Kanoo World Traveller_Apr'13

THE MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST TRAVEL MAGAZINE

APRIL 2013

Snow stopper

Why skiiers are heading to the sunny Spanish slopes

Phuket

Thailand’s slice of paradise reveals its luxuries

Produced in International Media Production Zone

Boston

The American city best explored on foot

Belize Dive into the exotic wilds of the Caribbean’s best kept secret

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IN

W

A

European breaks to put a spring in your step

tw Ra o-n di igh ss t on st Ro ay ya at D lH u ot ba el i’s

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Kanoo World Traveller

Welcome to the issue

Dear readers, It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the April issue of Kanoo World Traveller magazine. At the outset, I would like to thank all of our partners and sponsors for your continued support. We hope the articles and information in this issue interest you, and help you in making a decision about how you will spend your summer holidays.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all American Express Network Partners who attended the annual Kanoo-Amex Network Partner Conference held in Amman recently and helped make it a tremendous success. A special thanks goes out to our key sponsors Sabre Travel Network, co-sponsors American Express Cards, and Mr. Munir Nassar and his team at UTA for professionally managing all the logistics and warm hospitality in Amman, Jordan.

In this issue we go in search of the ever elusive jaguar in exotic Belize.

And from there, adopt a slightly slower pace as we scale the dizzy heights of Nevis, a Caribbean resort with a difference. We also report from beautiful Phuket, explore the many charms of France’s second capital Lyon, and tell the story of Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel.

Wherever you are travelling, I wish you a safe and enjoyable journey. nabeel Kanoo Director Kanoo Travel

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 3

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For reservation please call +971 4 377 2000 or visit sheraton.com/dubaimalloftheemirates

©2013 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Sheraton and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.

For full terms and conditions, visit sheraton.com/dubaimalloftheemirates

KaNOO WOrld TravEllEr APRiL 2013

CONTENTS TRAVEL biTES 07 check in

We round up the best European luxury spring breaks and delve into the history of Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town

18 competition

Win a stylish two-night stay at Dubai’s Radisson Royal Hotel

19 Where to Stay

From modern wonders to historic beauties, Prague’s abodes abound

50

26 picture thiS

These captivating destinations will leave you wishing you were there

66 ViSit: Lyon

KWT explores the ample delights and culinary treats on offer in the French city

68 ViSit: phnom penh

Discover the myriad offerings of Cambodia’s capital

72 Suite dreamS

For a room as spellbinding as the city it resides in, there is the incredible Villa La Cupola, at Rome’s Westin Excelsior

33

38

FEATuRES 33 neViS A trip to the Caribbean island uncovers a charming and laid-back destination

38 phuket Robert Colville reveals the luxurious side of this backpackers paradise

46 andaLucia

KWT discovers the cold side of this popular Spanish hotspot

50 boSton

We take a stroll around the beautiful streets of America’s foot-friendly city

56 beLize

On the prowl for the jaguar, KWT discovers exotic wildlife galore

Aerial view of Belize’s famous Blue Hole

56

46

Managing Director: Victoria Thatcher

Editor: Leah Oatway

Production Manager: Haneef Abdul

Editorial Director: John Thatcher

leah@hotmediapublishing.com

Senior Advertisement Manager:

Advertisement Director: Chris Capstick

Writer: Grace Hyne

Stefanie Morgner

chris@hotmediapublishing.com

grace@hotmediapublishing.com

stefanie@hotmediapublishing.com

+971 4 369 0917

Designers: Adam Sneade, Vanessa Arnaud

+971 4 446 1558

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media Publishing is strictly prohibited. All prices mentioned are correct at time of press but may change. HOT Media Publishing does not accept liability for omissions or errors in Kanoo World Traveller.

Jun-Dec 2012 22,920 BPA Consumer Audit Produced by: HOT Media Publishing FZ LLC

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 5

CheCk in | news

CHECK IN

BE INformEd, BE INspIrEd, BE tHErE

Global

luxury EuropEan spring brEaks As the weather heats up, KWT serves up six cool reasons to head to Europe…

Chalet N

Hôtel royal

scarlet Hotel

When it comes to luxury ski destinations, they don’t come much more exclusive than this. Set in the glamorous resort of Lech, 1,660 metres above Oberlech, the northernfacing slopes are a great option in spring and snow coverage is usually good until late April. But whether you’re an avid skier or a hiking enthusiast, there is plenty to keep you entertained. This beautiful wooden abode is luxurious and toasty. Off-piste attractions include a swimming pool replete with an underwater sound system, two outdoor Jacuzzis with uninterrupted views of the slopes, and an underground cinema room. If you can bear to leave the chalet, ski onto the piste from the ground floor or hop into the chalet’s transfer service, by Porsche Cayanne, to try out nearby St Christoph and St Anton.

There are also countless hiking and mountain trails. For the ultimate sun-meets-snow spring getaway, look no further. Chalet-n.at

Drive 45km from Geneva airport and you will find yourself surrounded by breathtaking mountains, which stretch into beautifully clear skies. Located on the French bank of Lake Geneva, the Hotel Royal has been welcoming world leaders into its fold since 1905. An intrinsical part of the history of Evian and its Cachat spring, this sprawling resort has a department dedicated to planning family activities. Ski at Les Portes du Soleil, mountain bike on the Plateau de Gavot, waterski on Lake Geneva or take to the skies for a helicopter ride over Chamonix Valley: however you choose to spend your days, you’re guaranteed fresh air. This resort doesn’t just look good either, it tastes fantastic. At Les Fresques, fish from the lake and herbs from the gardens are transformed into classic and modern culinary masterpieces – all served up with magnificent lake views. Delicious. evianresort.com

With bracing sea air and a spectacular coastline that has inspired great writers and artists for centuries, there are few places better to blow away the cobwebs this spring than Cornwall. Those seeking reassurance that not all British seaside retreats come with an overgenerous helping of kitsch need look no further than Scarlet Hotel. Perched on a cliff, commanding stunning views of the beach cove below, this five-star retreat offers an environmentally conscious, modern and utterly luxurious stay with ample countryside to enjoy. Horse ride along the sandy shores, set your own pace on a hike along the hilly coastal paths, or skim the surrounding salty waters on an exhilarating powerboat trip, the wind in your hair. If the sea air has left you feeling tired, relax in your private outdoor log-fired tub before heading to the hotel restaurant for unpretentious, fresh, seasonal fare. Who needs a TV? scarlethotel.co.uk

Lech, Austria

Evian Resort, France

Cornwall, England

April 2013 Kanoo World traveller 7

Adriana, Hvar spa Hotel Hvar Island, Croatia

Late spring is the perfect time to plan a romantic trip to Croatia, with the wildflowers blossoming and the sun reflecting off the sparkling Adriatic waters. This sophisticated waterfront bolthole, on the picturesque island of Hvar, is perfect for those seeking a seaside retreat in warmer European climes.

You’ll want to photograph the pretty views of the town’s Venetian-era harbour, a popular port of call for yachts sailing the Adriatic. If you can drag yourself away from the hotel, Hvar’s cultural life is thriving with galleries, museums and exhibitions to keep your busy.

Or rent a sailboat for the day. By night, tuck into locally sourced fare on the hotel’s roof terrace, overlooking the amber-lit town below, and let the warm, salt-infused breeze blow your cares away. suncanihvar.com

Castello di Casole

La residencia

Tuscan idylls don’t come much grander than this castle retreat. One of the largest private estates in Italy, with 4,200 acres of rolling hills, sweeping valleys and fragrant olive groves, a stay at its Bargagli Penthouse – which took three years to perfect - is guaranteed to make you feel like royalty. Music lovers will adore it here: in spring, the hills come alive with music from string quartets to outdoor concerts and theatre productions that take place in Castello’s ampitheatre. Enjoy long walks through the flower-strewn countryside and keep your eyes peeled for the wonderfully wild neighbours, including deer and wild boar, which live on the hotel’s Model Game Reserve. Its various restaurants use produce grown organically on site to create sumptuous dining experiences: for private feasts, have a private chef whip up mouthwatering cuisine. For a serene afternoon, take a dip in the infinity pool and massage all your stresses away under barrel-vaulted ceilings at its Essere Spa. Bliss. castellodicasole.com

Not only does Mallorca boast beautifully balmy spring weather but it also offers landscapes to suit every taste: from jagged mountains to beach coves and quaint rural hamlets. Surrounded by 30 acres of lush gardens and vibrant olive and citrus groves, La Residencia, on the edge of the artists’ village of Deià, provides the perfect base from which to explore the island. Formerly two manor houses, this boutique hotel, nestled within the foothills of Tramuntana Mountains, is surrounded by postcard-perfect terrain and exciting urban spaces crying out to be explored. Drive to the island’s capital, Palma, and admire the yachts in the spring sunshine before heading to Avenida Jamie III for exquisite fashion. Back at the hotel, venture up the hill trails with a picnic prepared by the ever-hospitable staff. For a different perspective on the island, take a hot air balloon or helicopter ride before unwinding at La Residencia’s award-winning spa, set on terraces heavy with the scent of fragrant herbs. hotel-laresidencia.com

Tuscany, Italy

8 April 2013 Kanoo World traveller

near Deià, Mallorca

Green with envy

On the grapevine...

A new Kenyan wilderness retreat offers a feel-good holiday for both the body and conscience…

Segera Retreat is proof that opting for sustainable tourism needn’t mean sacrificing on luxury or style. The newly opened safari camp, in the heart of Laikipia (Kenya’s wild northern rangelands) promises personalised luxury at every turn.

The boutique retreat consists of six timber and thatch villas raised above Segera’s sculpture garden, with views of the surrounding savannah and Mount Kenya visible from the swing beds on the wooden terraces. By night, star gaze from the outdoor, sunken Jacuzzi.

The villas, which are run on solar energy and use sustainably harvested and recycled water, each have a personal attendant who crafts unique guest experiences. From game drives through to picnics and guided walks, sleep outs and activities for both children and families – nothing is too much trouble.

Of course, the retreat comes with plenty of luxury trappings too – a first-class spa, gym and pool, as well as spectacular al fresco dining options being among them. But the stand out features are to be found within its meticulous renovation. What once were lowly horse stables are now modern dining spaces earthed by original leather saddles, candle abras and studded leather chairs. The Paddock House, in the old horse paddock, offers incredible mountain views and the perfect reading spot, while sculptures belonging to Segera’s owner’s private art collection can be found dotted around the grounds.

It is almost impossible to stay at such a magical retreat and not want to give back to the community that supports it. Help preserve its beauty for future generations by participating in local programmes to plant indigenous trees or get involved in daily tracking and monitoring activities of the endangered patas monkey or the Grévy’s zebra (the largest and most endangered zebra species) - both facilitated by the retreat at your behest.

Holidaying never felt so good. Segera.com

Fashion and art afficionados take note: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is to open its first property in Istanbul, Turkey.

The super-luxe 210-room Fairmont Quasar, Istanbul, will open in 2016 and will be situated next to the Quasar neighbourhood’s finest asset - a 1930s-built former factory. The building, designed in the 1930s by influential modern French architect Robert MalletStevensset, is set to house a culture, fashion and arts centre when restored making the hotel perfectly placed for culture vultures.

In the meantime, those seeking a business bolthole in Manhattan can head to the newly opened Hyatt Place New York/Midtown-South.

Built with the discerning business traveller in mind, its central location - on West 36th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue - makes it ideal for exploring Manhattan’s top attractions too. Times Square and Broadway are just a short stroll away.

Fast food

Heading to Bahrain for Grand Prix action? KWT has selected three of the best places to fuel up...

Saveur

Nirvana

Legendz

Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel

The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa

InterContinental Regency

Open-concept cooking stations ensure Saveur is completely honest about the food it creates: contemporary international cuisine with delectably fresh ingredients. Delicious.

For fine Indian fare in a sumptuous setting filled with intricate fabrics and trinkets, Nirvana is hard to beat. Tuck into everything, from kebabs to succulently grilled seafood.

A paradise for meat lovers, head here for premium cuts, grills and signature specialities. Legendz offers laid-back dining in elegant, contemporary surroundings.

10 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

hot offers

SUNSHINE STAYS

Put the spring back in your step with one of these great deals from Kanoo Travel

Latin beats 4 nights in Rio de Janeiro 2 nights at Iguazu Falls 4 nights in Buenos Aires From $1,253 pp There are few places on earth that can match the spirit, energy and breathtaking beauty of South America. Discovering the continent’s many delights, however, could take a while.

For those with limited time, this package offers the best of its two leading cities Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

Your Latin adventure begins in Brazil’s capital. There’s something for everyone here – perfect sandy beaches, mighty granite peaks, lush rainforest, rich culture, historical landmarks and great architecture.

Orientate yourself with the city tour, which includes a trip to Sugarloaf Mountain - the views from here are truly spectacular.

Those looking to explore Rio’s wilder side should head to Floresta da Tijuca, the world’s largest urban rainforest. It is here you will find the Christ the Redeemer statue and Corcovado mountain.

Then it’s on to the awe-inspiring Iguazu Falls, near Brazil’s border with Argentina, for an accompanied excursion. Don’t forget your camera: the sight of the vast water that descends over the cliffs, mist rising from the jungle that surrounds it, is magical.

And then it’s on to Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires. Among the 20 largest cities in the world, take advantage of the guided tour again before exploring alone. The city is divided into easy-to-navigate districts that work on a grid system and is best discovered on foot. For the main historical spots, head to Avenida de Mayo, in Microcentro, or downtown, before shopping at Galerias Pacifico, an upmarket mall on Avenida Cordoba. For an authentic Tango experience, head to one of the city’s matinee milongas the perfect end to an exhilarating trip.

12 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

CheCk in | news

PiCtUResQUe PORtUGaL 7 days, 6 nights From $800 pp If you have yet to experience the myriad charms of Portugal and its capital Lisbon, this tour is a must. Your starting point is Sintra, a postcard-perfect town just 20km from Lisbon. Brimming with old-town charm, fairytale palaces and sprawling countryside, poet Lord Byron adored the place – and it’s not hard to see why.

After a night at the breathtaking Tivoli Palacio de Seteais, located on the mountainside and boasting spectacular views of the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace, you’ll take a private sightseeing tour of Lisbon. Among the highlights is the monumental and historical area of Belem, where Christopher Colombus stopped on his way back to Europe, having discovered the New World. Here, you will find the Belem Tower and the neoclassical Ajuda Palace. The next day, it’s on to the Lisbon coast for beautiful seaside, charming towns, the whitewashed walls of picturesque villages and centuries-old architecture.

With free car hire included in the trip, there is little excuse not to head north to two of Portugal’s most important monuments (and Unesco world heritage sites): the Monastery of Batalha and arguably Portugal’s most impressive gothic monument, the Monastery of Alcobaça, before heading to the exclusive Bussaco Palace for a luxurious overnight stay.

The next morning, you’ll visit the 1,400-yearold forest of Bussaco (a refuge of cypress groves, fountains and gardens) and Coimbra, the oldest university in Europe. Wander through its Baroque library and chapel and stroll through this quaint town, stopping for coffee along the banks of the River Mondego.

The following day, en-route to Lisbon, there’s just enough time to stop at the city of Tomar to see the 12th-century Templar castle and the medieval walled town of Óbidos.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 13

CheCk in | news

The Cape escape

This month, we fly to Cape Town’s landmark Mount Nelson Hotel to uncover a century’s worth of history…

A

n historic landmark so noteworthy it has a particularly vibrant shade of pink named after it, the Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town, opened its doors for the first time on March 6, 1899.

The first South African hotel to have offered hot and cold running water, 114 years later it remains one of the world’s leading hotels.

The house that would one day become the Mount Nelson Hotel was initially leased to auctioneer William Maude in 1806, who is said to have auctioned off slaves and prized Arabian stallions from there.

When Sir Hamilton Ross, an avid gardener, bought it as his family home in 1843 he built a beautiful garden, stocked with deer and adorned with elegant fountains. Even today, the hotel is renowned for its stunning natural surroundings.

When Ross’ grandsons later discovered a heavy iron-bound chest on the property the family mistook it for a coffin and quickly re-buried it. But, 25 years later, when the only surviving brother tried to locate it and failed, the chest became shrouded in mystery and rumours of buried treasure began to circulate.

In 1890, a successful businessman who saw further potential in the land bought the property. Sir Donald Currie, owner of the Union-Castle shipping line, had a vision of a grand hotel that would rival the very best London abodes and cater for the line’s first class passengers. Nine years later, having transformed the house with elegant furnishings, including with wooden chairs that were used as deck chairs on the Union-Castle Line ships, the hotel opened. Today, those wooden chairs can still be found in the Garden Room and the

Lord Nelson room. Rumour has it that the antique grandfather clock located in the hotel lounge once chimed so raucously when it struck midnight that it could be heard from the Castle on Cape Town’s foreshore. It got so bad that an irate guest hammered two six-inch nails into the chimes, rendering it silent - until a hotel guest kindly offered to repair it.

The hotel soon found itself at the centre of key historical events.

When The Boer War (or South African War) began on October 11, 1899, the British made the hotel their headquarters, planning their military campaign from its grounds. Lords Roberts, Kitchener and Buller could be seen in the hotel’s hallways, and a young Winston April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 15

Churchill, then a war correspondent, sang the hotel’s praises as a “most excellent and well-appointed establishment, which may be thoroughly appreciated after a sea voyage”.

When the First World War ended, the hotel was coated in layers of pink blush in celebration - a colour now listed by paint experts as ‘Mount Nelson pink’. Today, still that specific shade of pink, Mount Nelson remains a vibrant spectacle amongst nine acres of rolling green, manicured gardens.

Over the years, the hotel has been filled with activity and famous visitors. When Edward, the Prince of Wales, visited in 1925, the iconic Prince of Wales Gate and palm-line driveway were erected in his honour. Creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, stayed at the end of 1928 and apparently drove other guests to distraction by holding séances in his room. John Lennon also came to the Mount Nelson in 1973 under the pseudonym ‘Mr Greenwood’, a few months before his death. He was said to be extremely tidy and made his own bed, spending his time meditating on Table Mountain and phoning his wife Yoko Ono, who he had planned to bring to the hotel the following year. Other famous guests at the hotel included Hollywood actors and politicians through to writers and musicians. Among the impressive 16 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

list of names are Agatha Christie, Billy Joel, Margaret Thatcher, Shirley Bassey, Leonardo di Caprio, Charlize Theron and Nelson Mandela. And in 1999, the Dalai Lama addressed more than 500 Capetonians in the Mount Nelson’s ballroom.

As Mount Nelson Hotel’s reputation grew, so did its size, in a bid to accommodate an increasing number of visitors. In 1973, the Oasis accommodation wing was added to the main house and in 1990, when Mount Nelson was purchased by Orient-Expresss Hotels, historic cottages on the hotel grounds were transformed into romantic Garden Cottage Suites. The hotel bought Helmsley Hotel and three historic buildings next to Palm Avenue six years later and the buildings were converted into guest accommodation, increasing the number of bedrooms and suites to 201. Within the Palm Avenue wing was the Taunton House Cottage, originally a guest house, as well as Hof Villa, first built as a private apartment for the hotel manager, and Green Park.

On March 6, 1999, the hotel celebrated its centenary and today, the hotel continues to draw a glamorous crowd; its classic colonial charm, sprawling countryside and award-winning Planet Restaurant and Planet Bar likely to attract high society for many years to come.

Hot offers

Win a two-night stay at Dubai’s Radisson Royal Hotel

THE PRIZE A two night stay for two adults at Radisson Royal Hotel, Dubai, including breakfast. To enter, email easywin@ hotmediapublishing. com with your answer before April 30, 2013.

With commanding views of both the twinkling city skyline and the silky white sands of Jumeirah Beach, the Radisson Royal Hotel offers guests the best of both sides of Dubai. The sleek 51-storey hotel is located on the city’s main artery - Sheikh Zayed Road - making it the perfect base from which to explore the city’s many attractions.

After a delicious breakfast, explore. For a city adventure, travel to new heights at the Burj Khalifa, shop ‘til you drop at the vast Dubai Mall or unearth hidden gems at the Gold Souk. Or, for a different pace, spend the perfect spring day soaking up the sun on the beach.

After a busy day, return to the welcoming fold of the Radisson Royal Hotel. Its lavish rooms 18 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

are designed to make you feel like royalty – the marble archways, plush carpets, decadently downy pillows, and modern furnishings creating an inviting home away from home.

Wash away any stresses with an invigorating dip in the hotel’s expansive pool, which boasts spectacular panoramic views of Dubai.

When evening falls, the hotel is brimming with dining options. For delectably fresh sushi and teppanyaki grill specialities head to its renowned Japanese restaurant Icho. As its name suggests, Indo Thai Asian restaurant offers eclectic PanAsian fare, while Celsius serves up heavenly buffets. Whatever your taste, you are sure to leave satisfied. radisson.com/royal-dubai

Q. What is the name of the hotel’s popular Japanese restaurant?

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Prize is valid until June 2013 and is subject to availability. It includes tax/service charges, is non-transferable and is not exchangeable for cash.

Advance reservation is required.

check in | where to stay

WheRe To STAy...

PRAGUe

Whether you’re looking for a bolthole from which to explore the city or a place to retreat pool-side, the Czech capital has hotels to suit all needs and tastes...

START

Classic beauty

Elegant allure

OR OR

Historical treasure

OR

Modern delight

Swanky stay

OR

Augustine Hotel

Trendy repose

Hotel Josef

theaugustine.com

hoteljosef.com

Renovated from seven different buildings, including a 13th century monastery, rooms here offer stunning views over courtyards and Prague Castle, best seen from the Tower Suite.

The hotel’s also a short walk from many cultural attractions, including the city’s famous Charles Bridge.

This boutique hotel is located in Prague’s medieval quarter on elegant Parizka street, home to many trendy shops.

Its clean lines, modern facade, and glass fixtures breathe light and air into every room. For a spectacular vista of Prague’s skyline, be sure to book the highly sought after room 801.

Eastern bliss

OR

Regal trappings

Musical charm

OR

Celeb hotspot

Hotel Mandarin Oriental

Hotel Le Palais

Aria Hotel

mandarinoriental.com/prague

lepalais-prague.com

ariahotel.net

Kempinski Hotel Hybernska kempinski.com

Set in a 14th-century monastery, each room is uniquely designed.

Unwind in its luxurious spa, the only one in the world to be built in a Renaissance chapel.

This glorious 1897 Baroque Revival villa boasts magnificent wall paintings and one of the city’s leading fine dining experiences - Le Papillon.

Each room here is dedicated to a musician, composer or music genre, a nod to Prague’s musical heritage. Room playlists set the perfect ambience.

This former palace now attracts visiting film and music royalty, including Beyonce and Woody Allen. And its private Baroque garden is unforgettable.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 19

SUN aNd gameS Discover the best of the UAE’s family-friendly destinations

20 April 2012 Kanoo World Traveller

kwt promotion

Ja Oasis Beach Tower jaresortshotels.com

Those seeking a luxurious home away from home on the glorious Dubai waterfront need look no further than JA Oasis Beach Tower. Each of its two-, three- and four-bedroomed apartments offer striking views of the Arabian Gulf or Dubai Marina, alongside spacious contemporary living quarters equipped to satisfy all the family’s needs.

Situated on The Walk, the city’s popular outdoor shopping promenade, after indulging in a hearty breakfast at the hotel’s main restaurant, make the short stroll to the beach or go for a dip in one of the hotel’s private swimming pools, while the kids make full use of the waterslide. For a change in pace, why not make the most of the mild spring weather and take a stroll to Dubai Marina Yacht Club? Here you can admire the yachts on display. If it’s retail therapy you’re after though, or the cinema, head to nearby shopping malls Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Marina Mall, and Ibn Battuta Mall.

For a family day out, guests can also make use of complimentary access to the award-winning facilities at JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort. There, family-friendly activities include a crèche for babies and activity clubs for both children and teenagers.

When it comes to food, take a break from cooking and explore the plethora of fantastic restaurants in and around the property. Whet your appetite with canapés at the 33rd floor Premium Club before moving onto the JA Oasis Beach Tower’s renowned ‘thyme’ restaurant, sure to satisfy with its fresh Mediterranean cuisine.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 21

Ja Palm Tree Court jaresortshotels.com

Mere steps from the glistening Arabian Gulf, with private balconies overlooking verdant gardens and scenic waterfalls, JA Palm Tree Court offers a paradisiacal holiday retreat for all the family.

The award-winning resort is bursting with options to keep children of all ages entertained. If the four swimming pools don’t spark their interest then perhaps the 800m stretch of pristine private beach will. Here, activities abound. From windsurfing to waterskiing and catamarans, the dedicated watersports centre will keep your young ones busy and safe.

For water babies looking for even bigger thrills though, a half hour drive will see you at Yas Water World Abu Dhabi, courtesy of the hotel – which provides complementary tickets and transportation to guests in deluxe suites, namely the Royal Jasmine and The Residence.

Back in Dubai, children preferring to stay on dry land can while away the afternoon at the resort’s animal corner, feeding fish and discovering the surrounding nature with the CoolZone Kids Club.

Those with younger children, meanwhile, can make use of the crèche, and there’s a ChillZone Teens Club for older offspring. With your loved ones in the capable hands of competent staff, indulge in some time out at the resort’s spa. And by night, JA Palm Tree Court’s nine restaurants ensure no one will go to bed hungry: from White Orchid, with its Asian fusion cuisine, to La Traviata, serving Italian specialties.

22 April 2012 Kanoo World Traveller

kwt promotion

Playnation theplaymania.com

When it comes to an entertaining family day out, there are very few places better equipped to deliver than Playnation, at Mirdif City Centre. If the sheer size of the place doesn’t astound you then the variety of activities available to all of the family will.

Whether you’re five or 55, there’s something for you.

Ever wanted to skydive or curious to know how it feels to fly? Realise your dreams in a safe, controlled environment at iFLY Dubai, a double indoor skydiving simulator where experienced flight instructors show you how different body positions affect the way you fly.

With the adrenaline now pumping, those feeling athletic should head to Playnation’s Soccer Circus Dubai, an indoor multi-purpose sports facility that offers three five-a-side pitches suitable for a variety of sports. Here, budding footballers - young or old, male or female – can perfect their ball skills or play the game of their lives in the Skill Zone, which is not reliant on the weather.

If you still have energy to burn, are up for a challenge, and happy with heights, then Sky Trail is sure to hit the spot. This obstacle course is suspended along the mall’s ceiling, 13 metres above ground. Get there by scaling the eight-metre climbing wall, if you feel brave enough.

For a less strenuous way to unwind with your loved ones, head to Yalla Bowling for good old-fashioned family fun in a modern, high-tech bowling centre. Meanwhile, the younger members of the family should head to Little Explorers, a vast entertainment facility filled with activities designed to educate and thrill. The biggest challenge is likely to be coaxing everyone to leave.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 23

aTLaNTIS, THe PaLm atlantisthepalm.com

Everything about Atlantis, The Palm is designed with families in mind; when it comes to booking a room or suite to accommodate your brood, it couldn’t be easier: each comfortably accommodates two adults and two children, and for those with greater needs, 90 per cent of the rooms are interconnecting.

To kickstart your stay in the most incredible way, meet the resort’s friendliest guests at Dolphin Bay, one of the world’s finest dolphin habitats. Here you’ll enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience, interacting with these graceful creatures as they swim within three vast lagoons.

Afterwards, head over to Aquaventure Waterpark (free for resort guests), where you’ll love 42 fun-filled acres of slides, shark-filled lagoons (yes, really), water roller coasters, rapid river adventures and, for the youngest family members, a children’s play area called Splashers.

Then onto a more sedate aqua experience at the Lost Chambers Aquarium, home to myriad fish, which you’ll encounter via a brilliant maze of underwater tunnels.

If all that fun works up an appetite, Atlantis, The Palm has an abundance of restaurants, almost all of which welcome children with open arms. From the traditional Arabic fare on offer at Levantine, to rustic Italian delights courtesy of Ronda Locatelli, or a taste of everything at the aptly named Kaleidoscope, there’s something to suit every taste.

Of course, there are times when even the most devoted parents need some time out, and the resort not only boasts the best Kids’ Club in the GCC, but The Zone, where you’ll find all manner of arcade games, and Club Rush, an exclusive hangout for 13- to 18 year-olds that’s open until midnight. And while these places allow your children some independence, they also afford you time to check out the delights of ShuiQi Spa. Perfect.

24 April 2012 Kanoo World Traveller

kwt promotion

SKI dUBaI skidxb.com Without doubt the coolest family destination in the UAE, Ski Dubai remains a firm favourite among young and old alike - and it’s not difficult to see why.

The world’s largest indoor snow park, and the first resort of its kind in the Middle East, it provides the perfect must-visit wintery haven for hot and bothered parents with excitable children to entertain.

If it’s pure, unadulterated fun you’re after then head to the Snow Park, where you can all pull on your boots, don a cosy snowsuit (all included in the price) and play in the snow. Enjoy twin-track bobsled runs, a snow cavern filled with interactive experiences and tobogganing hills.

Those looking for additional adventure should make their way to the upgrade station for a ride in the giant zorb balls – exhilarating fun for all ages. For a better idea of just how big Ski Dubai really is, take a chairlift up the slope – not only does it provide stunning views of the entire park but it also stops at the Avalanche Café, the perfect place from which to watch the action while warming up with a hot chocolate or some food.

For those wanting to do more than play in the snow, Ski Dubai provides the perfect place to dust off old skiing and snowboarding skills or take up a new hobby. The Ski School has classes to suit all ages and skill levels.

Equipment is available to hire for those good enough to go it alone, or is included in the cost of lessons. Whatever your level, the resort’s qualified instructors will have you cutting impressive shapes in the snow in no time. For the perfect end to your exhilarating day on the slopes, pay a visit to the colony of Gentoo and King penguins that reside there. Treat your family to a Peng-Friend Encounter and meet at least two of the beautiful mammals up close.

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Picture this

Mossbrae falls California, USA

It is unsurprising that the ethereal qualities of these magnificent falls, located just outside Dunsmuir, California, have long attracted visitors willing to hike the dangerous one-mile trail across private property and railway tracks to reach them. Arguably California’s most beautiful waterfall, here, the crystal clear water cascades into the Sacramento RIver. The falls, around 15 metres high and 46 metres wide, are fed by springs that rush down the verdant Canyon wall. Unfortunately, this is as close as you’re likely to get to them in the near future.

Due to the high risk access route, the authorities have closed the trail while they establish a safer option.

Image: Corbis / Arabian Eye

Picture this

Manhattan skyline New York, USA

When it comes to city skylines there are none quite as alluring or inspiring as the bright lights and sprawling concrete jungle that is New York. For unobstructed views this spectacular, you need to head to the observation deck of the Top of the Rock (the Rockefeller Centre): it may not be as tall as the Empire State Building, but from here you get to see the skyscraper in all its magnificent, soaring glory. Go at dusk for the most mesmerising view - as the sky turns a violet blue and the lights of the city’s many towers glow. A gift from John D Rockefeller to the people of Manhattan as the country sat on the brink of economic disaster following the 1929 stock market crash, he hoped it would offer people a place from which to marvel the city - and it still does.

Image: Corbis / Arabian Eye

Picture this

Zhangye danxia Zhangye, China

Hard though it is to believe, this incredible rainbow-like rock face in the sleepy town of Zhangye is not the work of an artist with grand ambitions and a pack of coloured chalks, but a naturally occuring phenomenon. Danxia (meaning red rays of the sun) is a type of landscape unique to China, made up largely of red sandstones and mineral deposits laid down over 24 million years.

The movement of tectonic plates helped meld them together before the wind and rain carved amazing shapes - including natural towers and pillars, valleys and waterfalls - in spectacular colours and patterns of varying sizes. Walkways have been created for tourists keen to explore: visit on a clear summer’s day, late afternoon, to catch it at its finest.

Image: Corbis / Arabian Eye

Indolence Is blIss | nevIs

Indolence is Bliss Chris Leadbeater discovers a slower pace of life in Nevis

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omewhere around 2,500ft, the whole muddy process really begins to hurt. I halt again, crouch over, drop my hands to my knees, and try to inhale desperate lungfuls of the soupy tropical air. Looking down, I notice that almost every part of my clothing is now smeared with dirt. I attempt to go on, but the lactic acid in my calves will no longer be silenced by a meagre minute’s respite.

Once more, I let out a muttered curse. I do not consider myself unfit. But hiking to the summit of Nevis Peak – the 3,232ft volcano that dominates the Caribbean island of Nevis

– is proving quite the challenge.

I cast my mind back two hours: an early start at Rawlins Village in warm morning light, walking past the ruins of an 18thcentury windmill, its tumbled brickwork mired in undergrowth; the gentle curve of the initial stages of the trail, the narrow path winding between papaya and mango trees.

And then the hard surge in gradient, the canopy closing overhead, the atmosphere thickening, the oxygen thinning, sweat cascading into my eyes.

The final climb takes an hour. By this point, the trail is so steep that I have to haul

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 33

‘Nevis is not the standard Caribbean resort island. It’s a fragment of green amid a giant oceanic swirl of blue’

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Indolence Is blIss | nevIs

Opening page: Sailboat at anchor off Pinney’s Beach.

Opposite page, clockwise from left: Hikers; Horseriding on the coast; A view of Nevis Peak. This page: Fishermen bringing a boat in. Next page: Nevis tropical garden.

myself upwards on ropes that have been knotted around gnarled roots and ancient trunks. The ground is wet and gloopy – and I repeatedly lose my balance in the miniature landslides that result from every footstep.

It is only when I emerge, panting, into the clearing on the rooftop – and glimpse the neighbouring island of Montserrat 30 miles to the south-east – that I remember something crucial: I am in a part of the world where woozy relaxation, not strident exercise, is the general trend.

A torrid ascent of Nevis Peak may not be the standard Caribbean travel experience, but then Nevis is not the standard Caribbean resort island. It’s a fragment of green amid a giant oceanic swirl of blue, an outpost that sits two miles south-east of its sibling in statehood, St Kitts, and 50 miles west of Antigua – but has little in common with either. Covering just 36 square miles, most of them slanted, it is tiny – not so much an island that has a volcano, as a volcano that happens to be viewed as an island. What counts as urban life plays out in villages on the coastal fringes where the terrain finally flattens, crowds and commotion notably absent.

Even Nevis Peak, mighty in its stature, has the roar of a mouse. It has not erupted since prehistoric times.

This year, along with St Kitts, Nevis will quietly celebrate 30 years of independence from the UK. If it seems remarkable that the island did not cut direct ties with a foreign overlord until 1983, then its back story is

even more worthy of comment – a rise and collapse that began with the first English settlers arriving in 1628 and saw Nevis bloom into one of the economic powerhouses of the Caribbean. Between 1640 and 1706, its sugar cane made it more valuable to England than both the fledgling colonies of Jamaica and America. It also became a hub of the dark trade in humanity, with more than 7,000 African slaves passing through every year between 1675 and 1730.

But in 1706, everything changed. When the French invaded, plantation owners burned their estates to keep them from the enemy.

England retained control of the island, but the sugar industry found fertile fields elsewhere, and Nevis slipped into a financial slumber from which it has never really stirred. Even its name is an illusion carried on heat haze, a corruption of the Spanish nieve (snow) – a word that may have been uttered by Christopher Columbus when he spotted the island (and its Amerindian Carib population) April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 35

in 1493, but which certainly refers in error to the white fog that often envelops the peak.

The union with St Kitts – which came into being in 1882 – is an uneasy one. In a 1998 referendum, Nevisians voted, by three to two, to separate – a result that fell just short of the two-thirds majority required for secession.

The two islands remain mismatched partners.

St Kitts, twice the size, offers Caribbean clamour and noise in its busy capital, Basseterre (with its cruise terminal), and military history in the 17th-century Brimstone Hill Fortress, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Two miles across the aptly titled dividing channel, the Narrows, Nevis snoozes beneath cloudless skies.

This sleepiness is apparent as soon I step off the ferry in Charlestown. The Nevisian capital is a town in name only, its pretty

clapboard houses reaching a mere three blocks back from the waterfront. Here, the Alexander Hamilton Museum opens one drowsy eye, its exhibits laid out in the birthplace of the island’s most famous expatriate son, who became Secretary of the Treasury in George Washington’s first US government.

This somnambulant pattern is repeated as, over the next two days, I explore. The island’s homespun simplicity is visible in the road signs – “Undertakers Love Overtakers” is one – that sound more like admonitions from an elderly aunt than official rules of the highway.

On the east coast, it is hard to escape the notion that, if the clock did not quite stop in 1706, then it has not yet clicked around to 2013. Brick Kiln, a pinprick village, is a diminutive copy of Charlestown, its homes a

merry rainbow of painted wood. Then there are the ghosts. Eden Brown Estate has – according to local tradition – been a location tinged with sorrow since 1822. On the eve of a wedding, the groom and best man (the bride’s brother) quarrelled, and fought a duel that left both of them dead. When I step into the broken shards of the main house, there seems a residual sadness to the scene.

And there is further melancholy to New River Estate. Here, rusted cogs and ramshackle buildings mourn the island’s last sugar plantation, which closed in 1958.

The places stamped on to the abandoned machinery – London, Sheffield – tie the site to an industrial context 4,000 miles away. But the ocean view is entirely Caribbean.

Aside from my assault on the Peak, I devote five days to blissful indolence on the

‘At New River Estate, rusted cogs and ramshackle buildings mourn the island’s last sugar plantation’

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Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock; Supplied Text: Chris Leadbeater/ The Independent / The Interview People

Indolence Is blIss | nevIs

south side of the island. Here, the elegant retreat of Montpelier Plantation also sets itself aside from the standard Caribbean experience – by refusing to frolic in the surf.

Instead, it perches on its lofty patch of grass, way above the waves (a shuttle-bus service ferries guests down to a private beach), as it has done since the plantation was created in 1687.

In some senses, very little has changed since. The hotel’s 19 rooms seem to gaze back to a lost epoch. Of course, there are concessions to the 21st century — the large swimming pool at the heart of the complex.

But the main house, where Restaurant 750 serves fine seafood, clings to the 18th century – a period when the plantation took a lead role in a love story. Between 1785 and 1787 it witnessed the courtship of Frances Nisbet,

the owner’s niece, and the young Horatio Nelson, then stationed in Antigua. Britain’s greatest naval hero would find fame in the Napoleonic Wars, and notoriety in the arms of Emma Hamilton – but a small plaque here recalls that he married his wife in the gardens on March 11, 1787.

Montpelier Plantation’s historic ambience will only become more appealing as the future begins to shake Nevis from its slumber. New major hotel developments are planned for the west coast, where a Four Seasons resort already does beachfront sophistication.

But when I head to the shoreline for dinner, I find the vibe still defiantly unhurried.

Sunshine’s, at Pinney’s Beach, is one of those Caribbean hostelries where an evening can glide by in slow motion. The food – grilled

snapper for US$20 (£13) – is tasty and informal. To the north-west, the lights of St Kitts flicker. In contrast to the darkness that cloaks Nevis at this hour, the next-door neighbour could be a twinkling New York.

There is no obvious sense of urgency when I come to leave. My plane to Antigua is late.

Very late. Two goats gnaw at bushes near the terminal. I retire to the café that skulks at the end of the runway, below the control tower.

“You waiting for the Antigua flight?” asks the man on the chair in the shade. I nod. “Plenty of time,” he grins, languidly indicating his walkie-talkie, which waits idle on the table.

“I’ll let you know.”

I buy him a drink and we sip contentedly, watching breakers roll in just beyond the airstrip. And not for the first time in the week, I find myself questioning what year it is.

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A trail of two cities

Long labelled a backpackers’ haven, Phuket has plenty to offer the more discerning traveller too, as Robert Colvile discovered‌

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A trAil of two cities | thAilAnd

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 39

I

t seems a strange thing to say about an earthly paradise, but Phuket has something of an image problem. Like Ibiza or Majorca, its golden beaches and sweltering temperatures have made it synonymous with sunshine and sunloungers. But like them, it’s also unfortunately all too easily associated with low-end tourism.

Certainly, when we arrived at Phuket International Airport for the first proper smart holiday of our lives – having excitedly bid farewell to backpacks and backache, and said hello to wheeled luggage and the full-length beds of business class – there was little sign that we were entering paradise. The hour-long drive from north-west to south-east took us past the standard mix of condos, shacks and shopping malls, with nary a sun-kissed beach in sight.

It was only when we arrived at Sri Panwa, the resort that slices off the tip of the Panwa peninsula, that things moved thrillingly upmarket. Each clifftop villa, with bedroom and living room surrounded by a private infinity pool, is sited so that you can imagine that you’re all alone with the sea, shore and sky. If you so choose, you can join the free yoga sessions at the health club, play a gentle game of tennis in the blistering tropical heat, sip cocktails in a rooftop bar as the sun sets over the distant islands, or take a Thai cookery class.

Not that the last is needed, given the excellence of the catering at Sri Panwa and the generosity of the portions: the two of us often struggled to finish a single main course between us.

As a result, we all too often found ourselves like Patrick McGoohan in The Prisoner: so swaddled in comfort that it was near-impossible to summon the willpower to leave, stirring sleepily from the sunlounger only to find that we’d already lazed most of the day away.

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A trAil of two cities | thAilAnd

Eventually, however, we managed to drag ourselves away from Sri Panwa’s comforting embrace. It was lucky that we did, for we soon found that Phuket offers enough attractions to suit any taste. The aquarium, for example, isn’t in the best state of repair, but it only costs a pound to enter, and the creatures inside are a feast for the eyes (plus there’s a turtle hatchery out the back that should delight children). Phuket Town, the more old-fashioned counterpart to Patong’s party capital, has some decent colonial architecture, but is only really worth visiting at night, when the streets come alive. During the day you

can plunge into the rainforest, much of it protected as a national park; visit the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre; or lose a few golf balls on holes surrounded by verdant vegetation.

Perhaps our favourite landmark was the Big Buddha, a giant statue, still under construction, on one of the island’s southern spurs. Up close, it was impressive enough – particularly with workers dangling from its chest on frail-looking ropes, attaching marble tiles in utter defiance of health and safety rules. (The project is funded entirely by donations; one of the slabs will forever

Opening page: Chedi Resort at Pansea Beach, Phuket Island. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Thai spices; A fisherman with Andaman fish; Thai woman wearing traditional Siamese clothing. This page: Thai beach.

‘We found ourselves so swaddled in comfort that it was near-impossible to summon the willpower to leave’

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 41

bear our names, complete with some childlike doodles of butterflies and flowers.) But what worked even better was to see it from a distance, sitting atop a ridge of stone as if it had been there for thousands of years.

We did, admittedly, fall into the usual tourist traps.

On the way down from the Big Buddha, determined to leave no tourist clichĂŠ unturned, we stumped up for an elephant ride, jolting our way along a dusty track as the disinterested beast stripped the foliage from the trees with single-minded intensity.

All told, then, we gave the island’s interior as thorough an inspection as we could. Yet we were always drawn back towards the sea. Indeed, the best memories from our week-long stay all revolve around the water: staring out across the bay as we bobbed in our pool (after some alarming experimental encounters with the built-in Jacuzzi system), or tucking into a succulent monkfish that tasted as though it were minutes out of the ocean.

And the greatest experience was still to come. Four

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A trAil of two cities | thAilAnd This page: Elephant and a mohout outside Sri Panwa resort pool. Next page, from left: Aerial view of Thai coast; Thai massage pagoda; Beach and bay seen from the resort’s swimming pool.

days into our trip, we hired a speedboat and crew and headed south at high speed, weaving our way past densely forested islands before pulling up an hour later on a tiny stretch of white sand that would serve, for the day, as our own private stretch of paradise.

There followed a day spent lolling in the shade of the trees, occasionally venturing into the sea for some lazy snorkelling along the reef, or paddling in a slow circle around the lagoon.

It was one of those rare days that, even as you experience it, you know absolutely that it will live with you for the rest of your life – that there was no possible way things could get better.

And then they did. Sated by sheer indolence, we eventually asked the crew to take us back. They obliged, but suggested a stop-off at an island nearby.

On arrival, they killed the engines, and plunged into the water. Following their lead, we leapt overboard

‘We giggled at the sheer ludicrousness of it: the sudden transition from grey London skies to a scene straight out of a Bounty advert’

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 43

‘We leapt overboard only to find ourselves surrounded by dozens if not hundreds of shimmering tropical fish’

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A trAil of two cities | thAilAnd

Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock; Supplied Text: Robert Colvile / The Telegraph/ The Interview People

ourselves – only to find ourselves surrounded by dozens if not hundreds of shimmering tropical fish, attracted by the froth of our propellers. Even as we took the boat back, and took stock of our incipient sunburn, we were giggling at the sheer ludicrousness of it: the sudden transition from grey London skies to a scene straight out of a Bounty advert.

The last time I’d come to Thailand, at the turn of the millennium, I’d been a scuzzy backpacker in stained clothing, convinced that I was keeping it real by shunning creature comforts and heading – with my well-thumbed copy of the backpackers’ bible, The Beach – to the most remote corners I could find. The beauty of Phuket, though, is that it offers scope for all kinds of tourists: from the cheapskate teenager camping on a deserted beach and the party animal heading for Patong to the sun-seeking couple checking into the Radisson or Crowne Plaza and the lucky few like us who get to sample the luxuries of resorts such as Sri Panwa.

With much of the island’s coast rebuilt or renovated since the 2004 tsunami, and more hotels than ever opening, there has never been a better time to find your own place in the sun.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 45

Sunny side of the slope Whether it’s snow or sunshine you’re after, Andalucia has it all…

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t used to be simple. People bought skiing holidays because they wanted to go skiing. Unlike the less single-minded skiers of other nationalities, the British – so the stereotype went – dedicated themselves to high-mileage, dawn-to-dusk skiing.

Recently, however, surveys have revealed that people are spending less time on the slopes. As a result, most ski tour operators are now offering non-skiing activities, ranging from dog-sledding and snowmobiling to exploring the culture of Austrian cities and watching Italian football matches. Some have added small, family-friendly resorts, weak on skiing but strong on tubing and tobogganing; and one, Neilson, has gone so far as to drop “skiing” this season, preferring to describe its winter-programme packages as “snow holidays”.

There are resorts, however, where time away from the slopes can be put to more substantial purpose. Take Jackson Hole in Wyoming, for example: its skiing is legendary, but so too is its winter wildlife viewing, with bison, moose, bald eagles, bighorn sheep and many thousands of elk in the National Elk Refuge, plus the wonders of Yellowstone Park nearby. And for skiers who favour nightlife over wildlife, Las Vegas has potential, now that the local ski hill – Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort – is growing in scale.

Closer to home at Sierra Nevada, in southern Spain, there are a couple of contrasting alternatives to winter sports. Below the resort is the great European Islamic landmark of the Alhambra in Granada, and a further 90 minutes down the road is the Mediterranean resort of Marbella. True, the Med is a bit cold for swimming during much of 46 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

the ski season and the Alhambra’s Generalife gardens are not at their best. But on the Costa del Sol, T-shirt weather can be relied upon, even in January. This season there is an added attraction, a new, upmarket hotel in Sierra Nevada, which has previously offered mostly uninspiring, mid-market accommodation.

When I set off to Malaga airport from London City, there was just one passenger in skiwear on the plane. I was surrounded by a more obviously Malaga-bound crowd, including nut-brown expatriates, a few paler holidaymakers and a handful of middle-aged women flashing shiny accessories, one with her nose in a magazine.

The new hotel in the mountains opened in mid-December. An offshoot of the Marbella Club, it’s called “El Lodge”, a name which would sit more happily on a roadside establishment selling tapas.

But the word “lodge” is appropriate since the new property, whose small lobby is hung with thick, blanket-like drapes which bear NativeAmerican-style motifs, does feel more like a Colorado ski lodge than anything you’d expect to find in Europe. The exterior walls, and many of those inside, are built in log-cabin style.

The building has a curious history. Originally it housed a restaurant for whom the 25km of hairpin bends running down to the city of Granada were a serious handicap: the route was not one to be tackled at night. So in response to demand, a series of bedrooms were added during the two decades of the business’s life. They were small and basic, suitable for an overnight stay, and they were squeezed into the upper parts of the building.

Sunny Side of the Slope | Spain

In the Marbella Club’s makeover, the layout of the floors remains the same, except in the new basement (which houses the spa, ski room and kids’ playroom).

The interiors, by the eminent hotel designer Andrew Martin, are eclectic. The bedrooms – mine with a doorway to the terrace only 22 inches wide – are in a fairly traditional chalet style with a few “statement” pieces. (Martin favours furniture that looks like luggage.)

On the ground floor, to the left of the lobby, is a cluttered, shuttered games room/library furnished with half-a-dozen buttoned leather sofas; to the right is a dark, Paris-style bar with a distressed, 10m-long zinc bar top; and beyond it is the restaurant (with a rather eager-to-please international menu), whose melange of French-farmhouse tables, antler chandeliers and dark-wood beams might or might not be inspired by provincial Quebec. Having so many design styles is diverting, but it doesn’t make the limited spaces seem any bigger than they are.

However, El Lodge does have three great assets. First, the young, keen and charming staff; second, the spacious terrace, with wonderful mountain views; and third, the ski-in/ski-out access via the terrace.

Once, in Colorado, I compared the ski access from a trio of five-star hotels and commended the Viceroy Snowmass near Aspen for having a piste just “20 paces and four steps (down)” from the hotel’s side entrance. Here, at El Lodge, the skiing was 75 paces and 27 steps (down) from my bedside.

Sierra Nevada’s ski area, below the 3,398m Veleta peak, has 18 lifts and a remarkable 116 pistes. Some are quite short: I think I may have April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 47

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The well-connected prince brought royal and old-money families to the Club (so-called for its atmosphere rather than any membership requirement), plus mature celebrities, and made it a very classy establishment. It would be untrue to say that the Club has not changed, though Gunilla von Bismarck was one of my fellow guests and Count Rudi von Schönburg, a Club ambassador who served as its general manager for two decades, did graciously greet me at dinner. Still, the illusion of continuity is to be savoured.

Outside the entrance is the real world, with endless apartment blocks, a nearby Lidl supermarket and an abandoned concrete mosque or discotheque (actually a former bank, amazingly) which has been rotting for years. Inside, a seedling which Prince Alfonso smuggled in from Africa now shades a lawn on the path down to Marbella’s splendid traffic-free promenade.

For those in search of cultural activities to go with their skiing, nearby Malaga has three major art attractions, the Picasso Museum, the city’s contemporary art gallery and the new Carmen Thyssen Malaga museum. For those with kids, Benalmádena has an aquarium and Estepona a safari park. For the more adventurous, Andalucia’s famous “white villages” hang from the mountains of the coastal range.

Wherever you go, you’ll feel the warmth of the Costa del Sol on your back. A temperature of 15C in early February? It beats any other ski destination I know.

Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock; Supplied Text: Stephen Wood / The Independent / The Interview People

blinked because I missed the 141m-long Playa. But the star run, Aguila, is an excellent, 6km ride from the top of the area to the bottom.

Frankly, this is an intermediates’ resort: there are blue runs for nervous intermediates, blacks for the confident and reds in between.

Although the quantity of terrain is substantial, the consistent orientation and gradient mean the area has only three days’ worth of skiing in it, except for beginners. The local attractions down the hill are essential.

On the Aguila piste, the vertical drop is more than a kilometre; to get down to the coast you drop a further 2km, into a different climate zone.

It was cold and icy high on the mountain, but not in Marbella (to which I drove directly, having previously visited the Alhambra in winter). The first thing I did on arriving at the Marbella Club hotel at nightfall was to put on a swimming costume and bathrobe, walk to the bottom of the grounds, and then – like the protagonist of John Cheever’s short story The Swimmer – swim home via the saltwater pool, the freshwater pool and the small pool adjoining my villa. Rarely can après-ski have felt quite so sybaritic.

Marbella owes its existence as a beach-holiday destination to the climate – the temperature averages 23C year round – and to Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, who bought a derelict olive grove press on the coast and built a home, a guesthouse and finally – in 1954 – the Marbella Club, which now has 135 rooms and villas set in the glorious, dense foliage of its 10-acre site.

Sunny Side of the Slope | Spain

‘To get to the coast you drop 2km, into a different climate zone. It was cold and icy high on the mountain but not in Marbella’

Opening page: Sierra Nevada, ski ascent and descent of Mulhacen. Opposite page: Front view of El Lodge. This page, clockwise from top left: El Lodge pool; Mountainbiking across snow; El Lodge suite terrace; El Lodge room; Snowy ski slopes of Pradollano ski resort in the Sierra Nevada

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 49

Declarations of Independence

Chris Coplan heads off with a canine companion to explore one of America’s oldest cities‌

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declarations of independence | Usa

This page, clockwise from top left: Harvard University rowers under the Weeks Bridge; Harvard Yard, Harvard University campus; Riverside view of the town; Harvard statue; Lobster dish at The Fairmont Copley restaurant ; The Fairmont Copley Plaza Lobby.

I’ve always aspired to have a girl in every port. In Boston my sweetheart is Catie Copley. But hold on…Catie is a dog and a dog with a job – she’s the Canine Ambassador of the historic Fairmont Copley Plaza, which recently celebrated its centenary year.

Catie is an 11-year-old Rubenesque black labrador who was trained as a guide dog but now lives at the hotel. She has become something of a Boston celebrity, with two books under her collar. When not greeting guests in the Fairmont’s opulent lobby, she accompanies them for walks.

So what better way to see the city that promotes itself as America’s Walking City than with Catie? Boston is awash with historic sites, most of which are located in a relatively compact area of often cobbled streets – lined with gorgeous colonial-era architecture – that are a delight to walk along.

We set off from the Fairmont, located in the Back Bay neighbourhood and designed by Henry Hardenberg, who masterminded some of New York’s most iconic hotels, including the Plaza and the Waldorf Astoria. It sits on the corner of Copley Square, an architectural treat whose centrepiece is the majestic Trinity Church, a flamboyant French-Romanesque masterpiece built in 1877. Opposite is the renaissance-style Boston Library and towering above Trinity Church is the shimmering 1,127ft-tall John Hancock Tower.

We walk one block and turned right on to Newbury Street, lined with exclusive stores and fashionable restaurants such as Joe’s American Bar & Grill at No 181.

We turn left and then right on to Commonwealth Avenue, a majestic boulevard, shaded by elm trees and which Winston Churchill once described as one of the world’s finest streets.

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Declarations of inDepenDence | Usa

‘Boston is awash with historic sites, most of which are located in a relatively compact area of often cobbled streets’ April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 53

We saunter through the charming Boston Public Garden, passing the imposing bronze statue of George Washington, then crossed Charles Street on to the magnificent 50-acre Boston Common. Established in 1634, and America’s oldest public park, the common is drenched in colonial and revolutionary history. It is the starting point of the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking tour through some of Boston’s oldest neighbourhoods. Marked by double rows of red sidewalk bricks or a painted red line, it includes 16 historic sites linked to the American Revolution. At the Visitor Center at 168 Tremont Street, on the edge of the Common, you can pick up a Freedom Trail brochure or audio tour, if you would prefer to take the walk at your own pace.

We follow the red-brick road across the Common to the New State House – which was, in fact, completed in 1798. From here, we took a quick detour to see Boston’s most picturesque and affluent neighbourhood, Beacon Hill, which borders the Common. Walking down Mount Vernon Street, we pass elegant 19th-century townhouses, antiquated gaslights, and courtyards, taking a peek down tiny, cobbled Acorn Street and Louisburg Square.

Doubling back on Mount Vernon, we turn down Walnut Street to rejoin Beacon Street, and pick up the Freedom Trail again on Park Street. We pass the exquisite 1809 Park Street Church – the site of the old town granary – and continue to bustling School Street and the Parker House Hotel. It was here that the deliciously decadent Boston cream pie – a cake filled with custard or cream and topped with chocolate icing – and the Parker House roll, a rich buttery puffy bread roll, were invented.

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Previous page: Boston inner harbour and skyline. This page, clockwise from top left: Newbury street sign in Boston; The Fairmont Copley grand ballroom; Boston Public Garden; The Fairmont Copley restaurant, flatbread pizza; Quincy Market.

‘We continue to Court Street, where we are dwarfed by gleaming skyscrapers, and arrive at the elegant brick Old State House’

The hotel is steeped in history: Charles Dickens stayed there while rehearsing A Christmas Carol; Ho Chi Minh, who trained under Escoffier in Paris, was a pastry chef here, before he returned to wrestle Vietnam from the French and Americans; and Malcolm X, cut from a very different type of revolutionary cloth, did a stint as a busboy. In the restaurant, I sample the cream pie – OK, the Parker House roll as well – at the same table (No 40) where JFK proposed to Jackie.

We continue on the Freedom Trail to Court Street, where we are dwarfed by gleaming skyscrapers, and arrive at the Old State House. The elegant brick building was built in 1713 and it was from the small balcony that the Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians in 1776.

Directly in front of the building, encircled by cobblestones, is the spot where the Boston massacre took place in 1770. British troops opened fire on an angry mob of protesters, killing five people. At this point, we leave the Freedom Trail and amble down State Street, ending up on the bustling waterfront at the mouth of the Charles River.

Here, in 1773, is where the infamous Boston Tea Party took place, when a group of tax-avoiding colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, committed treason by dumping 342 chests of tea into the harbour.

We return to the Fairmont on Boston’s excellent subway, known locally as the “T”. As I make my way to the elevator, I glance back at Catie, now relaxing in her basket in the opulent lobby and being pampered by passing guests. It’s a dog’s life at the Copley Plaza.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 55

Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock; Supplied Text: Chris Coplan / The Independent / The Interview People

declarations of independence | Usa

Animal attraction Ben Ross goes on the trail of the elusive jaguar in Belize‌

56 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

AnimAl AttrAction | Belize

“C

alvin Klein’s Obsession,” said Roni, leaning round from the front seat of the 4x4. “That’s what they use in Guatemala.” The car lurched over the pitted, clay-red road and he turned back to squint through the dust-caked windscreen.

Scattered pines spiked to the left and right, flame-blackened survivors of forest fires and southern pine beetle plague. Above us, vultures circled. “Seriously?” I asked.

“Seriously,” he replied. “But I don’t know if it works.”

Roni Martinez is conservation officer at Blancaneaux Lodge, a gracious bit of tourism infrastructure in a particularly peculiar part of Belize. Take those pines, for example.

Much of this country is clad in broad-leaf rainforest, damp and exotic, full of orchids and bromeliads, strangler figs, vines and creepers. Huge palms stretch upwards. Ferns shoot sail-like fronds up to the canopy. Below all the dripping vegetation lies soft limestone, riddled with caves and cenotes, once thought by the ancient Mayans to be the gateways to the underworld.

However, the area around Blancaneaux, known as Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, is a geological oddity. It’s a huge granite massif, which means acid soil: no good for rainforests, but perfect for the Honduras pine, with its long, elegant needles.

There’s still plenty of moisture around, but the hard bedrock sees the rains flow straight off the land into rivers: the Macal, Rio Frio, Rio On and Privassion Creek, which flows past Blancaneaux in cascades of swirling brown.

It’s as if 200 square miles of Scotland have been displaced to Central America, pumped up with sunshine and hung with termite mounds and wasps’ nests. The off-kilter familiarity is all the more intriguing when you learn that hiding among the pines, securely camouflaged in the dappled shade, are jaguars, the largest of Belize’s five wildcat species. Elusive, magnificent, spotty, they dine on armadillo and paca (a kind of burrowing rodent). They are also, according

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 57

to Roni, attracted to Calvin Klein’s iconic fragrance. Or not, of course.

Let’s get this out of the way now: I failed to spot a jaguar during my time in the wilds of Belize, and it is highly likely that should you visit, you will fail to spot a jaguar too.

Neil Rogers, a tourism consultant who has a long association with Blancaneaux Lodge, has been coming to Belize since 1989. He has never seen a jaguar in the wild. He can spot big cat tracks, though, at one point asking Roni to stop the 4x4. We all crouched next to a set of sizeable paw prints, with parts of a dismembered grey fox nearby, the jawbone gleaming pale against the red earth. Paw prints, then, but no paws: you’re about as likely to see an E-Type cavorting over these rutted trails as you are to see the real thing.

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According to Roni, the odds don’t improve particularly should you be keen to spot any of Belize’s other wild felines: the puma (pale and interesting), the jaguarundi (like a big red house cat), the ocelot and the margay (both spotty, but smaller than jaguars). On a cat-scanning night walk close to the lodge, the rain hissing on the canopy above, we saw nothing bigger than butterflies and leaf-cutter ants. It’s all very different in the morning, though, when Belize hits you right between the ears. Round here, dawn breaks with what sounds like a flock of squeaky garden gates passing overhead. Then some clicks, some whoops and the beginnings of free-form jazz noodlings: clarinet trills, trumpet calls. The local bird-life is awake, abundant and demanding your attention.

Fuelled up on coffee and a determination to see Belize’s national icon, the keel-billed toucan, I met up with Geraldo Garcia, a guide at the lodge, for a 6am birdwatching session.

Geraldo made up for my non-existent twitching skills with a running commentary on what we were seeing and hearing. Those squeaky gates? Red-lored parrots: green, with a vivid scarlet patch above the beak. The jazz-player? A melodious blackbird, as giddy with song as it was understated in dress.

Serious birders compile Life Lists of all the species they ever encounter – and if you want a head start, Belize is the place. The names came in a rush from Geraldo, like creatures from a Roald Dahl children’s story: the yellow-winged tanager, the red-legged honeycreeper, the black-headed saltator,

AnimAl AttrAction | Belize

the boat-billed flycatcher. We saw a yellowbellied sapsucker drilling holes in the lodge’s almond trees, a golden-hooded tanager perched on the green spread of a vast cecropia. Plain chachalacas rustled in bushes near the swimming pool, like small turkeys.

Hummingbirds, magnolia warblers, the masked tityra ... blink behind your binoculars and you’d missed another exotic flash of colour. The green jays were my favourite, with their lemon-and-lime two-tone bodies and blue heads. No toucan, though. Geraldo was apologetic: he’d find one for me, he said. Just wait. I found it easy to believe him. After all, in an hour we’d seen dozens of bird species, yet we’d walked no more than a couple of hundred yards from my empty coffee cup.

With the rising sun came a chance to explore the lodge itself. The property is owned by Francis Ford Coppola Resorts, part of an empire built up by the film-maker that stretches from the Napa Valley to hotels in Italy via a literary magazine and a range of pasta sauce.

The director of Apocalypse Now! and the Godfather trilogy also owns Turtle Inn, which brings barefoot luxury to the coast of Belize, and La Lancha in Guatemala, for those keen on a close-up of Tikal, one of the largest excavated Mayan sites in Central America.

Blancaneaux makes a captivating retreat: 20 thatched two-room villas and single-room cabanas set up on stilts and spread along one bank of the river, next to a churning waterfall.

‘Clarinet trills, trumpet calls...the local bird life is awake, abundant and demanding your attention’

Opening page: Mountain lion. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Harbour in Belize City; Xunantunich, a Mayan ruin; A jaçana; Mayan woman; Local guitarist on jetty in Belize City. This page, from the top: A jaguar; Keel-billed toucan.

The resort has its own airstrip for those keen to avoid the often dubious roads nearby. Most of the power comes from a hydro-electric system just below the property.

Inside the rooms, the emphasis is on simplicity: dark mahogany floors and hand-made tiles in the bathrooms; trinkets sourced by Coppola and his wife on their travels in the Philippines, Mexico and Bali.

There’s no TV, mobile phones don’t work, the Wi-Fi is sporadic. But you haven’t come here to stay connected to the outside world.

(And if you’re desperate, there’s always the “shellphone”, a large conch shell in your room that’s wired to reception. Ordering coffee to your riverside veranda is immediately invested with added comic appeal.)

It seems odd to be recommending the pizza, but seriously: try the pizza. The wood-lined Montagna Restaurant features traditional Italian dishes based on Coppola’s family favourites. He’s very specific about his wood-fired, thin-crust margheritas, apparently. For local flavour, there is the Guatemaltecqua Restaurant by the pool, serving Guatemalan dishes such as salpicon (shredded beef salad) and jocon (chicken cooked with herbs and spices). Everything is made using produce from a two-acre organic garden that rises in great tiers of fruit and veg, all ripening furiously in the tropical heat.

Blancaneaux seems intent on stripping out the frippery of a luxury hotel and focusing on the important things: splendidly comfortable beds, a hot-water bottle at night, locally sourced unguents placed on palm leaves in the bathrooms. Each evening, guests choose their preferred activities for the next day: horse-riding, perhaps – Blancaneaux has its own stables – or taking one of the complimentary mountain bikes to Big Rock Falls, where you can take a leisurely swim in the deep, dark pools.

The conservation element is important, too. During my visit Roni was in the process of his annual audit of the local jaguar population, checking more than 80 camera traps (automatic infra-red devices that take a photo when they sense movement nearby).

Neil and I joined him, our 4x4 often struggling over old logging roads that have been left to dissolve back into the landscape. “There’s nowhere else like it,” said Neil.

“It’s you and the environment. It’s very unusual that tourists ever come here.”

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 59

This page: Boat cuts across a vibrant green reef in Belize.

Following pages, clockwise from top left: In the grounds of Blancaneaux Lodge; Seafront cottages at Turtle Inn; Fisherman with catch at Turtle Inn; Luxurious interiors at Blancaneaux Lodge; Chef at Turtle Inn

‘Much of this country is clad in broad-leaf rainforest, damp and exotic, full of orchids and bromeliads, strangler figs, vines and creepers’

60 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

AnimAl AttrAction | Belize

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 61

‘It’s you and the environment. It’s very unusual that tourists ever come here’

62 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock; Supplied Text: Ben Ross / The Independent / The Interview People

AnimAl AttrAction | Belize

The camera traps revealed their prizes.

No jaguars today, but puma, margay ... and several close-ups of tapirs’ bottoms.

Belize is a cultural and historical oddity: the only part of Central America that has English as its national language, a relic of its time as British Honduras. Even after independence in 1981, British troops underwent jungle training here; their bullet cases are easy to find, scattered on the jungle floor. Now, though, Belize manages its security alone, and the ruler-straight border with Guatemala isn’t far away. Belize has an uneasy relationship with a larger neighbour that has long coveted its shoreline as well as the riches of its rainforest.

According to Roni, Guatemalan xateros - the name given to harvesters of xate, or palm tree leaves - cross the border to take fish-tail palms for the florist industry, but will also harvest rare birds eggs while they’re here.

Endangered scarlet macaws nest close by in Chiquibul National Park, monitored by Roni and his colleagues.

For tourists, though, days in the jungle are occupied by birdwatching of a more leisurely kind. Later, I spied a pair of white hawks from an escarpment overlooking the Rio On, their wide feathers tipped with black. And left

and right at the roadside, raptors of all kinds perched on lightning-blasted tree stumps, or watched unafraid from telegraph poles.

Close to Blancaneaux, the Thousand Foot Falls are reputed to be the longest in Central America, though at 1,600ft they are in fact victims of understatement. On the day I visited, a shining band of water poured down through the mist, occasionally blanketed in cloud. Even more impressive was Caracol, Belize’s largest Mayan archaeological site, which was once a rival to Tikal. The main temple rises 136ft from the jungle floor; it is still the tallest man-made structure in Belize.

However, the statistics fail to do justice to the living history here. Graceful ceiba trees rise from crumbling terraces, their buttress roots stretch like fingers over the stone; howler monkeys roar close by. There were surprisingly few tourists, too. Half-shut your eyes and Caracol lives again.

And then, on the last hour of my last day in the rainforest, Geraldo jammed on the brakes, yanked me out of the 4x4 and pointed to a cecropia tree by the roadside: finally, a keel-billed toucan, its bright beak startling against the green foliage. Time to start that Life List.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 63

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ConCierge | opener

concIerge MarraKech | PhnoM Penh| lyon | roMe

the 30-second concierge

MehDI ghDaDa errouK, Delano MarraKech

In the heart of the energetic Morrocan city lies this oasis of tranquility and pleasure...

The Delano Marrakech is perfect for... guests seeking a relaxing, intimate escape. The unconventional baroque oasis perfectly blends contemporary and traditional Moroccan styles and furnishings.

Moroccan cuisine on Jemaâ El Fna Square at the best prices, as well as dancers and an oriental orchestra. Order seffa medfouna with chicken.

For the best view of the city... I suggest room 314. The suite’s private Juliet balcony has stunning views of the historic medina walls, the snow-capped Atlas mountains and La Koutoubia mosque, the largest mosque in Marrakech.

If you want to explore the area... I recommend an 8am visit to the Quartier des Tanneurs (Tanners district) to see leather prepared. In the medina, admire the 16th-century beauty of Medersa ben Youssef and visit Palais La Manera for gifts before late breakfast and Islamic art at Majorelle Gardens. Later, treat yourself with a trinket at Yahya Creations.

For an authentic taste of Morocco... head to Dar Yacout for traditional gastronomic cuisine in an enchanting medieval mansion. It’s a city landmark. Try the Tangia Marrakechia. Le Salama offers the best

If you want to spend a day at the Delano... visit the gym before breakfast, then recline pool-side. Indulge in a traditional hammam treatment at the spa before dining at Pomiroeu. delanomarrakech.com April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 65

visit

Lyon

Chic, charming, and breathtakingly beautiful, Lyon is a city lover’s paradise, says Grace Hyne

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n extensive labyrinth of romantic, cobbled roads, interspersed with beautifully ornate, historic buildings; France’s second city is a destination to be reckoned with. Lyon is as well known for its breathtaking historical and architectural landmarks as it is for being the region’s leading gastronomical hub. A Unesco world heritage site, meander through its cultural landmarks: from the Roman Amphitheatre to the stunning Old Lyon, and soak in France’s rich and varied history. Art lovers will adore the Lyon Museum of Fine Arts, which showcases the finest collection of sculptures and paintings in France (outside Paris, of course). For a different perspective on the city, take a cable car ride to the heights of the Basilica of Notre

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Dame of Fourvière and, from its hilltop location, drink in stunning panoramic views of Lyon. There is plenty to offer foodies too, thanks to an extensive array of chic cafes, food markets, and restaurants: resistance is futile, as a heady aroma of patisserie delicacies and freshly baked bread permeates the streets. Whatever your taste, there’s something to satisfy: from decadent chocolates courtesy of the finest chocolatiers to sumptuous Michelin-starred dining. Work off that food with a walk around the luxury shopping outlets in the Carré d’Or district, sure to delight. From its historical landmarks to the intriguing murals hidden behind buildings and in alleyways, Lyon is a place where beauty is not hard to find.

Lyon | france

Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

MUST-DOS Lyon has dozens of museums to delight culture vultures. Those with a passion for fashion should explore Lyon’s Textile Museum (1), home to the most important collections of fabrics in the world, while art lovers can immerse themselves in the masterworks of Rubens and El Greco at Lyon’s Fine Art Museum (2). Enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience at the Museum of Miniatures and Cinema (3), where, upstairs, artists work on intricate new scale miniatures and restore film props, or discover French filmmaking and Louis Lumière’s groundbreaking work at the Lumière Institute (4). Motoring enthusiasts will love the Henri Malartre Automobile Museum (5), which showcases Lyonnais transport through the centuries. The city is also overflowing with architectural wonders.

Take the furnicular railway up to the Basilica of notre-Dame of Fourvière (6) and discover its colourful mosaics, stained glass and the ornate structures within. Don’t forget to enjoy the awe-inspiring panoramic city views here before heading to the nearby Gallo-Romain Museum (7). Journey back in time at this fascinating archaeological treasure trove, which provides a glimpse into life in 43 BCE. Lyon’s beauty is not only to be found in its historical landscape.

The city’s sprawling La Tête d’or Park (8) is one of its most cherished spaces. With blossoming botanical and rose gardens, bike trails, and an expansive island-dotted lake, it’s the perfect place to spend a day.

Meanwhile, those wishing to experience Lyon’s thriving downtown scene should visit the Town Centre (9). Explore its many shops, boutiques and outdoors cafes, before stopping to admire the nearby Lyon opera House (10). Serious shoppers should head to Carré d’or (11), the perfect place to indulge in some retail therapy. Feeling peckish? Be sure to indulge at Lyon’s famed indoor food market, Les Halles de Lyon (12), which has 60 stalls overflowing with mouthwatering goodies to sample – from creamy cheeses to tasty shellfish. Delicious.

WHERE TO STAY Cour des Loges (13) (courdesloges.com) balances French charm with contemporary luxury. Situated in Lyon’s old quarter, its Renaissance design, low-lit courtyard and

hanging gardens provide the ultimate luxurious atmosphere in which to enjoy its Michelin-starred Les Loges restaurant, Turkish baths and Pure Altitude spa.

Le Royal Lyon (14) (lyonhotel-leroyal.com) is situated in the heart of Lyon, and a stone’s throw away from many heritage sites. Its décor is elegantly chic and its restaurant, Côté Cuisine, serves delicious gourmet French dishes.

WHERE TO EAT La Mère Brazier (15) (lamerebrazier.fr), one of Lyon’s top gourmet destinations, is run by celebrity chef Mathieu Viannay.

With two Michelin stars, his inspired and mouthwatering creations make advanced booking necessary. Try the Saint-Jacques scallops for a truly exquisite experience.

Auberge de l’Île Barbe (16) (aubergedelile. com) boasts a romantic setting, resting on the Île Barbe near the banks of the Saône river. Housed in a 17th-century inn, this twostarred Michelin restaurant delivers elegant and seasonal Lyonnais dishes with a twist.

Henon Mairie

LYOn’S bEST… CAfES La Boite à Café (cafemokxa.com) is the perfect destination for coffee lovers. Located in the steep Croix Rousse district, and owned by two coffee enthusiasts, discover beans from around the world. Be daring and try their own exotic specialty blends, such as red fruit coffee.

Café Gadagne (cafegadagne.eu) serves up magnificent views of the Gadagne gardens as well as traditional and creative cuisine. Situated on a stunning, vine-covered terrace, it’s the perfect tranquil escape from the city buzz.

L’Instant Fromage (linstant-fromage.fr) will fulfill every cheese lover’s dream.

From tangy Pommard with mustard to creamy Beaufort, sample the best cheeses France has to offer.

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Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Riverside promenade; Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon); Deep-fried bugnes; Towers and rooftops in Old Lyon.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 67

visit

Phnom Penh

With Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways both now flying direct to the Cambodian capital, there’s never been a better time to go...

T

he good-natured hospitality of Cambodia has earned it the nickname the Land of Smiles; and these days the country certainly has plenty to smile about. Southeast Asia may be most renowned for the attractions offered by Thailand and Vietnam, but Cambodia – once dubbed the ‘Paris of the East’ due to the French colonial buildings and boulevards it boasted – is fast catching them up. This relatively untouched corner of the world is Asia at its best, with captivating capital Phnom Penh at its epicentre. There’s plenty to keep you occupied: immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of city life by taking a trip to the abundant stalls and markets, or take time to explore the city’s cultural attractions. For a better appreciation of Cambodia’s tumultuous history and the indelible spirit of its people, a visit to Phnom Penh’s thought-provoking museums is a must. Take a day, too, to float down the mighty Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, from where you can soak in the sights of the regal Royal Palace, National Museum of Cambodia, as well as the eccentric floating fishing villages and the city’s captivating skyline. Just outside the city, there is abundant unspoilt countryside for nature lovers to explore, while foodies can indulge in the delectable and exotic local cuisine, which has French, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian influences. Be warned: Phnom Penh’s passion for life is infectious, so even the greatest cynic will find it difficult to leave.

68 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

Phonm Penh | Cambodia

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PhnOM Penh’S beST… FeSTivalS Bon om Touk, Water Festival Held in November, this three-day national holiday celebrates the change in current of the Tonle Sap River. Revelers can take part in live concerts, feasts, and fireworks.

Look out for the main event – hundreds of lively boat racing down the riverfront outside the Royal Palace. Exhilarating stuff.

Chaul Chnam Thmey, Cambodian new Year Taking place at the end of the harvest season, around April 13 or 14, this three-day holiday sees farmers celebrate ahead of the start of the rainy reason and usually involves water fights, dancing and live music.

Independence Day Cambodia celebrates its independence from France on November 9. Watch a colourful parade, accompanied by marching bands and spectacular floats, stride past the Royal Palace.

Traditionally, the monarch lights the Independence Monument, a burning symbol of national pride.

Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

MUST-DOS River cruises offer a unique view of this vibrant city. Start by taking a trip down the mekong (1) and Tonle Sap (2) rivers to witness everything Phnom Penh has to offer.

Having got your bearings, those seeking culture can marvel at more than 5,000 works of art at the national museum of Cambodia (3) or lose a day within the Royal Palace (4) complex, made up of several buildings, structures and gardens, and home to a wealth of national treasures. Among Phnom Penh’s most famous cultural attractions is Wat Phnom (5), the capital’s namesake. Standing at 27 metres, the 14th-century pagoda sits

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Opposite page, clockwise from top right: Ancient Cambodian gardens; Floating food markets; The Royal Palace, Phnom Penh. This page: Floral garlands.

atop the only hill in town. Journey back in time through the colourful murals gracing its walls: surrounded by picturesque gardens, it continues to be popular with both locals and tourists alike. While away an afternoon getting lost in the vibrant Central Market, known locally as Phsar Thmei (6). A city landmark, this unique, dome-shaped, art deco structure offers an array of goods - from handicrafts and jewellery through to food - so you can sample local cuisine while buying anything your heart desires. Seek out the finest silks at Russian market (7), one of the best places to buy fabrics or to hunt for unique jewellery pieces and gems. Those keen to explore a greener side of the capital should head just out of town, to the beautiful countryside that surrounds it. Take a day trip over to Phnom Tamao (8), the region’s famous animal sanctuary, which houses everything from tigers to Malayan sun bears and rare Siamese crocodiles. The centre strives to protect a number of globally-threatened species rescued from traffickers and poachers. A cross between a zoo and safari, it’s an unmissable window into Cambodia’s varied animal kingdom. Finally, those seeking a better understanding of Cambodia’s tumultuous history should visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum (9) – a sobering reminder of past hardships faced under the Khmer Rouge. If you don’t mind venturing a little further out

of town, visit the Killing Fields in Choeung ek (10), a park built around the mass graves of these prisoners.

WheRe TO STaY Raffles hotel (11) (raffles.com/phnompenh) is located in the heart of the city, with mustsee destinations right on your doorstep. A combination of art deco and French colonial architecture, its elegantly refined surroundings have housed the likes of Jacquie Kennedy.

Almond hotel (12) (almondhotel.com.kh) is a short walk away from cultural landmarks such as the Independent Monument and Royal Palace. With clean lines and modern décor, enjoy being pampered at its rejuvenating spa and feast upon sumptuous creations from their Cantonese chef.

WheRe TO eaT Van’s Restaurant (13) (vans-restaurant. com) serves delectable French fare in one of the grandest buildings in the city, the former Banque de l’Indochine. Try the tender veal but save room for the Grand Marnier soufflé.

Beautifully presented and delicious. malis (14) (023/221-022) provides the city’s top gourmet Cambodian dining experience. In stylish surroundings, enjoy the open-air dining experience with Angkorian-inspired pools while tucking into signature dishes created by the renowned local chef Luu Meng.

April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 69

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April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller 71

SuiTe dreamS

ViLLa La CuPOLa, The WeSTin exCeLSiOr rOme, iTaLy

There are few abodes as spectacular as Villa La Cupola. The largest suite in Europe at 1,100 square metres, and arguably the finest, the pièce de résistance of this grand two-storey space in the heart of Italy’s culture-filled capital is its dome-shaped living room. Some 12-metres high, the ornate hand-frescoed cupola is inspired by Rome’s palaces and villas of renaissance, baroque and neo-classical times and was painted using the methods practised by artists of bygone eras.

72 April 2013 Kanoo World Traveller

If you can bear to leave this room, head to the villa’s wide private terraces for breathtaking views of the ancient city. On a rainy day, while away the hours in the plush surroundings of its cosy cinema or take the private elevator to the upper floor, where you can relax in the Pompeian-style Jacuzzi pool, with its mosaic floors, vaulted ceiling and Roman bath-inspired frescoes: admire the horizon depicted in the frescoes from the windows. When in Rome... westinrome.com

Taking luxury

to new heights.

Now open, this landmark hotel is set to become one of the region’s most desirable destinations, offering luxurious leisure facilities for the most discerning of travellers.

Elevated above Dubai’s skyline, on sheikh Zayed Road, the world’s tallest hotel is spread across two iconic towers, featuring an enticing array of 9 restaurants, 5 bars and lounges and the sublime Saray Spa and Health Club.

STAY 3 PAY 2 OFFER ON EXECUTIVE ROOMS AND SUITES.* AVAILABLE UNTIL 20 APRIL 2013 BOOK USING PROMO CODE: L9Z

Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay PO Box 121000 Dubai, United Arab Emirates T +971 4 414 0000 F +971 4 414 0001 jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com jwmarquis.dubai@marriott.com

Stay 3 nights for the price of 2 at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. Offer is valid until 20 April 2013. This offer is subject to availability and is not applicable with any other promotion.

*