bring something to the table, then you can also demand something back. We all have rights and incentives, obligations and liabilities, and 98 per cent of the families have joined voluntarily. This works better than just throwing money at the local people, which, in the end, destroys the spirit.

“It also means we can control the grazing of cattle. We know that if people are paid a lease fee for their land, they won’t kill a lion.

If they’re not paid, and the lion eats one of their cows, they would have no hesitation in killing the lion. Such a deal helps create a balanced system. We’re also building funds for water supplies, education, health and jobs – a long list of projects partly run by the local community.”

The other result is that Basecamp Explorer offers spectacular safaris for the visitor, and the camps themselves are a delight. Built of sustainable and authentic materials, they are very private. And you’re also able to learn from the Masai who work there, who wear traditional red dress (not khakis) and have been recruited into jobs such as drivers and managers. In short, they are an intrinsic part of the guest experience. Indeed, the Masai have an expression: “If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to travel far, travel together.” And that’s exactly the philosophy Wilhelmsen has embraced. HMN basecampkenya.com

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FROM TOP Elephants at dusk in the Masai Mara; Basecamp Explorer’s Eagle View camp has nine tented suites; rustic luxury at Eagle View

DESTINATION

DIVE IN

Resorts in the Maldives are evolving in glamorous and highly inventive ways

BY SARAH GILBERT AND MARY LUSSIANA

Fish and atoll Getty Images

M

ade up of more than 1,100 islands spread over a string of coral atolls scattered across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives archipelago lives up to every paradise-island cliché: powder-soft white sand; impossibly blue water; gently swaying palms; and colourful reefs teeming with tropical fish.

The first planeloads of tourists arrived in 1972 and, over the years, unashamedly hedonistic resorts have sprung up in all shapes and sizes. From the glamorous One&Only Reethi Rah with 130 villas, more than 845 staff, 12 beaches and seven restaurants, to the barefoot luxury of Baros, with just 75 romantic villas and no children under eight allowed, there’s something for everyone, from loved-up couples to multigenerational families.

With the opening of regional airports, it’s now possible to reach even the farthest-flung atolls in a short hop from the capital, Malé.

The Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa and the Residence Maldives both have access to the pristine, uncharted reefs of the remote southern atolls.

There’s an ever-expanding choice of high-end resorts. And within the last year, LVMH’s second hotel – Cheval Blanc

Randheli – and Velaa Private Island have both raised the luxury bar.

Underwater Indian Ocean firsts include Niyama’s Subsix nightclub, six metres below sea level, where you can watch rays and reef sharks through the floor-to-ceiling windows as you dance. There’s also Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, as well as the spa at Huvafen Fushi, which has the world’s first underwater treatment rooms.

Things are changing above the waterline, too. At the Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, the 16 Ocean Pearls villas are completely detached from the main island. They have their own restaurant, bar, a shared swimming pool and a speedboat on hand to ferry you across.

Moving away from the concept of one island, one resort, Dutch Docklands is redeveloping five empty lagoons. One will become a star-shaped convention hotel, another the world’s first 18-hole floating golf course. There’ll also be 185 waterfront villas; some are already up for sale.

Amilla Fushi Resort, due to open in December, will have 12 family beach houses available on 50-year leases. Now that restrictions on foreigners buying property in the Maldives have been eased, you can even have your own slice of paradise. X

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FROM TOP A school of colourful surgeonfish; coral atolls in the Maldives, seen from the air

DESTINATION

VELAA Noonu Atoll, Maldives

Just when one thinks the Maldives can’t get more glamorous, something like Velaa Private Island comes along and changes the game yet again. Its January 2014 opening notched up a number of firsts for the Maldives: the first lift; the first “snow room” (to improve the circulation and rejuvenate the skin); and the first Short Game Golf Academy (designed by ex-Ryder Cup Captain and double US Masters champion José María Olazábal).

The opening also gave rise to a raft of staggering facts and statistics. Velaa is now the island with the tallest palm tree – Maldives law means no building can be higher than the tallest tree on the island, so a tree had to be found that would top the 37ft Tavaru Tower, which houses the lift. It is also home to a library of 20,000 books in 17 languages and the most extensive wine cellar in the Maldives.

Velaa, which means turtle in Dhivehi (the Maldivian language), is the vision of Czech billionaire Jiří Šmejc, who loved the Maldives so much, he wanted an island of his own there. The result: 45 villas – designed by architect Petr Kolář in a contemporary style with a local accent – dotted around an island in the northerly Noonu Atoll.

Eighteen of the villas are suspended over the

water, but the real jewel is the Romantic Pool Residence, which is so private that you can only access it by boat. It comes with a pool, a sun deck, a sunken bath, a gym and a private spa room, all with views of the lagoon.

The My Blend by Clarins Spa, set over the water, is reached by a wooden bridge. There’s a plunge pool on the edge of the sea as well as six treatment villas, in the midst of which is the snow room. The Spa also has cloudshaped, reclining pods that cradle your body and rock your mind into a state of relaxation.

Those in search of an active break are just as well catered for. In addition to the state-ofthe-art Golf Academy – where guests can work on their swing with a Flightscope simulator – there are covered tennis and squash courts and beach volleyball. There’s a variety of water sports (including diving, snorkelling, kitesurfing and water-skiing) and a chance to see marine life from a mini submarine.

As for wining and dining, there is ample choice. With menus devised by Paris-based Michelin-starred chef Adeline Grattard, Aragu delivers gourmet cuisine; Tavaru has the draw of live cooking in its teppanyaki kitchen; and the Athiri Restaurant offers all-day dining overlooking the Indian Ocean. velaaprivateisland.com

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FROM TOP The Romantic Pool Residence, accessible only by boat; Athiri Restaurant, right on the beach; Aragu offers world-class dining

DESTINATION

A MILL A FUSHI Baa Atoll, Maldives

Tom McLoughlin has been the man to watch in the Maldives. From the first underwater spa at Huvafen Fushi to the first underwater nightclub at Niyama, he’s unveiled one groundbreaking project after another. Now he has set up The Small Maldives Island Company – with experienced hoteliers Carsten Schieck and Michael Flynn on board – to bring even more of his big ideas to fruition.

The inaugural venture, in partnership with Coastline Group – a major developer and builder of Maldivian Resorts – is the Amilla Fushi Resort, scheduled to open this December. Pushing against the trend for honeymoon-orientated destinations, Amilla Fushi will be one of the first resort-withresidences concepts, with 12 private family properties available to rent on 50-year leases, alongside 60 additional houses.

Beautifully constructed Tree Houses with up to six bedrooms nestle 12m up in the branches of the lush, vibrant jungle; Ocean Reef Houses, with sleek, modern interiors, look out onto the reef, offering guests the chance to watch dolphins from their private pool.

Nature is writ large here. Amilla is situated in Baa Atoll, one of 26 natural atolls that make up the Maldives and a UNESCO biosphere reserve with some of the richest

marine life in the archipelago. “We want guests to feel that Amilla is their island home,” says McLoughlin. “For me, the real heart of any home is the kitchen, so the freedom to self-cater is key. With the Emperor General Store and Cellar Door wine shop, families can just pop to the shop for anything from milk and bakery items to meat and wine.”

That said, there’s no shortage of diningout options. Australian chef Luke Mangan has been appointed island restaurateur, delivering fresh, inspiring cuisine at the relaxed pier-side restaurant Lonu.

Alternatively, Baazaar – which flanks the Maldives’ biggest swimming pool – will be serving line-caught, local fish as well as favourite dishes from around the world.

There’s plenty to occupy guests, including activities at the dive and watersports centre, and a library for those who want to expand their knowledge of the area. The Wild Grove has 15 spa treatment rooms, a Fitness Pavilion, a Yoga Pavilion and an organic garden. And this new take on the Maldives has plenty for children, who can head to the Kids’ Hideout for treasure hunts, teepees and the chance to stay overnight in a pirates’ and princesses’ cove. www.amillafushimaldives.com X

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FROM TOP A Tree House with plunge pool; inside a Tree House; Ocean Reef Houses overlook the sea

DESTINATION

CONR A D M A LDI V ES R A NGA LI ISL A ND South Ari Atoll, Maldives

A 30-minute seaplane flight from Malé, the Conrad Maldives Rangali airport lounge even has a children’s room and spa treatments to pass the time while you wait for your transfer.

The resort’s 150 villas are spread over two islands, separated by a lagoon and connected by a 400-metre bridge. It offers three different resort experiences in one: the 51 romantic water villas, with steps that lead straight into the lagoon, are set on the diminutive adultsonly Rangali Island. Tucked amid tropical foliage on the larger and livelier main island, Rangalifinolhu, the 81 contemporary beach villas have glass-walled bedrooms, alfresco bathrooms and terraces that lead onto the beach, while interconnecting villas are perfect for families or groups of friends. The Spa Retreat is set off the northern tip of the main island, with its own organic restaurant and 21 over-water villas, each with its own spa treatment room, in addition to the nine couples’ treatment rooms, which are open to all guests. The resort’s second spa is set on stilts and has glass-floored treatment rooms looking down onto a coral reef.

The location may be remote, but foodies will love the world-class cuisine on offer at its 12 restaurants, from Japanese dishes under the stars at Koko Grill to 101 of the world’s

finest cheeses in the Cheese Bar, and the latest addition, an Asian-inspired restaurant and dim-sum bar from a Taiwanese celebrity chef.

The Wine Cellar wouldn’t look out of place in London or New York, stocking more than 20,000 bottles, from rare vintages to new discoveries. Indulge in a five-course dégustation menu hosted by the chef and sommelier.

For one-of-a-kind dining, Ithaa is the only all-glass undersea restaurant in the world.

Feast on gourmet European fare almost five metres below sea level, with a 180-degree view of the life aquatic. And if you’re looking for somewhere unusual to tie the knot, Ithaa is also available for underwater weddings.

If you tire of lounging on the beach, you can take a trip to a nearby island. Or grab a workout on the running track between the two islands on the championship-standard tennis courts or in the air-conditioned gym.

There’s every activity imaginable available, from scuba diving – you can take your PADI course in an underwater classroom – to windsurfing, big-game fishing and catamaran sailing. There are also some more unusual expeditions: you can cruise in a mini submarine, go on a manta ray-watching expedition, or snorkel with whale sharks. conradhotels3.hilton.com

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FROM TOP The spa, which has glass-floor treatment rooms; a Superior Water Villa looks out at the lagoon; Ithaa undersea restaurant

DESTINATION

C H E VA L B L A N C R A N D H E L I Noonu Atoll, Maldives

The journey begins at home with a call from an “experience alchemist”, who takes note of your likes and dislikes – feather or foam pillows, white or red wine – and proposes some tailored experiences. All you have to do is fly to Malé, where you’ll be whisked into the resort’s private seaplane, touching down 40 minutes later at Noonu Atoll, where your personal butler and a complimentary jet-lag massage await.

Cheval Blanc Randheli is made up of not one but five diminutive islands, and the 46 villas – over-water, garden and island-style – have been given the wow factor by starchitect Jean-Michel Gathy. They come with cathedral ceilings and sleek furniture. The enormous marble-clad bathrooms have his-and-hers dressing tables, and tubs and showers large enough to share. And if you’re not over water, you get a private 12.5-metre infinity pool.

Bespoke art and decorative touches are everywhere, from the monumental copper arch

by Vincent Beaurin to petrified wood carvings, custom-made rugs from Nepal and handbeaten copper panels from Indonesia.

You can spend your time dining à deux on a deserted beach and taking a sunset cruise on a wooden dhoni. Or join an early-morning yoga or t’ai chi class, work out in the state-

of-the-art gym, perfect your swing on the hitech golf simulator, or enjoy a floodlit game of tennis in the evening. Take to the water by kayaking, windsurfing or water-skiing, or tackle big-game fish from a luxury yacht.

You can even take your PADI exam or refresh your diving skills.

The undersea world is almost as colourful as the Emilio Pucci kaftans in the chic boutique, alongside Aspiga beaded sandals, Melissa Odabash bikinis and a range of limited-edition Hublot watches.

The Guerlain spa – another Maldivian first – is set on its own Crusoe-esque island, where temptations include tailor-made treatments like the Randheli Sun Ritual, alfresco massages, a contemporary hammam and a Leonor Greyl hair spa.

Dining options are equally impressive.

Award-winning chef Yannick Alléno is in charge of the menu at Le 1947, where Christofle cutlery graces the table. The glasswalled wine cellar has space for more than 900 bottles, and creative cocktails at the White Bar come with sunset views. There’s Mediterranean fare at over-water Deelani, and at Diptyque you can sample sushi from a Japanese chef one night and try Iberian tapas the next. randheli.chevalblanc.com X

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FROM TOP An Island Villa with a private pool; inside a Garden Villa; The White Restaurant

DESTINATION

FOUR SE A SONS Kuda Huraa, North Malé Atoll, and Landaa Giraavaru, Baa Atoll, Maldives

Four Seasons has two resorts in the Maldives, both of which are family-friendly and showcase the brand’s flawless service. Just half an hour by speedboat from Malé, Kuda Huraa channels Maldivian village charm.

Pavilions and bungalows, all with private pools, line the beach; water bungalows are built on stilts over the lagoon; and the Royal Beach Villa was constructed by local craftsmen using traditional materials.

Alongside four restaurants – including over-the-water Baraabaru with a traditional Indian menu, and the seafood-led Kandu Grill – there’s a fitness centre to work off the gastronomic delights. Or head to the Island Spa for crystal facials and holistic treatments featuring flame meditation.

There’s an enormous infinity pool, and the water-sports centre offers complimentary kayaking and windsurfing, as well as water skiing, parasailing and banana boating. There’s also a fun-filled kids’ club and children’s pool.

The PADI dive centre is within easy reach of 30 excellent dive sites and, to take advantage of the world’s most consistent – and warmest – swells, a professional surf school offers tuition.

If you want a change of scene, the Maldives’ most luxurious liveaboard, the Four Seasons Explorer – a three-deck, 11-cabin catamaran

– can take you on a four-day cruise to Landaa Giraavaru, in Baa Atoll. The only UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives, the area is a manta ray hot spot. Guests can sign up to the resort’s Manta-on-Call service to be alerted when rays are in the area for a chance to swim with these giants.

Set on a large island – you’re given a bicycle for exploring – are 103 thatched bungalows and villas. The beach villas have 12-metre lap pools and an outdoor pavilion with a spiral staircase leading to a loft, perfect for seagazing.

There are also Water Suites, Ocean Suites and the two-bedroom Royal Beach Villa.

Last November, the first three-bedroom, two-storey Landaa Estate was unveiled. Away from the hub of the resort and spread across 2,000sq m, it comes with its own private beach, two pools, Stargazing Lounge and outside living space. A personal chef is on hand and the Estate Manager is available 24/7 to chauffeur you in a private buggy.

The spa offers a medically accredited 14- or 21-day panchakarma – an intensive Ayurvedic detoxification programme. But if detoxing isn’t your aim, there are four restaurants, including Italian-themed Blu and Middle Eastern Al Barakat. fourseasons.com/maldives

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FROM TOP Villa in Kuda Huraa; infinity pool at Landaa Giraavaru; Water Villas at Landaa Giraavaru have views of the sunrise or sunset

DESTINATION

M A A LIFUSHI BY COMO Thaa Atoll, Maldives

Spread over a tiny private island in the tranquil southern reaches of the Maldives, Maalifushi by COMO offers an immaculate world of sun-bleached contentment. No bright lights or loud music here; this is all white muslin drapes and pale wooden floorboards – an oasis of serenity.

Amid the turquoise waters of Thaa Atoll, around 50 minutes by seaplane from Malé, this part of the archipelago is renowned for its rich marine life. Hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and manta rays swim alongside smaller, more colourful reef fish. And to help guests explore the underwater world, Maalifushi has PADI-certified instructors and a resident marine biologist on hand.

Back on land, 65 villas and suites are dotted around the island. Some are set amid the lush vegetation; others are suspended over the crystal-clear, shallow lagoon with access via wooden walkways. Created by Japanese designer Koichiro Ikebuchi, the architecture draws on local materials, resulting in muted colours and pared-back luxury. Most of the villas have their own private pools, while those set over water include a private terrace.

Within the resort, the COMO Shambhala Retreat spa is a destination of its own. Eight ocean-facing treatment rooms specialise

in the holistic therapies on which COMO has built its reputation, as well as a variety of facials using COMO Shambhala Purify products. The wellness centre also includes a gym and yoga pavilion with complimentary yoga every day, plus the option of privately guided meditation and pranayama (a deepbreathing yoga technique).

To feed the body as well as the soul, fine dining is on the table at Tai, an over-water Japanese restaurant. The menu includes sushi, sashimi and specialities cooked on the yakiniku grill. Meanwhile, Madi (which translates as manta ray in the Dhivehi language) offers both Maldivian dishes and international cuisine, from Thai and Indonesian to Mediterranean. Madi also serves COMO Shambhala Cuisine, characterised by its use of organic ingredients, and rich in enzymes, vitamins and sea minerals; many of the dishes are raw or grilled, but the tandoor is also used, which imparts a delicious charcoal accent. comohotels.com/maalifushi HMN Sarah Gilbert writes for Condé Nast Traveller, Wanderlust and The Guardian; Mary Lussiana writes for Condé Nast Traveller, How to Spend It, House & Garden and The Daily Telegraph

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FROM TOP The pool at a Water Villa; the private, outdoor space in a Garden Suite; and a Garden Suite bedroom

FOOD

SUPPER HEROES Michelin-starred UK chefs? Check. Locally sourced produce? Check.

Luxurious rooms in which to stay after an indulgent meal? Check in…

BY AMY BROOMFIELD

LE M A NOIR AU X QUAT ’SA ISONS Great Milton, Oxford Raymond Blanc spent much of his childhood at the elbow of maman Blanc learning everything he could about French cookery and seasonality. He found work in a local restaurant at the earliest opportunity.

“I began my career as a cleaner,” he explains. “And then one day, my dream came true and I was given a waiter’s jacket.

The trouble was, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut – I began to make suggestions to the chef that perhaps his sauce was too salty or too rich, and he responded with a fist in my face!” The chef in question told him he would never work in another kitchen in France, and Blanc was, as he put it, “exiled to England, like Napoleon”.

France’s loss was the UK’s gain; Blanc found work as a sous chef in a pub in Oxfordshire. One day, the head chef fell ill and he took over. “I was amazed,” he says.

“We began to win awards, and recognition from the Michelin Guide, which has continued at Le Manoir [it has held two Michelin stars for 30 years].”

Blanc bought Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in 1984 and, with the help of his then wife, transformed it into the grand haven it is today. The hotel is surrounded by greenery, a

quaint Japanese garden and two acres of land growing seasonal produce. “Growing food is the heart of what we do; that’s how it should be in gastronomy,” Blanc says. “These days, people want to know what they’re eating. And as chefs, I believe we must connect with our terroir, our earth, our farmers and fishermen.”

Dinner is à la carte, or in the form of a five- or seven-course tasting menu. For each course, a sommelier is on hand to advise on matching wines – the majority of them French, of course, but not discounting others selected by Blanc. Dishes are as beautiful to look at as they are to eat; even those without a refined palate would recognise the freshness of the raw ingredients.

Among the mains are agnolotti (a raviolilike pasta typical of Piedmont) filled with goat’s cheese, honey and artichoke, and Cornish sea bass and Scottish langoustine served on a bed of smoked mash. Dessert includes intensely flavoured Gariguette strawberries with cream cheese, punctuated by the subtle heat of Szechuan pepper. It’s not without reason that Blanc’s cooking is revered all over the world. The food at Le Manoir is delicate, balanced, fresh and clever – in fact, each dish is close to perfect. X

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FROM TOP Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons; owner and chef Raymond Blanc; grilled Cornish mackerel and pickled mooli with honey and soy dressing

FOOD L’ E N C L U M E Cartmel, Cumbria In 2013, for the first time, Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck had to share its perfect 10 cooking score in The Good Food Guide with another restaurant: L’Enclume.

The restaurant-with-rooms is where chef Simon Rogan forged his reputation for modernist, precision cooking. “Our food showcases local, seasonal and foraged produce,” Rogan says. “We like to explore complex texture and flavour combinations.”

Much of the produce comes from L’Enclume’s 800-acre farm nearby, which grows vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.

The menu depends on what ingredients are ready to harvest; L’Enclume serves between eight and 12 dishes every evening. Starters might include oyster pebbles, chicken skin and black pudding, or crab sacks; mains often feature Rogan’s gastronomic masterpiece, which looks like an egg but is actually cod mousse. “My favourite dish on the menu is the venison in coal oil [a technique in which oil is poured over hot coals to infuse it with a smoky barbecue flavour],” Rogan says. “We source the venison from the Cartmel Valley, and the micro-fennel and fennel shoots come from our own farm.”

Chef Simon Rogan

G I DL E I G H PA R K Chagford, Devon Nestled in a wooded valley on the Dartmoor borders is the Tudor-styled Gidleigh Park, culinary home of the Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines. Since joining the hotel’s restaurant in 1994, he has transformed the venue into one of the best foodie destinations in the south. Gidleigh Park won Best Restaurant in Britain in the 2013-14 Sunday Times Food List, and Caines won an MBE in the process.

Born locally in Exeter, there’s no better representative for Devon and the south coast than Caines. “Ours is a very creative and English menu,” he says. “We achieve that by using high-quality local ingredients so all our guests have good memories to take away with them.”

Beautifully assembled meals comprise vegetables and fresh fruit sourced directly from the kitchen garden on site, alongside locally produced duck, cod or plump shoulder of Dartmoor lamb. “September is a great month, with so many fresh ingredients available. But if I had to choose one dish as my favourite, it would be my white chocolate and raspberry dessert, which is new to the menu,” Caines says.

Chef Michael Caines

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FOOD T H E P O M PA D O U R B Y G A LV I N A T T H E WA L D O R F A STOR I A EDINBURGH Edinburgh

Chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin

Overlooking Edinburgh’s Princes Street, The Pompadour first opened its doors in 1925 in what was then the Caledonian Hotel. A recent refurbishment saw the grandeur of the Grade II-listed dining room sensitively restored, but the most dramatic change has been in the food, which came under the control of the multi-Michelin-starred Galvin brothers in 2012. “We take inspiration from the season and the market before we write the menu,” says Chris Galvin. “It ensures we work with the best ingredients.”

As per the brothers’ speciality, the dishes are French in style, but use Scottish ingredients. Favourites include roast Orkney scallops with parsnip purée, and roast monkfish. Chris Galvin also recommends the grouse when it’s in season. “Without a doubt, it’s the best dish on our menu. It comes from the Scottish Highlands and is one of the most outstanding ingredients in the world. Grouse heralds the oncoming autumn and harvest time after a season of light flavours. It also pairs beautifully with a glass of Tollot-Beaut Chorey-les-Beaune Pièce du Chapitre.”

THE L ATY MER AT PE N N Y H I L L PA R K Bagshot, Surrey It may be the training ground of England’s rugby team, but you wouldn’t know it from the 123 acres of immaculate greenery that surround Pennyhill Park. The country house, which dates back to 1849, is the epitome of luxury, and famous for its landmark restaurant, The Latymer. Chef Michael Wignall joined in 2007, and his perfectionism has transformed the venue into one of Michelin-star quality (the hotel currently holds two stars, alongside five AA Rosettes). Wignall has applied his signature modern British approach to create a constantly evolving 10-course tasting menu.

“We check the markets and speak to growers and breeders to plan the menu each day,” he says. “Our food revolves heavily around the seasons and our team; everyone has input.” The restaurant sources from suppliers in France, Italy, Spain and the UK; it also forages from the hotel grounds. “We’re working closely with a farmer in Cumbria who’s breeding goats,” Wignall says. “This will be a perfect dish for autumn; we intend to serve it with seasonal truffles, BrillatSavarin and micro-pumpkin sponge.”

Chef Michael Wignall

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PROMOTION

EASTERN PROMISE For an authentic taste of the Orient, the Mango Tree and Pan Chai restaurants in Harrods Food Halls offer a tempting array of traditional and fusion dishes

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PROMOTION

Opposite page Kris Kirkham

A

s a child growing up in Hong Kong, Ian Pengelley was fully immersed in the culture and flavours of the East. He pursued a career as a chef and trained in Singapore, Malaysia and China, and also learned about traditional Thai food. When he began working as a chef in the UK, he brought his passion and knowledge to his role as Head Chef at E&O in Notting Hill, before moving to head up Gilgamesh in Camden Town.

In 2010, Pengelley joined the Mango Tree in Belgravia. Today, this buzzy, finedining restaurant is one of London’s bestloved destinations for real Thai food. Its menu features regional dishes made using the freshest possible ingredients sourced directly from Thailand.

Foods range from the subtly flavoured dishes typical of the north of the country, to spicier varieties that come from the east and south, while others incorporate Chinese influences. Favourites include gai yang (roasted corn-fed chicken marinated in coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal and turmeric), a tender and slow-cooked Malaysian-style beef rendang, gaeng kiew wan (Thai green curry) and tom yum goong, the famous hot-and-sour seafood soup.

In 2012, a branch of Mango Tree opened in the Food Halls, alongside its sister restaurant, Pan Chai. While the former serves Thai classics and Chinese dim sum, the latter focuses on Japanese-inspired fare with a selection of exotic, tasty and colourful pan-Asian dishes. The Pan Chai

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counter is laden with expertly prepared nigiri sushi rolls and fresh sashimi, but more substantial meals are also on offer – including a crispy duck and watermelon salad, and a specially created dish of Wagyu beef in a Korean bulgogi sauce.

Both Mango Tree and Pan Chai also offer ready-made dishes, both on the traiteur counter and in the frosted section, that customers can buy to enjoy at home.

Mango Tree: mangotree.org.uk; Pan Chai: panchai.com; Food Halls, Ground Floor THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The Mango Tree in Food Halls; tofu steak with teriyaki sauce and asparagus; Pan Chai restaurant in-store; luxury sashimi selection; OPPOSITE PAGE Foie gras and king scallop dumplings

CITY BREAK

ROOM WITH A VIEW Take a deluxe waterside mansion and mix with the magic of Istanbul for a taste of Turkish delight

BY JAN MASTERS

T

hey’re often so dull, car rides from airports into cities. But not so the one from Ataturk airport into Istanbul (well, not until I get stuck in one of the city’s notorious traffic jams anyway). It’s the tulips that are making me smile. Twenty million of them, in fact, in every shade from sun yellow to ink black.

And hyacinths, heavy with heady scent, carpeting the sides of the roads, filling the parks and edging every pavement. Packed tightly too – not spaced like soldiers in typical British-local-council-style. It’s as if the Chelsea Flower Show is enjoying a psychedelic fantasy. What a great time to arrive, early in April when the Tulip Festival is in full bloom. A reminder that this slender flower first grew wild on the Asian steppes and was cultivated in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire, way before Holland got in on the act.

I’ve never been to Istanbul before and even sitting bumper to bumper as dusk descends, I’m enthralled. The city is more of a modern metropolis than I had anticipated. Sure, there is an abundance of ancient buildings that speak of its historical significance – it not only straddles two continents (Europe and

Asia), but has also served as the capital of four empires – the Roman, the Byzantine, the Latin and the Ottoman. Imposing mosques and grand churches punctuate the skyline.

And the stately Bosporus, one of the world’s busiest waterways, glimmers with the lights from buildings that rise above it. But there are also stylish shops, hipster bars and clubs aplenty, shoehorned between the taverns and the tea gardens. I can’t wait to explore.

First things first. I arrive at the yali (a traditional waterside mansion) called the Armaggan Bosporus Suites, where I am to be a guest. It’s not until I make my way inside, however, that I become aware of its commanding views across the water, framed by the Bosporus Bridge, which is illuminated in ever-changing colours. The reception room, all opulent Ottoman styling, antique furniture, Anatolian rugs and 20th-century Turkish paintings, may be elegance defined, yet the sound of boats, large and small, lends an exciting energy to the ambience.

It also looks out to the Beylerbeyi Palace on the Asian shore, which was rebuilt as a summer palace for Sultan Abdulaziz in the 1860s, designed by architect Sarkis Balyan.

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TOP AND CENTRE The Armaggan Bosporus Suites; BOTTOM A luxurious suite with views over the water

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land on the opposite shore to Balyan, who was so proud of the Palace, he built a home for himself from which he could view his masterpiece every day. Balyan’s restored yali is now part of the Armaggan Bosporus Suites.

How to describe what this residence offers the visitor? Well, it’s definitely not hotel accommodation. You treat the place as your home for the duration of your stay. There are 18 suites spread across three separate houses, and you can either rent the whole residence, one of the three houses (each offers between four and seven rooms), or just an individual suite. There isn’t a restaurant as such, but rather a dining room with one grand table where you eat communally – an invitation to not only share the freshest food that magically appears from an unseen kitchen, but also to indulge in Turkish hospitality with other guests.

The concept is the brainchild and labour of love of Yalcin Ayasli and his wife, Serpil, both scientists. Together, they started Armaggan, Turkey’s renowned design house, producing authentic heritage goods with a contemporary twist – from fine textiles to leather pieces, showcased not only in their Istanbul store but throughout the suites. My room was filled with textiles and gossamer lace hailing from local ateliers and studios, the fabrics woven on centuries-old looms, as

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well as objets d’art from young Turkish talent – and the best Turkish delight in town.

From their design house near the Grand Bazaar, they also run a Culinary Arts Centre (a deliciously fresh lunch at NAR Lokanta is a must) and an Art and Design Gallery to support national artists. And the Ayaslis don’t stop there. They’ve also established The Natural Dye Research, Development and Application Centre, which helps create employment opportunities for people in rural areas. And because they can draw on the knowledge, expertise and connections of the Turkish Cultural Foundation, authentic experiences for guests can easily be arranged including curator-led tours of the city’s art galleries, cooking classes, and olive-oil- and grape-harvesting experiences.

That’s if you ever get through all the must-see ports-of-call in Istanbul. For me, one of the highlights is the harem in the Topkapi Palace where, over a period of 400 years, the Ottoman sultans, their wives, concubines and children lived in a maze of intricately tiled corridors, chambers and courtyards. In the museum, you can also marvel at imperial costumes – silk kaftans, diamond-encrusted daggers, manuscripts, and Chinese and Japanese porcelain, brought to Turkey along the Silk Route.

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FROM TOP The Blue Mosque, so named because of its blue tiles, is one of the most distinctive buildings in Istanbul; the intricate domes viewed from inside the mosque

The Blue Mosque Corbis; Mosque interior Jan Masters

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commissioned by Sultan Ahmet in the early 17th century. Outside, its six slender minarets, domes and semi-domes make this one of the city’s most famous sights. Inside, it’s the Iznik tiles, stained-glass windows and, above all, the curvaceous ceiling in delicate blues, pinks and greens that grab the attention.

You can’t miss the Grand Bazaar in the old city: it is an exotic labyrinth, filled with glittering goodies to make any magpie happy. Things go down the drain, however, at Basilica Cistern – well, it is a vast, vaulted underground water system, simply spectacular in its Byzantine design, featuring 336 softly lit columns.

As for food, the fare at the Armaggan Bosporus Suites is so superb, it’s hugely tempting to eat here all the time, but it is essential not to miss the many cafés and restaurants, especially Vogue, which has a panoramic view of the city.

Even making my exit is special, with a private launch taking me to the airport.

As the call to prayer echoes around the shores, dolphins frolic in front of the boat. Just one of those moments that makes Istanbul such an atmospheric place to be. HMN Prices from €750 per suite per night including breakfast, tax and service; armagganbosporus.com

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Grand Bazaar, Turkish coffee Getty Images; Topkapi Palace garden, spices Jan Masters

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BIRTH OF THE COOL Winter tourism was born 150 years ago in St Moritz. We toast a century and a half of drama, decadence and daredevil stunts in the legendary alpine resort

BY ANNA HART

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inter holidays in the mountains have a glamour all of their own. Perhaps it’s the exhilarating speed of downhill skiing or the showiness of snowboarding. Maybe it’s the après-ski scene: partying in elegant chalets with dramatic views and open fires, like in a Bond movie. Or it could be the gossip: finding out where the royals and celebrities are staying and, more importantly, with whom.

The story of winter alpine travel began when a St Moritz hotel pioneer, Johannes Badrutt (who had developed the unassuming guesthouse Pension Faller into the four-storey, 99-acre Kulm Hotel), made a wager with the last of his English summer guests: come back in winter, and if you don’t enjoy it, I’ll reimburse your travel costs. It seemed an outlandish suggestion. St Moritz was a popular summer destination with a lake, walking trails and curative waters – but to return in the snow? What would be the point?

Well, word spread that St Moritz was bathed in sunshine 300 days a year. And its pine-scented air was infinitely preferable to the smog of London. So Badrutt’s bet paid off – and St Moritz, “the cradle of winter

tourism”, owes a degree of gratitude to those first British tourists. Because the English didn’t just encourage people to visit the snowy peaks of the Alps – they also invented a few pastimes when they got there.

Newly fêted as a year-round destination, St Moritz developed rapidly in the late 19th century, with the first electric light in Switzerland installed in 1878 at the Kulm Hotel. It was outdoors, though, where the real innovations took place. The first curling tournament on the continent was held on the frozen lake in 1880; the first European skating championships were held in St Moritz in 1882; and the first bobsleigh run and bobsleigh race took place in 1890.

Fourteen years on, in 1904, the Olympic Bob Run in St Moritz – the oldest in the world – opened; today, anyone can make the bone-shuddering, breathtaking 1,722m slide.

As Max Schneider, local legend and proprietor of the ever-popular La Baracca restaurant, puts it, “The British invented winter sport as we know it – they came, stared at a steep slope and asked: ‘Now what can we do with that?’”

David Payne, former club secretary of St Moritz Tobogganing Club (SMTC), who race the Cresta Run, agrees. “Boredom was

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certainly the main motivator behind winter sports,” he says. “When the first British guests came here in winter, they realised there was nothing much to do except sit on a deckchair.

So the Brits invented winter sports – and then the Swiss started beating us at them.”

The Cresta Run is certainly the antithesis of boring. A barmy British phenomenon, the natural track – on which a single rider hurtles headfirst round icy bends on a souped-up tea tray – was built in 1884 by Major Bulpett, eventual founder (in 1887) of the SMTC. At the time, rival resorts such as Davos and Klosters offered sedate, undulating pistes for comfortable “armchair” toboggans.

The Cresta riders were the extreme-sports enthusiasts of the 19th century, steering with just a tilt of the head and braking using two iron spikes in the toecap of each boot.

Today, the SMTC remains an outpost of England, an old boys’ club where potential members must be nominated by two existing members, and wit, charm and connections hold more sway than athleticism.

As the number of aristocratic visitors and the list of thrilling activities grew, so did Switzerland’s medieval mountain towns.

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and adventurous types desperate to launch into something new. “Winter sports are always evolving,” says ski instructor Susi Wiprächtiger. “Lately, people are switching over from downhill skiing to ‘skating’, a style of cross-country done on shorter skis, with a similar motion to rollerblading.” It’s faster and feistier than traditional cross-country, with skiers traversing wide paths and slopes rather than a narrow track, and Wiprächtiger predicts it’s going to be huge.

St Moritz continues to offer action-packed days and decadent evenings. This winter, the hottest spot for lunch is set to be the sunny, sheepskin-scattered terrace of El Paradiso. The stylish mountain hut, owned by local architect Hans-Jörg Zingg, serves exemplary älplermagronen, a Swiss speciality of homemade pasta topped with apple sauce.

Away from the slopes, the cult favourite is the studiously nondescript La Baracca, a cabin in a parking lot next to the cable car at St Moritz Bad, where large bowls of veal casserole are eaten family-style at long wooden tables. The crowd is a mix of hipsters, aristocrats, families and ski bums, creating an energetic vibe that would resonate in London or Berlin. “People ask me how I’ve stayed in St Moritz for so long,” says La Baracca’s Schneider. “The truth is, it’s easy, because the town is never the same two winters in a row.” HMN For more information, visit MySwitzerland.com; SWISS flies from the UK to Zurich – swissair.com Anna Hart writes for Vogue, GQ, Stylist and The Guardian

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Badrutt’s Palace, St Moritz, 1955; a skating waiter serves British guests in a St Moritz café, circa 1938; the children of Joseph P Kennedy – US Ambassador to the UK – take ski lessons in 1938; Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton join the St Moritz set in 1967; Brigitte Bardot and her husband, Gunter Sachs, in 1967

All photos Corbis

Alps to install electric trams, and Johannes Badrutt’s son, Caspar, built the Palace Hotel (now Badrutt’s Palace). Soon St Moritz was as famous for chandeliers and Champagne as it was for action and adrenaline.

More developments followed. A horse race was held on snow in 1906 and then on the frozen lake the following winter – a precursor to the St Moritz Polo World Cup on Snow. Meanwhile, in Mürren, a former Methodist missionary called Henry Lunn was coaxing the British onto skis, and in the early 1920s his son, Arnold, invented the slalom skiing race. (He would go on to campaign successfully – against serious opposition – to get the downhill and slalom events into the Olympic Games in 1936.) And having hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1928 (a role it would reprise two decades on), St Moritz opened its first ski school a year later.

By the 1960s and ’70s, alpine chic was at its peak: wealthy families took suites “for the season”; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis spent Christmases in Gstaad; and children were packed off to Swiss finishing schools while the adults lived the high life.

Swiss ski resorts were popular with film stars, too: Brigitte Bardot skied with her husband, Gunter Sachs; Elizabeth Taylor toured Gstaad wrapped in mink; and Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant made skiwear stylish in Charade (1963). It was this repackaging of high society, high peaks and high jinks – a glitzy complement to the requisite summer on the Riviera – that cemented the reputation of Swiss resorts in the face of competition from rivals Courchevel and Verbier.

For all its history, St Moritz has always been a town of ambitious entrepreneurs

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PEAK OF PERFECTION Stuck in a rut with your annual ski destination? Then it’s time for a parallel turn to somewhere indulgently different... with some cool new outfits to match

BY GUY WOODWARD

Courchevel, French Alps

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BOGNER TOP £145

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a homely environment for group stays, but with hotel service. Private spa, Jacuzzi terrace, cinema room and chromotherapy hammam should ensure relaxation, while the floor-toceiling windows and a natural, harmonious decor (think oak, wool, fur and leather) preserve the alpine feel of your surroundings.

Back in the hotel (itself more of a “maison” in feel, with just 36 individually designed rooms and suites), piste-side restaurant The White has been redesigned for this season – head there for the brasserie-style lunchtime barbecue on the terrace. Meanwhile, fine dining comes in the form of the twoMichelin-starred Le 1947 (named after one of Cheval Blanc’s most legendary vintages), which taps into this vinous heritage via dishes that embrace LVMH’s wine portfolio: veal is marinated in barrels from Château d’Yquem, vegetables are cooked in vine leaves from Krug or Dom Pérignon.

Doubles start at €1,520 (£1,205) per night on a half-board basis, based on two people sharing. The Chalet starts at €7,950 (£6,305) per night on a half-board basis, based on six people sharing. chevalblanc.com

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Pair one of the most exclusive resorts in the French Alps with one of the country’s starriest wine estates and you know you’re in for something special. The first property of LVMH’s Hotel Management portfolio, Cheval Blanc Courchevel opened eight years ago, with an unabashed focus on luxury. One of three hotels in the resort awarded official “Palace” status, it is a cut above even the fivestar ranking enjoyed by 17 other hotels here – which themselves sit alongside the seven Michelin-starred restaurants and clutch of designer stores in the tree-lined Jardin Alpin.

The “ski-in, ski-out” property combines contemporary design (original art in the bedrooms, plus iPads for temperature, lighting and entertainments settings) with mountain charm and bespoke service. Every member of the family is catered for, with new kids’ areas opening for the 2014/15 season (separately themed for both youngsters and teenagers); husky-sledging and ice sculpting are among the activities on offer if you need a break from Courchevel’s renowned slopes.

This season will see the opening of the rebuilt three-bedroom, three-storey chalet, offering

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MONCLER JACKET £485

WILLIAM SHARP HAT £245

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Available from Luxury Collections, First Floor; and Men’s Designer Casuals and Ski, Fifth Floor

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week, a Ladies Week and even a Sun and Ski Week for over-60s. The highlight, though, is the advent festival throughout December, which includes carol concerts, crib walks and a Christmas workshop all set around a carved, life-size nativity scene in the village.

A celebratory vibe is almost omnipresent in the valley – expect plenty of live music on the slopes, which are notable for their variety. Moguls, carving hills and freerides will hold plenty of appeal for adventurous skiers, but there’s more than enough to keep novices on the straight and narrow too, thanks to the pristine grooming. Beyond the immediate environs of the Gastein Valley there are 860km of slopes and 360 pistes of the sprawling Ski Amadé waiting to be discovered via a free shuttle service.

Doubles from €262 (£208) per room per night; suites are from €336 (£267) per night. Prices are subject to availability, and based on two people sharing, including breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea, taxes and service charges. Valid from 27 November 2014 and a minimum 7-night stay applies. grossarlerhof.at

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Known as “the valley of the alpine meadows”, in winter Grossarl offers up 25km of cross-country trails, lifts to connect with the Gastein valley, and more than 80km of pistes. In the middle of this is the chaletstyle, family-run Grossarler Hof – all native timbers, open fireplaces and tiled stoves.

The feeling of wellbeing engendered on the slopes is mirrored here, not least in the extensive spa, where the wood-panelling evokes the same sense of natural calm as that provided by the mountains. It’s a balance that carries over to the treatments, which harness the essence of the native flowers (edelweiss, gentian and the Alpine rose among others) from the local alder woods. The Jagastub’n restaurant, while serving innovative Austrian fare à la carte, does so in a rustic, hearty atmosphere of gnarled wooden benches and regional dress. The suites have iPod sound systems and wireless connectivity, but in a chocolate-box ambience of oak flooring and beams, woven fabrics, and original prints on linen canvas.

The hotel offers various packages during the winter season, based largely on length and time of stay, but it also offers a wine-themed

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BOGNER JACKET £490

HARRODS OF LONDON GILET £1,950

ALEXANDER M C QUEEN SUNGLASSES £251

BOGNER COAT £7,595

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allows guests to pop back for lunch at one of the three restaurants or enjoy après-ski on the roof terrace, complete with underfloor heating. From there, it’s a mere meander to the hands of the spa therapists to revive those aching muscles. A range of treatments are available, all designed to soothe ski-fatigued bodies, including week-long programmes to work in tandem with your exertions on the slopes. Accommodation is contemporary – all clean lines and neutral tones – but of most interest are the 13 suites, notably the 487sq m, two-storey Presidential Suite, with private elevator and immediate access to the slopes.

Sister property the Solís Sochi Suites, five minutes around the corner, is a more intimate retreat (just 52 rooms, compared to the 120 of the main hotel) offering similar levels of service. The main lure here is the Krasnaya Polyana Suite – 583sq m with two private terraces and an infinity pool, plus private spa and gym.

Doubles from £170 per night; Presidential and Krasnaya Polyana Suites from £14,600 per night, including breakfast (excluding 18% VAT) solishotels.com/sochi-en.html

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Russia’s status as a skiing destination has taken time to bed in, but it was well and truly cemented by the hosting of this year’s Winter Olympics around the Black Sea city of Sochi. The snow-based events took place on the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana, which only five years ago struggled to attract tourists, let alone Olympians, to its spartan surroundings.

What a difference $8bn makes. That was the sum spent building a sleek new 40-minute rail and road link. More roubles went on the local facilities – from 187km of immaculately groomed pistes and chairlifts with heated seats to a luxury-brand-dominated shopping mall and casino. Today, Krasnaya Polyana is Russia’s leading ski resort, split between four contrasting hubs, and home to both pristine slopes and highly regarded off-piste options.

Solís Sochi Hotel opened especially for the Olympics. Built into the Caucasus mountainside, its imposing glass and stone exterior gives way to a lavish, vibrant interior that oozes relaxed modern luxury. Most notable is the “ski-in, ski-out” access – the only such facility in Krasnaya Polyana – which, as well as providing immediate access to the slopes,

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formal, elegant Le Grill, with its show kitchen and extensive wine cellar, to the more casual, cosy, fondue-laden fare of La Fromagerie.

Between times, the 1,800sq m spa provides all the R&R you could possibly need – and an opportunity to work off that excess – via a hammam experience and private spa suite, saunas and steam baths, indoor and outdoor pools with Jacuzzi, gym and Pilates studio.

The Palace celebrated its centenary last year.

Guests over the years have included Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Michael Jackson, Brigitte Bardot, Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra and Claudia Schiffer. None of them, however, experienced the brand-new penthouse, set to open this season with a sumptuous overhaul.

Have we missed anything? Oh yes, the skiing. 250km of it, to be precise, making it one of the largest – and most varied – resorts in the Alps, with nigh-on guaranteed snow.

If, that is, you can find time. Our tip? Book a week for the slopes and one for everything else.

Doubles from £312 to £6,570 per night half board; penthouse suite from approx £6,517 to £10,453 per night. palace.ch

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How to sum up Gstaad Palace? “Decadent” would just about cover it, were it not for the fact that this implies some sort of special occasion; in fact, decadence is the Palace’s modus operandi. It’s difficult to know quite where to start when it comes to setting the scene. Let’s start outside with the tobogganing trails, curling, air boarding, glacier rides, paragliding, horse-carriage riding, igloo building, dog-sledding, snow gardens, husky rides and ice-skating. The hotel has its very own igloo village made entirely out of snow, perfect for the younger members of your party.

“Party” is rather the key word here. If you’re getting the feeling that families are at the heart of the convivial atmosphere, you’d be right.

Well, almost. This is a place – a palace, indeed – dedicated to having fun; but there’s plenty of adult fun to indulge in too, not least the evening pursuits. Louis Armstrong, Elton John and Charles Aznavour are among those to have entertained guests at gala dinners down the years, and today the GreenGo nightclub is the place for sophisticated après-ski – its opening hour of 11pm gives you some idea of the vibe.

Dining, too, remains a major focus, from the

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TUMI SUITCASE £745

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a style inspired by the mountain lodges of the US National Park Service. This means a colour palette at one with nature – think azure blues, greens and cream – with woods, stone and local art. Of more note, perhaps, is the 21,000sq m spa and the headline restaurant Spago, the Colorado outpost of multi-Michelin-starred Wolfgang Puck.

In the midst of such luxury, it’s the little things that set Beaver Creek apart. Warm cookies and après-slippers are laid on for all those coming off the slopes in the afternoon, while a host of seasonal events take place for families, from skiing with forest rangers to parades, fireworks and disco skate nights.

Together with Vail (with which it shares the valley), Beaver Creek will host the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships (from 2nd to 15th February). It’s an appropriate accolade for a truly world-class resort.

Ritz-Carlton Suite (1 bed) during FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in February 2015 is approx £4,750 per night.

The same suite in early December 2014 starts at £1,500 per night. ritzcarlton.com/ en/Properties/BachelorGulch; ski-i.com

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Vail is one of the largest ski resorts in the US (there is more than 5,000 acres of terrain); its slopes are not just home to world-class skiing (American superstar Lindsey Vonn trains here), but an unrivalled array of on- and offmountain amenities. Thankfully, it is a resort that manages to marry quantity with quality.

Recent developments including six major lift upgrades in as many years; an update to the already grand Lodge at Vail to debut in the 2014/15 season; and the introduction of several upscale dining options.

Its most exclusive hub is Beaver Creek, whose alpine-village feel is enhanced by several premium offerings. Here, too, they have been busy, most recently adding a Europeaninspired restaurant with outdoor smokehouse; an upgraded high-speed, 10-person gondola with heated seats and Wi-Fi; and a new bootfriendly escalator at the heart of the village – above the ice rink – to take skiers to the slopes.

Most notable, though, is the $15m refresh of the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, the heralded hotel that lies at the heart of this Colorado winter wonderland. The vibrant new look embraces a concept known as “parkitecture”–

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Available from International Designer, First Floor; and Men’s Designer Casuals and Ski, Fifth Floor

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duvets… it all adds to the feeling of total relaxation. Of course, the one thing you don’t tend to enjoy at chalet accommodation is the full spa experience. It appears, though, that nobody told Giorgia and Stefano this. For not only have they incorporated a complete “relaxation area” into the property, but they have included a Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and expansive outdoor panoramic whirlpool.

And the skiing? You’ll be spoilt for choice in terms of the number of slopes on your doorstep – though if you need an extra incentive to ski among them, during the 2014/15 season various Michelin-starred chefs cook up an array of “slope food” (think Italian tapas) at various mountain refuges dotted throughout the Dolomites for skiers to sample en route. Just make sure to plot your route back to your ultimate refuge.

Abercrombie & Kent can arrange accommodation at the San Lorenzo Mountain Lodge, which sleeps ten and costs €3,900 (approx. £3,096) per night including breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea. abercrombiekent.co.uk

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It’s all very well being waited on hand and foot in a plush hotel, but there are times when we all just want to kick back with family and friends and do our own thing. This charming lodge, set in the very northeastern reaches of Italy, allows guests the best of both worlds.

The entirely self-contained, four-bedroom accommodation includes breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea, and is overseen by Giorgia and Stefano, the couple responsible for the jaw-droppingly elegant conversion of this former hunting lodge. Put yourself in their hands, and you won’t go far wrong – from the local recipes that Giorgia prepares for dinner in the traditional Tyrolean kitchen, accompanied by wine from the 1,500-bottle cellar, to the marriage of traditional wooden furniture with modern, simple luxury that Stefano has achieved in the lodge’s naturalyet-honed decor.

Wood dominates, from the impressive front door down to the elegant headboards, with the trappings of modern life – iPod docking station, LCD TV – somehow dotted seamlessly into the mix. The fluffy slippers and bathrobes, the goose-down

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