World Traveller Dec'13

10dhs December 2013

Issue Sixty Eight

BEST

IN SNOW

Europe’s 50 finest ski resorts revealed

HAPPY EVER AFTER A postcard from the land of fairytales

BORNEO

The fight to protect the wonders of the region

Produced in International Media Production Zone

LET THERE BE LIGHTS Why now’s the best time in decades to see the aurora borealis

Bucharest Wellington India Winter Wonderlands

December // 2013

Editor’s Note

Issue Sixty Eight, December 2013 It’s that most wonderful time of the year: festive celebrations, family gatherings, a new and exciting 2014 lingering with promise on the horizon. And as if all of that wasn’t enough, as you read this, nature is busy putting on an incredible light show above the northern hemisphere that will likely put Dubai’s New Year’s Eve fireworks to shame.

Yes, the Northern Lights are back and this, experts say, is the best time to see the naturally occurring phenomena in more than a decade. We explain why, and track down the best places to enjoy the show on page 13.

Nature’s other great delivery at this time of year is, of course, snow (though you’ll have to travel to find it). As the ski season gears up, we reveal the 50 European resorts in pole position to steal your heart this winter. And on that same subject, we’ve also cherry picked the six best winter wonderlands.

Sarah Marshall tells us why the fight to protect Borneo’s wildlife must be won, we introduce the Maldives as this month’s hot weekend destination and implore you to explore the culinary delights of Wellington, New Zealand.

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Managing Director

Victoria Thatcher Editorial Director

John Thatcher Editor

Leah Oatway Contributing Editor

Hazel Plush Senior Designer

Adam Sneade Designer & Illustrator

Andy Knappett Production Manager

Chalitha Fernando Senior Advertisement Manager

Stefanie Morgner To contact any of the above people, email firstname@hotmediapublishing.com

Jan-Jun 2013 | 22,920 | BPA Consumer Audit 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 World Traveller.

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494

Cover: Woman at ski resort in Europe / Getty Images

Leah Oatway leah@hotmediapublishing.com

@WT_magazine

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Contents

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Destinations

Concierge

The iconic St Regis New York has always been a favourite winter haunt of the jet set: we reveal a new reason to head there this snowy season. Plus, Minty Clinch reports from the Alps’ next big thing and we reveal why now’s the best time to track the majestic Northern Lights.

Just in time for snowfall, our crack team of skiing experts select the definitive list of Europe’s 50 best ski resorts. Elsewhere, Jonathan Lorie takes his kids to the fairytale land of the Brothers Grimm, while Sarah Marshall checks on the battle to protect Borneo’s wonderful wildlife.

Why you should seriously consider the Maldives for a weekend away, the best places to experience the season of chill, and global events to fly for. Leah Oatway also reveals what makes Wellington a fine fit for gourmands and marks your card for Bucharest’s best historical sights.

YEARS

MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY

AS YOU CHANGE, WE CHANGE. Courtyard is officially celebrating 30 years of service.

As we commemorate our 30th brand anniversary and completed renovations of our hotel, we invite you to rediscover Courtyard and enjoy an exciting range of offers.

Stay 3 nights for the price of 2, rediscover our Friday brunch, BBQ nights at Pine Grill and Italian Antipasti at Cucina.

Courtyard by Marriott 速 Dubai Green Community Dubai Investment Park, P.O.Box 63845, Dubai, UAE T +971 4 885 2222 F +971 4 885 2525 marriottdiningatcy.ae cydubaigreencommunity.com arabic.marriott.com

Stay connected to the heart of Dubai for NYE at Sheraton Dubai Mall of the Emirates Hotel With stunning views over Jumeirah and Downtown Dubai stay with us this Festive Season and for NYE. Attractive packages including lavish breakfast buffet, New Year’s Eve dinner in Sanabel and countdown party at the rooftop overlooking Dubai. Spend time with family and friends in a great location directly connected to the famous Mall of the Emirates.

For reservation please call +971 4 377 2005 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 ©2013 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, All Rightsvisit Reserved.

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

For full terms andInc. conditions, sheraton.com/dubaimalloftheemirates Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. For full terms and conditions, visit sheraton.com/dubaimalloftheemirates

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December // 2013

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Welcome to Paradise

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More reasons to visit Mauritius This month Emirates will begin its A380 service to Mauritius, providing more (much needed) seats to the beautiful island.

But that’s not the only reason to hop onboard: on the southwestern side of Mauritius (arguably the best spot

weather-wise) you’ll find the St. Regis Mauritius, which has just unveiled what may well rank as the island’s most luxurious dwelling, The St. Regis Residence Villa (pictured).

The one-of-a-kind villa packs in all the finery you’d expect

– and more besides, including a fabulous al fresco bar with views to match, and a huge dining area that looks out to a stunning infinity pool. It’s secluded, too, affording its residents the use of their own private entrance to the resort.

You can also call on a chef to cook dinner in the villa’s kitchen, though with a restaurant fronted by Michelinstarred Indian chef Atul Kochhar on the hotel’s grounds, you may not feel the need to do so. stregismauritius.com

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SEEING

STARS

There’s now a wealth of wonderful apps that show more of the night sky than your old-hat telescope.

WT downloads the best of them…

Space Images We’re guessing your camera isn’t quite as powerful as those used by Nasa, so this app will show you all the latest snaps of the solar system (often incredible) as shot

by America’s space agency.

Spot the Station This service simply notifies you via text message when the International Space Station is visible in the night sky. It’s bright, very bright, and so visible from wherever you are when it’s time to look up.

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Pocket Universe: Virtual Sky Astronomy Simply hold your phone to the sky and a map of the stars appears on your screen, providing names and details of the constellations and planets you’re looking at.

THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS The best places to see in the New Year

Corinthia London Book a River Suite and you’ll gain a private and suitably large terrace overlooking the London Eye and the epicenter of the city’s spectacular firework display.

W New York Times Square The hotel’s self titled Cool Corner Room offers up unbroken – and the closest possible – views of Times Square’s famous ball drop.

Madinat Jumeirah UFO World Sightings If you believe we’re not alone in the universe, this app will help back up your belief.

It keeps you informed of all extraterrestrial goings-on, including sightings across the globe.

Dubai’s New Year fireworks are the grandest of all, and by booking a high-floor, sea-facing room at either one of Madinat Jumeirah’s hotels you’ll be privy not only to the Burj Al Arab’s magnificent display but to all those on Palm Jumeirah too.

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Head to the Hills This month sees some stunning hotels open up This month’s most intriguing hotel opening takes place in far-flung Costa Rica where, on the dramatic Papagayo Peninsula, the country’s leading architect Ronald Zurcher has designed the groundbreaking Andaz Peninsula Papagayo. It takes its cue from Mother Nature and is planned to blend into its stunning hilly surrounds.

Fans of the Chedi Muscat will no doubt be keen to check out its sister hotel in Switzerland, The Chedi Andermatt, which opens December 6. Not only does the spectacular backdrop of the Swiss Alps provide opportunity for snow sports aplenty, but the hotel is also home to a splendid golf course.

Another winter wonderland – Courcheval – will add L’Apogée Courchevel to its ranks of fine hotels on December 11. It affords guests the luxury of being able to ski in and ski out, thanks to a private lift. And, of course, stellar mountain views come as standard.

Meanwhile, surfers on the hunt for their next fix of waves should consider Mexico’s Puerto Escondido, where this month the beach village Hotel Escondido – comprised of 16 upscale, eco-friendly bungalows – opens. Standing just 50 metres from the ocean’s break, where Mexico’s biggest waves crash in, the bungalows here come with hammocks and private plunge pools.

Picture Perfect With travellers now more likely to capture holiday snaps on their smartphones instead of a traditional camera, brands are queuing up to create gadgets that will enhance the quality of the pictures taken.

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The latest to the market is Sony’s Cyber-shot™ DSC-QX100 and DSCQX10 cameras, which although they look like lenses, are actually fullyfunctioning cameras that attach to numerous smartphones.

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GO WITH THE

GLOW With solar activity at its highest, now’s the time to seek out the Northern Lights

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Aurora Bubble Hotel Ranga Treehotel: The UFO Treehotel: The Bird’s Nest Hotel Ranga ICEHOTEL

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What are the northern lights?

A shower of solar dust might not sound like an appealing prospect, but it’s the catalyst of one of the world’s most striking natural phenomena: the Northern Lights.

As solar flares and geothermal storms rage in the upper atmosphere, the flotsam particles enter the earth’s atmosphere, combusting as they fall. The resulting gases create the colourful mirages: oxygen produces green and yellow light, while nitrogen burns blue.

The Lights can be seen throughout the northern hemisphere, although the most vibrant spots are Nordic countries, Alaska and Canada. The remote northernmost regions of Russia also see good shows, but quality accommodation is hard to find.

The Lights have long mystified all who’ve witnessed them – before scientists revealed their origins, early civilisations attributed them to restless ancestors and animal spirits. Their scientific name, aurora borealis, is derived from the Roman goddess of the dawn.

Why is this a good time to see them?

According to NASA, the Northern Lights will be at their most active early next year – thanks to a ‘Solar Maximum’. The brief peak in the 11-year sunspot cycle sparks the atmospheric acrobatics that create the eerie light shows. Scientists expect it to last over four or five months.

The lights are famously unpredictable, so the longer you can allow, the better

The current snowy conditions make the experience all the more romantic

– and remember it’s impossible to guarantee a sighting, even with the most experienced guide.

Right now, it’s winter in the northern hemisphere, but snowy conditions make the experience all the more romantic – grab your goosedown jacket and retreat to a glass-roofed hide out…

Where are the best places to stay to see them?

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Finland’s Aurora Bubble (theaurorazone. com) puts you in prime position: view the Lights from the comfort of your glazed bedroom pod. Even if the Lights don’t show, the stargazing and sunrise (from bed, no less) are impressive.

TreeHotel (treehotel.se), in Sweden, boasts similarly impressive digs: take your pick from an eclectic bunch of treehouses, designed as birds’ nests, UFOs and

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hotel experience in Seychelles AN EXTRAORDINARY LOCATION, UNIQUE IN ITS BEAUTY Nestled on the northwest shore of the idyllic island of Praslin with the Indian Ocean lapping gently at the shores of its 3 perfect white sand beaches, the 5* deluxe Constance LĂŠmuria is at the heart of a luxury Seychelles experience.

Begin the U-experience : call +971 (0)4-443-9554, email : constancehotels@tca.me or visit us at www.constancehotels.com

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ICEHOTEL is surprisingly toasty in Sweden’s chilly climes

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‘invisible’ mirrored boxes. The eerie aurora glow adds an extra weird twist to proceedings.

ICEHOTEL (icehotel.com) has just been rebuilt for the season: it’s made from blocks of ice, and is surprisingly toasty in Sweden’s chilly climes. The Northern Lights snowmobile excursion whisks you off for a three-course dinner in a wilderness camp, with sky-gazing guided by experts from the Swedish Institute of Space Physics.

Iceland’s ION hotel (ioniceland.is) bestows panoramic views in swanky surrounds. Hunker down in the Northern Lights Lounge (with its floor-to-ceiling windows), or turn up the heat in the hot tub and wallow outside while you wait.

Norway’s Lyngen Lodge (lyngenlodge. com) has a tranquil spot near the Lyngen

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Alps National Park and fjords. Education is top of the agenda: an informal seminar session explains the science of the Lights and their place in Nordic folklore, while an in-house photographer assists with the technique of capturing the sky.

Hop on board an Astronomy Voyage with Hurtigruten (hurtigruten.com), to venture deep into the Arctic Circle with an expert lecturer. Land-based activities include a visit Tromsø’s Northern Lights Planetarium – where you’re guaranteed a great view.

Canada’s Emerald Lake Lodge (crmr. com), buried in Yoho National Park, boasts hand-hewn timber accommodation and humbling views in every direction. Fall asleep in front of the log fire – you’ll be roused by a wake-up call should the Lights make an appearance.

Hotel Ranga (hotelranga.is), a lodge in rural Iceland, has its very own Northern Lights webcam, so you can check the recent activity online before you arrive.

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To book one of these offers call dnata on +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com, terms and conditions apply. On the same site you can also sign up to dnata’s newsletter and receive more offers direct to your inbox.

World Traveller Reader Offers Whether you’re after an island escape or fancy more of a city break, we’ve offers aplenty to tempt you to pack your bags... dnatatravel.com Germany Bayerischer Hof Munich Offer: 2 nights from AED2,340 per person, or from AED5,495 per person including airfare.

Includes: Stay in a Standard Room inclusive of champagne breakfast with return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: December 20-29, 2013.

The Westin Grand Frankfurt Offer: 3 nights from AED1,820 per person, or from AED4,490 per person including airfare.

Includes: Stay in a Standard Room inclusive of breakfast with return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: December 13, 2013 til January 6, 2014.

Hong Kong

Shangri-La’s Bar Al Jissah Resort & Spa

Grand Hyatt Hong Kong Offer: 3 nights from AED1,480 per person, or from AED3,990 per person including airfare.

Includes: Stay in a Grand Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: Now til February 28, 2014. (Excludes Dec 30 & 31, 2013).

Malaysia The Chateau Spa & Organic Wellness Resort Offer: 3 nights from AED5,175 per person, or from AED7,465 per person including airfare.

Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast, lunch and dinner daily (excluding beverages) and return airport transfers. Plus fitness and wellbeing sessions, horse riding, personal training, nutritional and physical consultations, 6 spa treatments and a ‘night cap’ in the Lobby Lounge.

Valid for stays from: January 5, 2014 til March 31, 2014.

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Grand Hyatt Hong Kong

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December // 2013

India

Mauritius

Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, New Delhi Offer: 3 nights from AED1,050 per person, or from AED2,045 per person including airfare.

Includes: Stay in a Superior Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers Valid for stays from: Now til March 31, 2014.

Lux Belle Mare Offer: 4 nights from AED3,970 per person, or from AED9,070 per person including airfare.

Special offer: Stay for 3 nights and receive an additional night free, one child under 5 and 1 child under 11 stay free when sharing with 2 adults. Reduction of AED980 per person applies for travel between January 20-31, 2014.

Includes: Stay in a Junior Suite with breakfast and dinner daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: Now til January 31, 2014.

JW Marriott Hotel, Mumbai Offer: 3 nights from AED1,270 per person, or from AED 2,330 per person including airfare.

Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: Now til 27 December, 2013.

The Chateau Spa & Organic Wellness Resort

Seychelles Sainte Anne Resort & Spa Offer: 3 nights from AED5,050 per person, or from AED7,990 per person including airfare.

Special offer: Complimentary upgrade to Half Board basis, 2 children under 17 stay free when sharing with 2 adults, plus complimentary speedboat transfers.

Includes: Stay in a Garden Villa with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: Now til January 31, 2014. (Bookings must be made at least 29 days prior to arrival) LUX Belle Mare

UAE & Oman Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa Offer: 2 nights from AED2,560 per person Special offer: 20% discount on spa treatments and on food and beverage, plus a complimentary dolphin cruise for up to 2 children.

Includes: Stay in a Family Room (Interconnecting) with breakfast daily.

Valid for stays from: December 5 til March 31, 2014. (Book by January 31, 2014. Excludes December 21, 2013 til January, 2, 2014 and February 15-22, 2014) The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal Offer: 2 nights from AED1,110 per person Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast daily.

Valid for stays from: Now til January 31, 2014.

JW Marriott Hotel, Mumbai

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JOIN the CLUB Make the most of winter at one of Club Med’s magnificent getaways

France Club Med Valmorel 4 Trident Village with 5 Trident Luxury Space At an altitude of 4,800 ft, with a magnificent view over the ski resort, Club Med Valmorel is located in the heart of this beautifully preserved mountain environment. Valmorel promises a real family experience with children’s clubs for all ages from babies to teens. Discover Le Lodge, the exclusive 5 Trident Luxury space within Valmorel, an ideal choice for those who want to combine privacy, customer service and luxury comfort with the warm and friendly Club Med spirit.

Location: 125 kms from Geneva-Cointrin airport / 190 kms from Lyon St. Exupery airport.

Opening: December 16, 2013.

Starting from: AED7,560 per person.

Price Includes: 7 nights’ accommodation in a Club Room on twin-sharing basis; breakfast, lunch and dinner; child care facilities from 4 months to 17 years inclusive; a wide range of ski activities including group lessons for alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboarding; ski pass; open snacks and drinks service during the day and night on select beverages. clubmed.com

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Club Med Chamonix 4 Trident Village At an altitude of 3,400 feet, this Club Med Resort is set in the intimate, welcoming décor of the former Savoy Hotel, renovated by the architect Jacques Garcia. Located at the foot of Mont Blanc, this elegant resort promises breathtaking views of the mountain range.

Location: 90 kms from Geneva Cointrin airport.

Opening: December 23, 2013.

Starting from: AED8,210 per person.

Price Includes: 7 nights’ accommodation in a Club Room on twin-sharing basis; breakfast, lunch and dinner; child care facilities from 4 months to 23 months inclusive; a wide range of ski activities including group lessons for alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboarding; ski pass; open snacks and drinks service during the day and night on select beverages. clubmed.com Check In

Club Med Chamonix

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Switzerland

Italy

Club Med Saint-Moritz Roi Soleil 4 Trident Village Nestling at the foot of the snow-covered mountains, Saint-Moritz Roi Soleil stands at an altitude of 5,740 feet, near the lake that lies by the town. Tucked away in this cosmopolitan and very select resort – the birthplace of Alpine skiing – Club Med Saint-Moritz Roi Soleil effortlessly combines luxury and tradition, and offers a wide range of unique pursuits including the famous ‘Cresta Run’ on the nearby frozen lake and sledging sessions.

Location: 480 kms from Geneva Cointrin airport.

Opening: December 1, 2013.

Starting from: AED7,710 per person Price Includes: 7 nights’ accommodation in a Club Room on twin-sharing basis; breakfast, lunch and dinner; child care facilities from 4 years to 17 years inclusive; a wide range of ski activities including group lessons for Alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboarding; ski pass; open snacks and drinks service during the day and night on select beverages. clubmed.com

Club Med Pragelato Vialattea 4 Trident Village Located in Italy’s Piedmont region, this new Club Med resort with its charming chalets promises a warm and friendly welcome and a genuine Italian Dolce Vita atmosphere. In the heart of the second largest ski domain in Europe – La Vialattea – this prestigious ski resort hosted the ski jumping and cross-country skiing events for the Turin Olympics in 2006. Offering 440 kms of ski runs, the cable car located just outside the ski room takes you up to the Vialattea and Pragelato ski runs in just 4 minutes.

Location: 241 kms from Milano Malpensa airport / 110 kms from Torino Castelle airport.

Opening: December 16, 2013.

Starting from: AED 6,810 per person Price Includes: 7 nights’ accommodation in a Club Room on twin-sharing basis; breakfast, lunch and dinner; child care facilities from 2 years to 17 years inclusive; a wide range of ski activities including group lessons for Alpine skiing, cross country skiing and snowboarding; ski pass; open snacks and drinks service during the day and night on select beverages. clubmed.com Terms and Conditions: Trident is Club Med’s categorisation or rating of their properties. All prices are subject to availability at the time of booking.

For details contact dnata at nonairgsa@ dnata.com or call +971 431 66671.

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t 2,300m, Val Thorens is the highest mainstream resort in the Alps. It is located above St-Martin-de-Belleville and Les Menuires at the top of the least chic of the Trois Vallées. A few years ago, it was affordable by comparison with its neighbours: Courchevel, which was on a crusade to woo the oligarch Rouble, and Méribel, with its surfeit of squires from the British ‘shires. In VT, as it now likes to be known to avoid pronunciation massacre, the charm-free apartment blocks and Michelin-free catering were less compelling. Nevertheless, groups on budgets were persuaded to fill the

AIMING

HIGH

Minty Clinch explains how the French ski resort of Val Thorens is planning to out-shout its noisy neighbours

beds and plunder the best snow in the Tarentaise Valley.

What a difference a magic wand can make. Those who waved it over VT are young, ambitious and very French. At l’Epicurean, a tiny restaurant in the Hôtel Montana, Kevin, the equally tiny maitre d’ from Marseille, sashayed over. With a glassy smile that turned out to mean zero tolerance, he offered two starters: a single oyster perched on three Brussels sprout leaves or a dish of butternut squash. The mains were wild rabbit or sole.

My group chose the sole, but Kevin ordained that both must be tried, so half must have rabbit. Lemon delice combos on oblong plates provided further cause for outrage. “Eat from right to left,” snapped Kevin, scowling at an errant spoon hovering over the citron snap rather than the juice ball.

Kevin’s tough love triggered silences punctuated by nervous giggles. However, dinner as theatre is always an intriguing experience, and l’Epicurean signals the arrival of le beau monde living in Val Thorens. Young proprietors Sonia Piantoni and Emmanuel Deleuze run three restaurants in VT. All were masterminded

by Jérémy Grillon, who learned his trade in assorted stylish eateries including celebrated Le Chabichou in Courchevel.

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Once you’ve groped your way to the lift in a blizzard, the snow is almost certain to be magnificent

Today’s young lions can thank 35-yearold Jean Sulpice for blazing a gastronomic trail into this particular wilderness. After completing his training under three-star Michelin headliner Marc Veyrat in Annecy, his passion for ski touring brought him to VT in 2002. To feed his habit, he opened L’Oxalys with his wife, Magali, who doubles as sommelier. When he was 31, he made history as the youngest ever double-Michelin-starred man. His food is exquisite.

When gourmets gather, smart hotels are never far behind. For years, the centrally-located Le Fitz Roy, known far and wide for the grey felt slippers routinely stolen by its regulars on departure, was the flagship. Earlier this year, its traditional values were no longer deemed fit for purpose, so it will emerge in a new form, hopefully with as warm a welcome, in time for the new season.

Meanwhile its cutting-edge rivals are multiplying, headed by Altapura, a glassy grey trapezoid that describes itself as ‘the highest palace in the Alps’. The Sibuet family, descended from generations of Savoyard farmers, also owns Le Mont Blanc, Les Fermes de Marie and Au Coin du Feu – hotels that put Megève near the top of the wish list for sophisticated skiers. Unlike those, Altapura is next Check In

to the slopes but, in its first year of operation, it lacks their charm and attention to detail.

Nevertheless, the familiar Sibuet building-blocks are in place. Notable is Les Enfants Terribles, a copy of their restaurant at Le Mont Blanc, inspired by Jean Cocteau’s regular visits to Megève in the 1950s. The dark red Art Deco interior and the delectable seafood are replicated in Altapura but Cocteau would have felt isolated from the international bohemian lifestyle he loved in Val Thorens’ tree-free snowscape.

Le Hameau du Kashmir, another newcomer, is a five-star apartment complex that provides hotel services as required. Any links with the Himalayan region are hard to locate. The route between the pool and the spa goes straight through the lobby, giving guests at check in the chance to inspect fellow residents in their robes. Meanwhile, the Koh-i Nor is a monumental five-star luxury apartment block with full hotel services perched above the resort. It is due to open this month.

On the mountain, VT pioneered the Funitel, a people-mover with double-wire suspension that enables it to run in winds of up to 120km/h. Before its installation in 1990, VT’s lifts closed for an average of 20 days a season–a figure now reduced to

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just three. Once you’ve groped your way to the lift in a blizzard, the snow is almost certain to be magnificent. The immediate runs are gentle, but the Cime de Caron, accessed by the superfast 150-person cable car, has expert terrain higher up the mountain.

Heading towards the lift links to Méribel on the opposite side, the fog resonates to the familiar sound of après ski that has become unhinged.

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Conceived in Val d’Isère, the Laiterie/ Folie Douce brand (a very expensive lunch followed by wild rock music) has embraced the Tarentaise Valley. For a classier French lunch and the chance to talk to your companions, the Chalet de la Marine celebrates its 30th birthday this season. It’s not easy to find a feast of succulent bone marrow in the mountains, let alone for €19, and the Chalet’s are sensational. If a rustic Savoyard ambiance is not to your taste, a smaller menu is served in a yurt below.

My January visit to Val Thorens attracted big snow and some of the season’s best skiing. When I returned in April, the Trois Vallées were basking in sunshine. The fourth valley, the Maurienne at the back of Cime de Caron, was optimum for off-piste expeditions. For a change of scene, I stayed at the Chamois Lodge, run by Helen and Chris Raemers, in St-Martin-de-Belleville.

If you like the quiet life, this is the way to go. The chalet accommodates up to nine guests with canapés, bubbly and gourmet dinners. You can plunder the delights on offer with the Trois Vallées pass – 173 lifts serving 600km of pistes, the world’s largest linked ski area. Then you can stroll to the village square for a pastis. It’s all on a human scale; you might even dare order it in French. In l’Epicurean, that would be very rash indeed.

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Photography supplied by: Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

Text by: Minty Clinch

Today’s young lions can thank 35-year-old Jean Sulpice for blazing a gastronomic trail into this particular wilderness

December // 2013

Historic Hotel #6

CARRYING the CANNES The InterContinental Carlton Hotel in Cannes has met them all: kings, queens, world leaders and superstars. And even in its centennial year, one of France’s most iconic addresses shows no sign of slowing down‌

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rom the outset, the Carlton Hotel (now the InterContinental Carlton) appears to have been destined for greatness. Built a century ago on the beautiful Cote d’Azur according to the vision of famous Belle-Epoque architect Charles Dalmas and property magnate Henri Ruhl, the hotel had also received the financial backing of Russia’s Grand Duke Michael.

The hotel opened on La Croisette boulevard on January 30, 1911 and with the Grand Duke a regular guest there it didn’t take long for news of the hotel’s royal standing to spread through Russian aristocratic circles (wealthy Russians had been holidaying on the French Riviera through the 19th century).

In 1913, a new wing was added to the Carlton Hotel’s fantastic design (which

stable Europe, they chose Cannes as its venue. The Carlton Hotel was to be the “theatre of operation”: it was there that George later announced to press that the negotiations had faltered.

Of course, Cannes was not only popular with royalty and politicians. In 1939, the French government decided to host a gathering of the world’s film elite there.

While the Second World War delayed proceedings, the first Cannes Film Festival was eventually held on September 20, 1946. With its prime position and luxurious surrounds, the Carlton Hotel soon became a significant part of the festival’s proceedings, hosting jury meetings and even featuring in films.

Perhaps the most famous movie to be shot at the hotel was Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief, starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Released in 1955, the romantic thriller was set along the French Riviera and the hotel appeared in several scenes, including a moment when Kelly arrived for dinner at the hotel’s Grand Salon in that blue satin dress. The couple also shared their first on-screen kiss outside room 623, which has since been renamed the Alfred Hitchcock Suite, and it was while staying at this hotel during the 1955 festival that Kelly met Prince Rainier II of Monaco for a photo opportunity. They married the following year.

Over the years a glittering array of stars have been snapped at the prestigious hotel, from Brigitte Bardot and Tony Curtis to Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

In 1982 the hotel was acquired by the InterContinental Group and became known as the InterContinental Carlton.

In 2009 the hotel’s lobby and seventh floor was refurbished in a bid to make them “light, transparent, elegant and modern”. Cary Grant, Uma Thurman and Sean Penn joined Alfred Hitchcock in having a suite named after themselves: each room featuring precious wood floors

The hotel became a significant part of the Cannes Film Festival, and even featured in films

featured a two-tone plaster façade and domes said to have been inspired by Carolina ‘La Belle Otero’), bringing the hotel to its final and current state. In the following years it became as synonymous with the social elite as Cannes itself.

So much so that when, in December 1921 the British Prime Minister, Lloyd George, and his French counterpart, Aristide Briand, decided to convene a meeting of the League of Nations to discuss ways of rebuilding a financially

and furniture. Two years later it was designated an historical monument.

Today, the InterContinental Carlton remains a newsworthy venue, having hosted the G20 summit in November 2011, which saw heads of state (including Barack Obama) discuss possible solutions to the Euro Crisis. Obama stayed on the fifth floor of the hotel, following in the legendary footsteps of Colonel Harvey, US leader in 1922 during the League of Nations meeting.

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December // 2013

THE BIG APPLE’S NEWEST HOTSPOT The quintessentially cosy spot for the luxury traveller this winter is undoubtedly beside the dramatic fireplace at the newly renovated St. Regis New York. It’s the standout feature of the hotel’s King Cole Bar & Salon, expanded from the legendary King Cole Bar to now include a restaurant (that’s the Salon) from famed New York chef and restaurateur John DeLucie (pictured). Order Grandma Giulia’s meatballs for a dinner as warming as the fire. stregisnewyork.com

BOOKS for LIFE’S BIG JOURNEYS New year, new adventures – and four new (and re-released) titles to inspire you...

The Dog Fence

James Woodford

Walking Home from Mongolia

The Great Railway Bazaar

Round the Bend

Paul Theroux

Alistair McGuinness

This 1970s narrative has just been re-published by Penguin. Theroux train-hops through Europe and Asia, on a journey that takes him from London to Japan – and back again. A lively introduction to his poetic, unparalleled prose.

When our hero is made redundant, he answers the call of the open road, venturing everywhere from the mines of remote Bolivia to the Australian outback – with his long-suffering wife in tow. Inspirational reading for frustrated adventurers.

Rob Lilwall The Dog Fence is one of the longest man-made structures in the world, designed to keep dingoes away from livestock in Australia’s red-hot desert centre. James Woodford decided to walk along it – this is his tumultuous tale.

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Check In

A 3,000km walk across China pushes Rob Lilwall and his cameraman to the limit, as they battle sub-zero temperatures, toxic pollution and interrogation from the Chinese police. Best enjoyed in a cosy armchair.

AVENUE AT ETIHAD TOWERS is dedicated to exclusive luxur y and home to the world’s most desirable brands. Immerse yourself in Abu Dhabi’s most sophisticated boutique retail destination and indulge in the joy of living and shopping. w w w.AvenueAtEtihadTowers.ae

December // 2013

Brolly Good Show Keep clear of the rain and look cool while you do so

Marc by Marc Jacobs net-a-porter.com

A. Wherever you are in the world and whatever you’re doing, it’s the holiday season and your excuse to get glammed up. A great dress is a fail-safe, so you’re on the right lines there, and colour- and style-wise you’ve lots of opportunities to shine.

Everyone knows the black dress is guaranteed to fit the bill, whatever the occasion, particularly if it has to work for more than one event, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Lace is back with a bang this season and, as no one does it quite like the Italians, you’d do well to check out Dolce & Gabbana’s

detail and silk lining. Just remember, in both instances but particularly the latter, when it comes to accessories you want to elongate the neck by keeping it bare – dress the ears, keep the bag small and lengthen your profile by opting for one of the many metallic leather sandals available from the likes of Jimmy Choo and Charlotte Olympia.

Of course, nothing boosts the confidence quite like a little red number,

Style Solutions

WAR DROBE MISTRESS Marc by Marc Jacobs net-a-porter.com

Burberry mrporter.com

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Check In

Q. It’s party season and as I’ll be celebrating at events both in Europe and the Middle East this month, what are my best options dress-wise? exquisite selection: guaranteed to give you a great silhouette, with structure and stretch in all the right places. For a seriously snazzy event, then Alice + Olivia’s floor-length embellished lace gown is perfect red carpet material and is guaranteed to turn heads.

Meanwhile, though not for the figure conscious, sheer panel dresses offer something a little more daring and directional this winter: Stella McCartney’s Becky is a favourite, as is Valentino’s scalloped number – just remember to let the dress do the talking, by keeping the heels and accessories simple.

For something a little more dramatic, take a look at the metallic shades that are hot this season: from the subtle goldhue of Vivienne Westwood’s Anglomania Halton necklinefold number (pictured left) to Oscar de la Renta’s head-turning Gatsbyesque beaded silver silk blend gown (pictured right), with its intricately beaded and fringed

definitely a hot shade this party season. If you’re going to take the plunge with something bright then keep the style simple. Dolce & Gabbana’s red lace numbers, again, pop when dressed with simple stilettos, while flawless elegance comes as standard with Nina Ricci’s Faille-panelled satin dress, which creates a beautiful silhouette and requires little in terms of accessories.

If you’re heading somewhere cold don’t overlook the need for an evening cape or jacket.

To ignore Oscar de la Renta’s black hooded silk-chiffon cape would be criminal – it’s perfect for keeping the evening chill off when rocking a maxi dress. And Balmain’s nipped-in-at-the-waist leather jacket, with its structured shoulder detail, guarantees a hot silhouette whatever the outfit.

World Traveller

December // 2013

SLOPE STYLE

> Heading on a city break?

Don’t forget to pack a scarf. And they don’t get more special than this collaboration between Damien Hirst and Alexander McQueen.

Move fast, though: there are only a couple of the 30 one-off designs available at The Dubai Mall and The Galleria on Al Maryah Island.

Turn heads on the piste this ski season in these snazzy ski ensembles WALK the LINE LA’s latest go-to spot sprouts a new hotel…

A week on the slopes can be so glamorous: powder white snow, the bluest of skies and exhilarating turns down alpine mountains. It’s only right that you look the part, and the major fashion houses have your needs covered this season.

Not least Fendi. Among its incredible snow-friendly collection you’ll find silhouette-flattering ski jackets in a variety of styles, made from hi-tech, water-repellant fabrics that feature signature branding represented through its subtle inclusion on belts

or through to more dramatic geometric prints.

Other design houses with chic and covetous snowfriendly pieces well worth checking out are Lacroix, Moncler and Bogner.

And remember, you can wear any colour, as long as it’s black or white (leave the neon numbers to the children).

Channel Bond girl Elektra King in The World Is Not Enough by keeping the colour palette dark, or pop in brilliant bright white, a la Victoria Beckham.

Once LA’s hotspot, (the Academy Awards were hosted there in the 1930s), Koreatown is undergoing a major revival: from hip eateries to great art, and now great hotels too. If you haven’t been yet, then we’ve got a great new excuse for you to do so: The Line Hotel.

Run by The Sydell Group (think Ace Hotel Palm Springs and New York, as well as the Big Apple’s The NoMad Hotel), it boasts a series of collaborations between some of the State’s most influential creative minds and those largely credited with Koreatown’s revival. They include The Houston Brothers, the duo responsible for various LA VIP haunts, who have brought their ability to create atmosphere and nostalgia to the hotel’s mid-century lounge, while celebrity chef Roy Choi – dubbed LA’s Street Food King and currently running LA restaurants Chego! and Sunny Spot – takes the helm at the hotel’s restaurant. thelinehotel.com

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World Traveller

December // 2013

Image: Courtesy of Dusit Thani Dubai

Winter Warmers Escape the festive madness at one of these five-star UAE retreats‌

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World Traveller Promotion Promotion

December // 2013

Dusit Thani Dubai dusit.com Blending Thai hospitality with Arabian opulence, this extravagant bolthole is one of Dubai’s most iconic hotels – and you simply can’t miss its spectacular angular exterior. It’s also one of the best-connected hotels, located in the heart of the commercial district, close to DIFC, Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. A complimentary shuttle service is ready to whisk you to the city’s hot spots, as well as Jumeirah Beach Park – and you’ll be within easy reach of Dubai International Airport, too. Each of the hotel’s 321 rooms and suites offer glorious views of the every-changing skyline, with all the home comforts you’d expect from a five-star property. The rooftop pool is the place to soak up the gentle December sun: you’ll find us wallowing in the Jacuzzi (just one of the hotel’s top-notch extras) with a beverage from the poolside Splash Bar.

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Promotion

Seasonal Splendour: At The Deli, kids will love the gingerbread house, made from hundreds of gingerbread tiles and decorated with icing – while grownups will enjoy the stollen, Yule logs and minced pies (they make great gifts). Each of the hotel restaurants will feature festive menus for 24, 25 and 31 December – with traditional flavours at The Californian, Thai-inspired feasts at Benjarong, and an Italian festive menu at PAX – and themed beverages galore.

For all-out extravagance, a Magical Season Room Package is the way to go: from AED699++ per night, you’ll enjoy a breakfast buffet, AED150 of dining vouchers, and transport to Dubai Mall and Jumeirah Beach – perfect for last minute shopping, and a day in the December sun.

World Traveller

December // 2013

InterContinental, Abu Dhabi ihg.com If you’re in the mood for an action-packed break in the capital, look no further than InterContinental Abu Dhabi. You’ll be within easy reach of the city’s finest attractions, and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Saadiyat Island and all the main malls will be within a 30-minute drive.

The hotel is geared up for both tourist and business use, with a fabulous spa, fitness centre, one of the best leisure areas in town (with tennis court, squash court and swimming pool). The little details are looked after too: there’s internet service throughout the hotel, and a business centre with all the mod cons. The hotel is rightly proud of its gastronomic line-up: it’s delightfully eclectic, with cuisine from Brazil (Chamas Churrascaria), Thailand (Fishmarket), Brussels (Belgian Café) and Italy (Boccaccio). For a spectacular evening out, you can’t go wrong with The Yacht Club – its stylish terrace overlooks the hotel’s private marina, best enjoyed just as the sun sets.

Seasonal Splendour Celebrate 24 December with a lavish spread at Boccaccio, which boasts a four-course traditional menu with an Italian twist. Belgian Café is set to be a buzzing spot on 25 December, with a festive menu and beverages to boot, while Chamas serves up latin-themed food and live music. The Yacht Club, meanwhile, promises a lively festive ladies’ night... On New Year’s Eve you’ll find festivities in every restaurant – and entertainment to suit both families and groups of friends.

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Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi shangri-la.com

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This grand hotel is true to the Shangri-La values of luxury and convenience: it’s just a stone’s throw from the airport and city centre, but feels like a lush oasis.

The property is surrounded by gardens, and boasts a private stretch of coastline with sunset views. To adjust to the pace of life in this laid-back enclave, indulge in a treatment at CHI, The Spa – take your pick from the Asian-inspired Wellness Massage menu. For therapy of a different kind, venture to the souk, a traditionalstyle market place connected to the hotel via a picturesque canal. Each room and suite features views of the water, Promotion

modern amenities, and interior design inspired by the Emirate. You’ll discover some of the UAE’s finest restaurants on your doorstep, including the awardwinning Vietnamese restaurant Hoi An, and Shangri-La’s signature Asian eatery Shang Palace. Pearls & Caviar, a lively nightspot, looks over the Arabian Gulf.

Seasonal Splendour: Get your first fix of Yuletide extravagance on 5 December, with traditional songs, charity hampers, and Santa Claus. On

21 December, learn how to make a gingerbread house, or leave it to the professionals with festive high tea served in the Lobby Lounge all month. On 24 and 25 December, take your pick from myriad opulent brunches and dinners, with themed dishes and beverages: you’ll find us tucking in to the five-course menu at Pearls & Caviar... On New Year’s Eve, take your pick from international feasts and Arabian fare, against a backdrop of fireworks and live entertainment. And if you’ve room for more, Sofra Bld, Shang Palace and Hoi An will be hosting a delectable brunch on New Year’s Day.

World Traveller

December // 2013

EUROPE’S

50 Best Ski Resorts

Our team of ski experts reveal the go-to slopes for the season of snow...

The EXPERTS Daniel Elkan Freelance skitravel journalist and founder of website, snowcarbon.co.uk Emma Carrick Anderson Four-time Olympic ski racer Matt Carroll Writer specialising in winter travel Felice Hardy Co-editor of specialist ski information site, welove2ski.com 50 Best Ski Resorts

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St Gervais “One of most underrated ski areas in the Alps, considering its size, is the 400km Evasion Mont Blanc region,” says Daniel. “If you want to practice skiing powder snow that doesn’t get tracked out, this is a great place to come.”

Meribel “Host to the Women’s Alpine Races at the 1992 Olympic Games, Meribel is a charming family resort connecting Courchevel on one side and Val Thorens on the other,” says Emma. “It offers a huge array of skiing for every level, with all runs eventually leading back to the village itself. There’s a swimming pool, indoor ice rink and, for partygoers, great bars and a range of restaurants.

Meribel will be host to the 2015 World Cup Ski Finals.”

La Grave “This is a bucket-list resort for adventure junkies, serious back-country skiers and boarders,” says Matt. “Take the rickety cable car up to the mountain-top village to access amazing terrain. There are scenic and more accessible bits too, including on Les Deux Alps. Skiers Lodge is a no-frills, full-board chalet run by a Swedish ski guide called Pelle. He took me through a valley to a village called St Christophe where it was so peaceful you could practically hear someone drop their glove.”

La Rosiere “A firm family favourite, La Rosiere is linked across the Italian border with La Thuile,” says Felice. “Don’t expect buzzing nightlife or chic hotels, but the skiing is unexpectedly good.”

Val d’Isère “The resort has a loyal following among its many visitors,” says Felice. “A lot of them wouldn’t dream of skiing anywhere else! Val shares its ski area with Tignes and together they make up the 300km Espace Killy. You’ll find some superb chalets and an excellent ski school, New Generation.”

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Meribel Ski Area at Twilight

50 Best Ski Resorts

World Traveller

December // 2013

FR A NCE

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St Foy “St Foy’s ski area is smaller than its famous neighbours’, but who cares?” says Daniel.

“The runs are quiet, so you can really put your foot down – and the off-piste is immense.

This place proves that quality trumps quantity.”

Chamonix You can’t ignore Chamonix, in spite of its position surrounded by stark and menacing mountains,” says Felice. “It’s a real town, with a 365-day life outside skiing.

Apart from challenging pistes, there’s also a wide choice of accommodation, including the new Héliopic Sweet & Spa. It looks like a chalet from the outside, with Fifties and Sixties styles inside.”

La Tania “This is a great place to stay if you’re on a budget,” says Emma. “A perfect family resort with the nursery area set within the town and easy access to more demanding slopes in Courchevel. The village is known for its chalets and warm atmosphere.”

Le Grand Bornand “This is one of the Alps’ most authentic villages and it’s relatively unknown; a holiday here feels like you’ve really escaped to France,” says Daniel. “There’s a village market packed with regional specialities, and the varied ski area – shared with La Clusaz – is a delight.”

La Clusaz

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“One of the best things about La Clusaz is the proximity of Geneva airport – it’s just 60 minutes’ drive – making it convenient for a weekend break and great for families,” says Felice. “The traditional village has a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, and you can also ski in the resort of Le Grand Bornand, 10 minutes away.”

50 Best Ski Resorts

If sport is what you’re after, Tignes is the place, with ice diving and ice climbing

World Traveller

December // 2013

Les Gets Bonneval “Bonneval-sur-Arc can’t have changed much in 150 years,” says Matt. “Rough, grey stone houses huddled together at the end of a valley; cows mooing in sheds. There are only 21 runs here: mellow pistes with lovely stashes of powder, which is good for a mixed ability group.

My wife skied the groomed pistes and I popped out back and we met at the end of each run. Don’t miss the boeuf bourguignon at Auberge d’Oul – a restaurant that’s like eating in someone’s chalet.”

Val Thorens “Contender for the best eating out in a French ski resort, including one of my alpine favourites, Chalet de laMarine,” says Felice.

“It’s everything a mountain eatery should be, with a log fire, ancient wooden beams, sheepskin rugs and delicious local food. Unusual hotels have been springing up everywhere in recent years, including the futuristic Altapura and this month, Koh-i-Nor – Europe’s highest ski hotel – opens its doors.” (see page 21).

Les Arcs “For maximum ski time with minimum fuss, pick ski-in, skiout Arcs 1950, where the slopes actually run through the village,” says Daniel. “Step outside your door, clip in and within moments you’ll be exploring the vast and varied 425km Paradiski area.”

Courchevel “Part of the largest ski area in the world, the 3-Valleys, Courchevel has an incredible variety of skiing, with hugely accessible off-piste and beautifully groomed runs,” says Emma. “Off the slopes, it’s one of the world’s glitziest resorts, with shops more commonly found in Manhattan. If it’s nightlife you’re after, Courchevel offers everything.”

“Within the vast Portes du Soleil, Les Gets is a great resort to choose because of its access to Mont Chery – a mountain that remains blissfully quiet due to its position away from the main circuit,” says Daniel. “Have lunch at the wonderful Ours Blanc, or head up in the evening for one of its special candlelit dinners.”

Tignes “At an altitude of 2100m to 3500m, Tignes is unbeatable for snow quality and guaranteed snow,” says Emma. “It has a huge season spanning nine months and offers incredible off-piste skiing, great parks and 300km of fabulous slopes. If sport is what you’re after, Tignes is the place, with ice diving, ice climbing, an awesome swimming pool and a brand new, high-altitude training centre on offer.”

Montgenevre “Montgenevre is a wonderful place for families to learn, because there’s a large beginner area that sweeps gently down to the heart of the village, and plenty of blues and reds to progress to,” says Daniel.

Chatel “This is a gateway into one of the biggest ski areas in the world, the Portes du Soleil,” says Emma. “Fourteen villages link together spanning France and Switzerland. The runs twist, turn and are full of adventure, meandering naturally in and out and over the mountain tops. Every run is unique. The resorts are lower so there’s masses of tree skiing but you can still get height over towards Avoriaz and you need never ski the same run twice.”

Valmeinier “A really good family destination. The terrain is mostly above 2000m, so fairly snow-sure,” says Daniel. “And one of the unique things about it is that beginners can ski all the way from the top of the mountain back to the village on green runs. That certainly isn’t available in most resorts.”

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ITA LY

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Selva di Val Gardena, Italy

50 Best Ski Resorts

World Traveller

December // 2013

Alagna “A beautiful town with incredible old Germanic buildings and meandering streets,” says Matt. “The mountains seem to funnel down around the village, huddled in a valley. The ski area is part of the Monte Rosa, with access to 115 miles of piste. It’s one of the few places in Europe you can heli-ski, and the back-country here is amazing. If you want miles of off-piste, this is the place.”

Gressoney is an authentic, unspoilt area, with some incredible off-piste skiing

Cervinia “It’s the less attractive neighbour of Zermatt in Switzerland, but you get to ski the same area and eat in restaurants that are every bit as delightful as those over the border, but at considerably lower prices,” says Felice. “As a child, I learnt to ski on the nursery slopes conveniently close to the high street, with the resort’s high altitude making it a good Easter destination. Hotel Sertorelli is just five minutes’ walk from the cable car.”

Sauze d’Oulx “You’ll quickly fall in love with the mountain restaurants in Sauze that you’ll discover between runs, such as Ciao Paix, tucked away in the forest,” says Daniel. “The skiing is great, too, and outside Italian holidays, the slopes are so quiet you’ll feel like the lifts were opened just for you.”

Gressoney “One of my favourites,” says Emma. “An authentic, unspoilt area that lies at the foot of the Monte Rosa peak, with some incredible off-piste skiing. The 2,000m descent from the top of the Punta Indren to Alagna, is unforgettable and there aren’t many ski areas where you can be alone on the whole run – whether you go on or offpiste. Prices are very reasonable and one of the best coffees in the Alps will only set you back one Euro!”

La Villa “I’ve been banging on about the South Tyrol for years,” says Matt. “But you still won’t see many people here and the

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Outside Italian holidays, the slopes of Sauze d’Oulx are so quiet you’ll feel like the lifts were opened just for you

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50 Best Ski Resorts

World Traveller

December // 2013

pistes are quiet and mellow.

If you love to ski and eat, this is the place, with some 18 Michelin-starred restaurants in a relatively small area, many catering to the little mountain huts, so you get the great food minus the Michelin prices.”

Madesimo “This is the undiscovered resort of the year, an attractive old village with narrow streets and a scattering of farmhouses,” says Felice. “It’s popular with Italians but remains almost unknown in the UK, yet it has a lot going for it. The (mainly intermediate) slopes are blissfully uncrowded midweek, prices are very reasonable and there are some lovely places to eat. My favourite restaurant is Dogana Vegia, set inside the town’s 17th-century Customs House. Stay in the family-run Hotel Andossi.”

Cortina d’Ampezzo “This classy yet uber-relaxed resort in the Dolomites is home to some of the Alps’ most stunning scenery,” says Daniel. “Take the Hidden Valley run and you’ll pass limestone and blue frozen waterfalls,” he suggests. “It’s an amazing experience that you can round off with a leisurely meal at the Armontarola Hotel.”

Courmayeur “Cappuccinos, pasta, pizza and everything Italian plus great restaurants and shops, all with a touch of Italian class,” says Emma. “The top two lifts open up an off-piste paradise, where routes back down the mountain are endless. Add in the Vallee Blanche, the longest, most scenic off-piste run in the world – which has to be done at least once in your life – and you can’t go wrong.”

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gorgeous setting in the Alps,” says Felice. “The centerpiece – the Matterhorn – is what Toblerone is modelled on, and it peeps out at you from every corner. Stay in The Omnia, a glass hotel built on top of a rock. The highlight is its Cavern bar – a glass-and-steel space that floats on water inside a man-made cave.

Gryon

Verbier “‘Verb’ is cool for a reason – it has legendary hotels such as the Hotel de la Poste and places that compete with the poshest addresses in any major city,” says Matt. “I love the miles and miles of piste – some of my best snow has been here – and I always go with a guide to get the insider tips on the places to find the best powder.”

Klosters

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“This is a great place to come for relaxed skiing in some of Switzerland’s most spectacular scenery,” says Daniel. “To ski below those dramatic peaks, the Eiger and Wetterhorn, is a magnificent experience.”

Saas-Fee

Savognin

Leysin

“In the same region as St Moritz and Laax, this resort is great for families: affordable and not well-known,” says Matt. “It has pistes you can cruise around with stunning views across the valley. And there’s snow biking, snow tubing and a tobogganing run that looks out over the valley.

Plus a glass box of a hotel, called The Cube.”

“I love Leysin’s super-cute chocolate-box chalets and tiny y rabbit warren of streets,” says Matt. “It’s only got 40 miles of piste so you don’t need to mess around with a lift pass or a map really – you can just concentrate on riding/skiing and enjoying yourself. It’s pretty off the beaten track and when I went, midweek, it was really empty. Don’t miss the rosti and roast chicken at the wooden chalet restaurant, Le Leysin. You can watch it cooking over the fire.”

“This is without any doubt the ski resort with the most 50 Best Ski Resorts

Grindelwald

“A traditional chalet-style village that blends tourism with a farming community,” says Felice. “The resort is divided into two: Klosters Platz has most of the hotels, shops, restaurants, and a cable-car to the Parsenn ski area, which is linked with Davos. The offpiste is good, with a lovely run over to Arosa, and another to Gargellen in Austria.”

Zermatt Klosters, Switzerland

“This resort is next to swanky Villas – where the royals go,” says Matt. “A little traditional Swiss village minus the mink hats, it’s only got 62 miles of skiable terrain but this includes a lot of cruisey reds, where you can lay out nice big turns, and there are also blues running through the trees. It’s really worth getting a guide to ski the linked areas, such as Villas and Les Diablerets, so you can rack up some serious miles.”

“A time-warp town, with no cars allowed and horse-drawn taxis that drag you around narrow back streets bordered by old wooden chalets,” says Matt. “The village is full of the scent of farms and wood smoke – what the Alps are supposed to be about. The pistes are mellow but the nightlife is wild.”

World Traveller

December // 2013

SW ITZER L A N D

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AUSTR I A

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Obergurgl

Zell am See-Kaprun

St Anton

Kuhtai

“This really high resort is ideal for those worried about snow conditions – I’ve had some great early-season powder here,” says Matt. “It not only has beautiful views but is a great place to crank out the miles and eat good food. Go across to Hochgurgl (liftlinked), to the Top Mountain Star glass-walled café, which sits on the summit like a UFO and gives a real sense of how much terrain there is.”

“Zell’s lakeside setting and attractive village make staying here a real pleasure,” says Daniel. “There’s ample, intermediate-friendly terrain, and the views as you ski down from the 3,029m Kitzsteinhorn glacier are magnificent. This is one of Austria’s finest all-round resorts.”

“The lovely little town has fabulous skiing, both on and off-piste,” says Felice. “As popular as it is, St Anton hasn’t been overrun by the mass market and still attracts only serious skiers and snowboarders. The lively après-ski scene is spearheaded by the notorious Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh bars, although my favourite is Underground on the Piste for h its live music.”

“Just a 40-minute car journey from Innsbruck airport, the high-altitude resort of Kuhtai is a relatively unknown gem in the heart of the Austrian Tyrol,” says Emma. “Small but well formed, the terrain is suited to intermediate skiers upwards and also has some of the best ski touring in Austria.

Après ski is fairly quiet by Austrian standards, but the hotels provide an excellent standard of accommodation.”

50 Best Ski Resorts

World Traveller

December // 2013

Soll

Schladming

Kitzbuhel

Hintertux

“Part of the huge SkiWelt ski area, Soll has some great non-ski alternatives, too. The 3.8km Hochsöll toboggan run, open after the slopes close, is bags of fun,” says Daniel. “You can also try parasailing, which is an incredible, adrenalinefuelled way to see the Wilderkaiser mountain range.”

“Schladming is part of the Schladming-Dachstein-Tauern area linking four small ski resorts that offer beautifully groomed pistes with masses of tree-lined skiing,” says Emma. “Ideal for beginners through to experts and a fabulous family resort, the town itself is really stunning, with authentic Austrian aprèsski as well. Schladming also hosts both the 2013 Ski World Championships.”

“This town is so beautiful it looks good enough to eat,” says Felice. “The pedestrianised centre is medieval with cobblestone streets and pastelfrescoed houses. Kitzbuhel is home to the Hahnenkamm, the toughest downhill race of the World Cup ski circuit.

However, that run, (when not prepared for racing), and others within the area, are classified as easy to intermediate level.”

“Situated at the end of the Zillertal valley, Hintertux is well known for being the only resort skiable 365 days of the year, with one of the biggest glaciers in Europe,” says Emma. “The village itself is small and tranquil but does offer some luxury accommodation. As with all Austrian resorts, Hintertux has thigh-slapping après-ski, which kicks off from midafternoon.”

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BEST of the R EST

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50 Best Ski Resorts

Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock; Supplied

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Soldeu, Andorra

Jasna, Slovakia

“Andorra has always been renowned for being cheap and cheerful but it’s affordable luxury if you stay at Sporthotel Hermitage,” says Matt. “It has an amazing spa with lots of different pools overlooking the slopes, and you can watch skiers on a long black run from your balcony. It’s a great place to build up your confidence in skiing if you have recently started. “I learnt to ski here as a kid and it’s a great place for ski-schoolers – it has something like 200 instructors.”

Factor in an attractive, treecovered resort with traditional village and good terrain parks, and it’s easy to see why this place is popular with young boarders and skiers alike.”

Geilo, Norway “One of the best family resorts in Scandinavia with five snowparks, this is a major centre for cross-country skiing, and also one of the best places in the world for kiteskiing,” says Felice. “One of my children learnt to ski here and we found the slopes were almost empty in the mornings because the Norwegians tend to start skiing late.”

Hafjell, Norway “The location for the 1994 men’s and women’s slalom and giant slalom races, situated just outside the host city of Lillehammer, Hafjell has a decent collection of ski runs that is mainly suitable for intermediates,” says Emma.

“Outside school holidays, queues are rare and there’s decent accommodation right on the slopes. Brit-run Woodies Bar provides a lively end-of-the-day party.”

Riksgransen, Sweden “The Swedish capital of freeride skiing,” says Emma.

“If you want heli-skiing that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, with a ‘free ride’ atmosphere where skis are almost as wide as they are long, then go to Riksgransen.”

Voss, Norway Sporthotel Hermitage

“It’s not very high but because it’s so far north, there’s good snow,” says Matt. “And Voss has an amazing location – you can sit on the mountain and overlook a Fjord. This is really cruisey skiing and it’s not as expensive as you might think.

Admittedly it’s pricey, but onmountain chalets are perfectly happy for you to bring your own picnic, so you can still cut costs. I paired Voss with a trip to Bergen, a city with amazing seafood that’s just an hour away by train.”

Bled, Slovenia Bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, compact little Slovenia packs in the terrain, from forest to beach and lake to mountain. You could tour its handful of ski resorts in a week, but Bled, overlooking a lake crowned with a medieval castle, is well worth spending time at, with its rustic inns, excellent restaurants and Villa Bled, a five-star hotel, which was formerly the summer retreat of Marshal Tito.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

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OnceaUpon

TIME Uncover the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rumpelstiltskin on a family holiday in the land of the Brothers Grimm, says Jonathan Lorie

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Germany

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uss in Boots strides towards me, a handsome fellow with a walrus moustache and a rapier on his belt. Next comes Red Riding Hood, a blonde girl with clogs that tap on the floorboards of the stage. Behind her slinks The Wolf, his eyes dark, his haunches quivering with power and desire.

Jasmine the puppeteer looks up from her marionettes. “I like the Cinderella puppet best, she is so beautiful. But at night it’s scary in here. If you’re rehearsing, there are shadows in the corners and things creak.” She folds the wolf away, into the box where he lives, and whispers in his ear: “Good night.”

We are standing backstage at the puppet theatre in Steinau, central Germany. It’s the town where the Brothers Grimm grew up and heard their first fairy stories.

Even today, it’s a magical place of halftimbered houses, with a stone fountain in the cobbled square carved with fairytale figures. I am here – with my two children – to enter that world of childhood stories on which we all grew up, in the places where they were found.

This year the region of Hesse is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the death of Jacob Grimm, the elder of the two remarkable brothers who collected German folktales and published them in a series of books from 1812 to 1857. Steinau is the start of Hesse’s Fairytale Route, which follows the places where Jacob and Wilhelm lived, and where the tales were set. Their journey, and ours, starts here, at their childhood home – a half-timbered manor house where they lived in the 1790s. Inside, it shows displays on their lives, and the garden has a wooden cage with Hansel trapped inside. My daughter Sarah, aged 11, pokes a stick through the bars to see if he’s fat enough to eat.

Benjamin, 12, shakes an apple out of the tree above: luckily it is not poisoned.

I scoop them up and drive them off to a farmhouse in a forest. The

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Brathähnchenfarm Hotel lies up a narrow track in a wood. Its ground floor is a series of low tavern rooms, their rough walls lit by lanterns hanging from blackened beams, their wooden benches softened with sheep’s fleeces. A fireplace crackles at one end, where spits of meat turn and smoke. It’s the kind of place where stories might be told on a winter’s night: or where a scullery maid might sweep cinders from a hearth and earn herself a nickname.

We enter the fairytale world more formally next day, 60 miles north, at the Märchenhaus in Alsfeld. A cathedral bell clangs above a tangle of 16th-century lanes. The Haus has ‘1628’ etched above its wooden door and a well with a frog perched on its rim. Its white walls and brown timbers look like icing sugar and gingerbread. We tiptoe in.

The rooms of this museum are decorated with life-size tableaux from the tales.

Statues of Hansel and Gretel creep up to a cottage where an old woman leers by an oven door. Rumpelstiltskin weaves gold thread from sweet-smelling bales of straw. A witch’s kitchen features a black cat and a row of herbs above an iron stove.

A storyteller eyes us up. “I am a herb woman,” she announces. “I grow them in my garden. Stories come from them.”

We leave fairly hastily and head for the safety of Snow White’s cottage. It’s an hour’s drive away, across rolling hills and Germany

Text by: Jonathan Lorie Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney’s famous adaptation of the Brothers Grimm tale, was the first full-length animated feature film to appear on screen. The year was 1937, and a little over seventy years later, in 2008, it was named the greatest animated film of all time by the American Film Institute.

woods, in a village called Bergfreiheit. The cottage fails to impress Benjamin, who says it is a fake. But Sarah is amused by its seven bunk beds, the seven chairs around its kitchen table and the photo we take of ourselves in dwarvish hoods.

But on the edge of the village is a piece of real folklore. The Kupferbergwerk mine is all that’s left of an industry that may explain those seven dwarves. Off to work they went, with picks and shovels to dig copper and gold in the wooded hillside here, which is riddled with copper mines from the 16th-century. These were often worked by children, whose short stature gained them a local nickname: ‘dwarves’.

You can go inside a disused shaft that dates back to 1552, with a hard hat and a guide. Wooden pitprops frame rough walls as you descend its long dark tunnel. “This is copper,” says the guide, pointing at a smear of green, “and this is Fool’s Gold,” by a wall of glittering crystals.

Miners here were given special freedoms and the village became a haven for outlaws and runaways. Bergfreiheit translates as “freedom mountain”. It’s the perfect setting for a tale of escape and transformation, such as Snow White’s.

But there is more. A display at the cottage suggests that the model for Snow White was Margarete of Waldeck, the beautiful daughter of a local count, who

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Opening page: The Lions’ Den in Kassel.

Opposite page from top: A city guide in fairytale costume; Sababurg Castle; Hesse; This page: Gelnhausen in Kassel.

fled from a jealous stepmother and died in 1554 – of poisoning. Her brother owned these copper mines. Sometime then, a scandal spread of a father who had poisoned his children with bad apples.

So this is how the tales emerged, from histories and scare stories woven together.

Margarete’s castle of Waldeck is nearby, and that is where we’ll stay tonight.

These days it’s an elegant hotel, a far cry from the humble village. Its towers and battlements rise above a glittering lake and we enter through a Gothic hall. This is the world of princesses and kings, which fairytale figures might tame through marriage or success, but which also oppress them – like Snow White or Cinderella. The heroes of the tales are seldom grand: more often they are woodcutters, peasants, and their fates impart the wisdom of the common folk.

Next day we descend to the dungeons.

“Creepy or what?” says Sarah with a thrill of fear. Among the stone vaults is a torture chamber, a reminder of the world of power around the tales. There’s a whipping bench and an executioner’s block, a woodblock map of noble estates dated 1575 and a hand-drawn family tree showing several Margaretes. I wonder which one she was.

To get a firmer grip on our history, we drive north to the city of Kassel, where the Grimm brothers moved from Steinau in 1798.

They seem always to have lived and worked close to each other, sharing a mission in life. In Kassel, they worked as librarians and published their

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classic book of Kinder- und Hausmärchen – tales for children and households – in 1812. This was a time of revolution and nationalism. Napoleon had occupied then abandoned the region, leaving behind new ideas about the power of the people and inspiring resistance to invaders. These would coalesce in the brothers’ work, with its search for the soul of a people through their stories, and its wish to establish a German identity.

The city houses an elegant museum to the brothers and a special exhibition to mark Jacob’s anniversary year. We ramble through the latter, past manuscripts and portraits and first editions of their books. Then we head to the edge of town, looking for an 18th-century roadside inn, the Brauhaus-Knallhütte.

Here Jacob and Wilhelm gathered stories from the innkeeper’s daughter,

Sababurg claims to be Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Its towers date to 1334

Dorothea Viehmann, who heard them from travellers. Still it is a roadside place – next to a ring road, behind a car park, on an industrial estate. But inside it’s a delight. There’s a brass bar, a long dining room with dark beams and red banquettes, and soft light falling through stainedglass windows of huntsmen and barmaids. We munch sausages contentedly.

Our final stop may or may not have a Grimm connection. But if it doesn’t, it should.

Sababurg claims to be Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Its pepperpot towers from 1334

are surrounded by thickets of roses and magnificent beech woods that would deter many a prince. Inside the ruined great hall, we catch the daily performance of Sleeping Beauty. A young man in red velvet is wooing a pretty blonde, pink roses woven in her waist-length hair.

Walking onto the battlements, I spot a herd of deer on the slope below, like the strangely met animals of myths. Then we unlock a little door at the foot of a tower and clamber up a spiral stair. On a landing is a spinning wheel. At the top are our rooms for the night, each with a four-poster bed. For the castle has been transformed into a wildly romantic hotel.

But that night, as we hop into the great carved beds, the children are spooked by the ruins and the moonlight. We have stepped too far into the imaginative power of the tales. Every creak of ancient wood a fright. I read them the tales, where every ordeal leads to a happy ending.

In the bright light of the morning, we walk around the grounds, which claim to be Europe’s oldest zoological gardens, dating from 1571. Roaming free are herds of deer, muskox and wild boar. At the far end we spot a creature that haunts the tales: a wolf. He stares at us. His eyes are black and burning. He is the fear we meet in fairy stories – and learn to overcome.

Driving away from the castle, we stop in an endless stand of fir trees. There are wild blackberries among long grass, pine needles on raw earth, and rows of trees stretching away forever. We seem tiny in this world. The branches are crooked fingers, clutching out at us. We are children among dark powers. Once these forests stretched across northern Europe and Asia, and they figure still – in fairytales, in Shakespeare, in Hollywood movies – as a place of challenge and of change. Then Sarah picks a blackberry and Benjamin lobs a pine cone at me, and we are innocents once more, protected by the joy of our journey and the wisdom of what we have seen.

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Iconic

INDI A

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India

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Perhaps the most recognisable spot in Asia, the Taj Mahal mausoleum attracts thousands of travellers to Agra every year. It was built in 1653

by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during the birth of their fourteenth child.

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Spiti Valley lies between India and Tibet, high in the Himalaya mountain range.

This is one of the country’s most sparsely populated spots: the only tourists you’ll find will be hardy hikers and semi-nomadic Gaddi sheep.

The Indian railway network is 64,460km long, and transports billions of people every year. The first passenger service was inaugurated in 1853; it is now the fourth largest rail network in the world.

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The walled city of Jodhpur surrounds Mehrangarh Fort, and the ornatelydecorated palaces concealed inside. It’s known as the Blue City, for the houses painted with vibrant indigo.

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The Bengal tiger was almost hunted to extinction, but is now under fierce protection. Bandhavgarh National Park, established in 1968, boasts the largest population of tigers in India – as well as a breeding population of leopards.

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Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

In Kerala, dance and storytelling are combined in Kathakali, the region’s traditional performance art. Tales are told through hand-gestures, movements and facial expressions, with added drama from elaborate costumes and make up. The Onam Festival (September) features some of the most striking displays.

Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Breeze, forms part of the city palace. It was built in 1798, its lattice structure designed to keep the palace cool, and allow the royal ladies to observe street life without breaking purdah.

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Borneo

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Sarah Marshall discovers that travelling in the wilderness of Borneo is now much easier - and more comfortable - than ever before, but old challenges still remain‌

Borneo Free

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Opening page: Orangutan. This page, clockwise from left: A woman from the Bidayuh tribe; Bens River Lodge; Pygmy elephant; Gaya Island Resort.

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Pro! Pro!” The honking, nasal call is quickly absorbed by the uncomfortably moistureheavy forest canopy. We scan the dense tangle of tree trunks and twisted vines, waiting for a response. Nothing.

Naturalist Justin Juhun has spent months out here, slowly attempting to gain the trust of a group of proboscis monke. As resident naturalist for the luxury eco-friendly Gaya Island Resort - built on a protected island of the same name, a short boat ride from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Borneo’s Sabah region - Juhun hopes he can one day bring visitors here to observe the lithe-limbed primates’ behaviour.

But today is not that day. The monkeys, who are endemic to Southeast Asian island Borneo, and who locals historically referred to as Dutchmen thanks to their distended bellies and long, ruddy paddleboard noses, appear to be shy or sleeping.

Fortunately Juhun doesn’t expect to see results overnight. “This is a big job and I’ve been working alone,” he says with an element of frustration. Brought up in Tawau, in south-east Sabah, he’s been Borneo

surrounded by animals all his life. One day his father asked him to rear a deer rather than kill it, and from that point on he developed a Dr Doolittle-esque empathy with wildlife.

Of his past 40 years, he’s lived just four of them outside the jungle; he’s swung through the trees with orangutans, and spent six months guiding scientists through the pristine primary rainforest

is bringing attention and money to the world’s third largest island, with a greater commitment to investing in conservation.

Juhun’s joined in his vision by Scott Mayback, a marine biologist who hopes to grow Gaya Island’s house reef, home to clown fish, blue-spotted stingrays and parrot fish. The remaining hotel staff are locals, including Nonny, a spa masseuse who’s terrified of the sea, and young

‘There are 52 tribes and 82 dialects spoken on the island, which is divided between Malaysia and Indonesia’

of the Maliau Basin.”Some of the species I remember as a child, I’ve never seen again,” he says with sadness.

Borneo’s woeful story of deforestation and near extinction of species has been told many times, and is far from reaching a happy ending. But the opening of luxury eco resorts, such as Gaya Island,

waiter Adzeen, who grew up on a water village in the Philippines. They belong to a melting pot of cultures in Borneo: there are 52 tribes and 82 dialects spoken on the island, which is divided between Malaysia and Indonesia.

On a visit to the weekly Gaya Street Sunday market, on the mainland, I’m

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bombarded with a chaos of smells, sounds and snapshots of different cultures. Young girls, giddy with excitement, choose pet rabbits from metal cages, while frowning women queue up for heavy-handed foot massages. A band, with synthesizers protruding from plastic laundry bags, belt out a muzak version of ‘Always On My Mind’, as a sausage dog waddles past, dressed in oversized pink plastic shades. We’re undoubtedly in Asia, but I’d struggle to pick out where.

Borneo’s flora and fauna is no less varied, and despite David Attenborough’s shocking observations about the colossal loss of habitat to palm oil plantations, people are still drawn here by the lure of species found nowhere else on the planet.

The Mount Kinabalu national park is home to half of Borneo’s bird life and is the most researched region in Southeast Asia, due mainly to the number or rare orchids and pitcher plants found here.

During my visit, a TV crew are filming in the botanical gardens; their focus is a Rothschild’s slipper orchid, which I’m told can fetch up to US$40,000 on the black market.

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Clockwise from top left: Chilli peppers; A floating market; Gomantong Caves in the limestone Gomatong Hill; Misty rainforest in Danum Valley.

Borneo

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But despite the many natural riches on offer, locals are more interested in the nearby Kampung Luanti fish spa, where toothless, foot-long fish suck dry skin from any body part they can slap their slimy chops around. It’s so popular, visitors are restricted to 15-minute slots, making this the Bornean equivalent of an express pedicure. In many ways, locals are starting

Endemic to the jungles of Borneo, proboscis monkeys are easily identified by their huge, drooped noses, which scientists believe is designed for the male of the species to attract his female counterpart – not because it’s simply so big, but due to its size it amplifies the monkey’s call.

Proboscis monkeys also swim, and have evolved webbed feet and hands to help them outswim crocodiles, their main predators.

At the weekly market I’m bombarded with a chaos of smells, sounds and snapshots to realise they’re sitting on a gold mine.

A key ingredient in bird’s nest soup, swifts’ nests, found high up in the limestone Gomantong Cave on the other side of Sabah in Sandakan, sell to the Chinese market for up to 6000 ringgits (not far off $2,000) a kilo.

Clusters of squealing bats flit overhead, as I enter the dark caves, filled with

mounds of droppings, slithering and hissing with cockroaches and poisonous centipedes. Struggling not to slip in the muck, and almost choking on the toxic smell of ammonia, I’m astonished workers can spend up to 12 hours at a time in here, guarding the precious nests.

The caves, famously visited by David Attenborough in one of his early documentaries, are also close to the Kinabatangan River, one of the best places to view wildlife. We stay at the simple two-star Borneo Nature Lodge, where guests can peddle bikes to help power generators. During trips along the river, we see baby-faced pygmy elephants playing in the water, and watch a 100kg alpha-male orangutan, his cheeks swollen to the size of two giant saucers, building a nest in a tree.

“Males can build up to five or six nests in a day,” our guide tells us, “for sleeping or just for comfort.”

There are 10,000 wild orangutans living in Sabah, but for a guaranteed sighting tourists head to the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre in Sandakan. Home to 45 rescued animals, who will eventually be released

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back into the wild, the site is most popular at the 10am and 3pm feeding times.

Slowly, orangutans gather at the platform.

To tourists’ delight, a six-year-old male called Ceria performs a roly-poly along the timber walkway.

But it’s after leaving Sepilok to explore the neighbouring Rainforest Discovery Centre that I have my closest encounter with an orangutan in the wild. We’re watching red-leaf monkeys from an observation tower, when a female’s pendulous arms swing into view. There is nothing between us but fear and caution, so we keep a respectable distance.

Ravenously hungry, she rifles through the bins, tipping her head back to drain dregs from a water bottle, and licking the crumbs from a discarded crisp packet.

Occasionally she eyeballs us as if to say, ‘What’s your problem?’

I feel much more comfortable when she climbs into a tree and tears apart a more Borneo

familiar breadfruit. As she passes by I catch the stale stench of a PE changing room. “Just like humans, orangutans get BO too,” our guide says, chuckling. As if overhearing us, she disappears into the forest to make her nest for the night. But I wonder how long it will be before she’s back rummaging through the bins again.

As animals slowly adapt to a world dominated by humans, their habits will inevitably change, and Juhun and Mayback have challenges ahead.

Whether it be for money, love or even entertainment, people have different motivations for protecting wildlife. Juhun told me about a lodge he once worked in, where he almost died trying to pacify a rutting stag. He succeeded, but when he last visited the lodge the stag had been shot dead. “They couldn’t be bothered to find a solution,” recalled Juhun. “I suppose there’s only so much one person can do.”

A peaceful – and very glam – stay is assured at the wonderful ShangriLa Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa, which places you aside the sparkling ocean yet only a short drive to the offerings in Kota Kinabalu. There, you’ ll find Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu and Hyatt Regency Kinabalu, both of which are perfectly placed for you to see the sights.

Book at dnatatravel.com

This page, clockwise from top left: Proboscis monkey; view of Mount Kinabalu; Gaya Island Resort.

Text by: Sarah Marshall Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Supplied

WHERE TO STAY

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Concierge Inside Information Picture This Now in its eighth year, the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, London, offers a unique chance to see 60 images taken by the world’s most exciting photographers: from intimate moments with famous faces to spontaneous snaps of family and friends, every face tells a unique story.

For this year’s competition, 2,435 talented photographers – from older professionals through to young students – submitted 5,410 images for consideration.

The final 60 were anonymously selected by a judging panel and winners were announced in November: top prize went to Spencer Murphy, 35, for his image of jump jockey Katie Walsh. It was one in a series of shots for a British television channel’s sporting campaign and showed her looking directly into the camera, her face and race jacket muddied post-race.

“I was keen to include Katie,” Murphy said of the shot. “I wanted to show both her femininity and the toughness of spirit she requires to compete against the best riders in one of the most demanding disciplines in horse racing.”

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize runs until February 9, 2014.

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SIX of the BEST…

Winter Wonderlands 1. London For good old-fashioned holiday fun then head to the UK capital in December. The mood of the city seems to brighten with the switching on of the Christmas lights at Oxford Street. Your first stop should be Hyde Park Winter Wonderland: with rides, circuses, an ice rink, a Magical Ice and plenty of hot food and drinks. Catch one of several carol concerts, take the kids to visit Santa at Harrod’s or join the throngs of pantomime goers as British and Australian soap stars tread the boards.

If you’re brave, navigate the crowds and bag some lastminute bargains on Oxford Street or head to the Christmas markets for a more laid-back shopping experience.

Where to stay...

Baglioni Hotel Five-star luxury close to Kensington Palace and Hyde Park and a stone’s throw from the city’s best museums.

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2. Paris For a food-filled winter escape, take a trip to the heart of French cuisine this month.

Gourmands can stock up on the best ingredients for that special celebratory meal or simply gorge at Paris’s patisseries while they marvel at the spectacular Christmas lights – they don’t call it the city of light for nothing. Head to the Champs Elysee for an illuminations display to rival the Eiffel Tower; it’s here you’ll find chalet market stalls selling arts, crafts and, of course, gourmet goodies too. And the firework display on New Year’s Eve is quite something. Just remember to check out the ice skating outside the 19th century Patinoire de L’Hôtel de Ville before you leave – it’s become an iconic image of Paris in December.

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Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Formally home to French royalty, enjoy Eiffel Tower views and its central location.

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3. New York There are few places in the world that do festive better than New York. Whether you spend it ice skating beneath the stars at the Rockefeller Center, gawping at the incredible window wonderlands at the likes of Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman, craning your neck to marvel at the festive trees, or driving to Dyker Heights in South Brooklyn to see festive home decorations that would put National Lampoon’s to shame, you’re guaranteed a holiday to remember. And when New Year comes, there’s always Time Square (if you’re brave enough to face those crowds). Who needs alpine retreats or snowcovered mountains when you’ve got the Big Apple?

Where to stay...

The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park Home to the best service in the city and an enviable location too.

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4. Sapporo, Japan For something a little different, head to Sapporo, the capital of Japan’s northern island Hokkaido, where from the start of this month snow is all but guaranteed (it’s been known to reach a metre in depth between December and February). If you enjoy skiing, there are plenty of resorts in the vicinity, including a low-key, small ski area above the city that the local population flock to. If you’re there between February 5 and 11, you’ll catch the incredible Sapporo Snow Festival

(Sapporo Yuki Matsuri), full of remarkable snow and ice sculptures as well as live performances, and there’ll be lots of forget-the-year parties, called bonenkai, nation-wide in the run up to 2014.

Where to stay...

Jozankei Grand Zuien Ryokan Traditional Japanese accommodation and hospitality in a hot springs resort area.

5. Megève, France Yes, it’s great for skiing – that’s a given, seeing as it’s a mountain village with Mont Blanc as a neighbour – but what really makes Megève such a wonderful winter escape is its undeniable charm, which sees parts of the village practically untouched by time’s advancements. Here you’ll find fine old buildings and medieval cobblestones, dusted with showflakes in winter, on which horse-drawn carriages trot by – you’ll find no motor cars here. But that’s not to say that Megève shuns the modern. It boasts luxury hotels, designer stores aplenty and a large number of Michelin-starred restaurants too, which only adds to its unique attraction.

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Where to stay...

Les Fermes de Marie A wonderful little slice of style best enjoyed by booking one of its chalets.

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Nasa scientists say solar maximum activity (which runs an 11-year cycle) will peak this month (see page 12), making it the best time to see the Northern Lights in more than a decade. If that doesn’t do it, how about a relaxing dip in one of Reykjavik’s thermal pools? The Lights, hot springs, snow, beautiful people and great food: just a few reasons this astonishing part of the planet is a great place to head at this time of year. You can snowmobile across glaciers, shop at the stylish boutiques and, on New Years Eve, enjoy the fruits of Iceland’s unlimited fireworks rule.

Where to stay...

Radisson Blu Saga Hotel Great views of the city, the centre of which is just a short stroll away.

Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

6. Reykjavik, Iceland

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Jumeirah Vittaveli, Maldives

Something for the Weekend

Why go?

This Indian Ocean archipelago offers a welcome dose of respite from the frenetic festive season – with all those palm trees, white sand beaches and reefs, there’s simply no room for stress. The islands’ capital, Male, is a mere four-hour hop from Dubai, but most resorts lie an additional 60-minute boat ride or plane transfer away – which is why we love Jumeirah Vittaveli. It’s on one of the simplest islands to reach: a speedboat will whisk you to its jetty in 20 minutes flat.

Isn’t the Maldives just for honeymooners? Is there much to keep me entertained?

Yes, there’s romance in the air (you can soak up sunset views from dhoni cruises, relax with couples’ treatments at the Talise Spa, and dine on secluded sandbank if you’re that way inclined) – but this resort offers plenty more besides. Marvel at the impossibly turquoise waters from a catamaran, or carve up the waves on a windsurfing board. The

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onsite dive school is PADI-certified, and offers training from beginner to expert level. For thrill seekers there’s jet skiing, kite surfing, wake boarding and banana tubing – although we’d forgive you for not venturing further than the cotton white sands of the resort’s private beach…

What about the kids?

They can get in on the action, too, under the watchful eye of the Kids’ Club staff. There’s a child-friendly area, with a swimming pool, games room and garden – and an expert team of childcare professionals.

Activities include snorkelling, and cooking classes – and the dive school offers a Bubblemaker PADI course, specifically for little learners.

Sounds like paradise. What are the rooms like?

Forget rooms – the accommodation here is all suites and villas, each with its own pool. Splash out on an ocean suite and discover an opulent bolthole with an outdoor rain shower, sunken bath and Apple Media Centre – only accessible by speedboat. jumeirah.com

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December // 2013

UAE’s finest festive feasts

SUNNY SIZZLERS Dubai’s winter months were made for barbecues: stuff your picnic basket and head to these parks’ public grills

Last chance to see… Damien Hirst’s Relics Love him or hate him, Damien Hirst has caused a stir in Doha with Relics, the largest ever gathering of his work – so be sure to see the show before it closes next month. It’s a controversial effort for the GCC’s art scene, featuring all of his signature calling cards: formaldehyde, flies and pharmaceuticals qma.com.qa

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‘Tis the season to be jolly, over-eat, and fill that diary with lavish dinner dates – this month, the GCC’s social scene is gearing up for some of its most outlandish gatherings yet.

Le Café at Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche (sofitel.com) is the place to stock up on gourmet goodies (treats include Yule log, fruit cake and hampers) – and marvel at the a 2.3 metre gingerbread house (yes, we want to be around when they demolish it too). St Regis Abu Dhabi (stregisabudhabi.com) will celebrate its first festive season by decking the boughs of a vast festive tree, and serving up a traditional turkey roast at Gary Rhodes’ swanky restaurant Rhodes 44. Little ones will love the gingerbread house decorating at The RitzCarlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal (ritzcarlton.com), while mums and dads gorge on mince pies at dessert emporium Dolce. On New Year’s Eve, you’ll find us at Atlantis The Palm Hotel & Resort, Dubai (atlantisthepalm. com), tucking into an international gala dinner, cooing at the fireworks, and dancing the night away at Sandance – before booking an Ionithermie detox at the hotel’s ShuiQi Spa…

Safa Park Al Wasl Road, park entry AED3

Al Mamzar Beach Park Al Mamzar, park entry AED5

Jumeirah Beach Park Jumeirah Beach Road, park entry AED5

World Traveller

December // 2013

Graphically speaking

Hong Kong

1,300 It has over

1400

No. of skyscrapers above 100m per city*

1000

TOKYO: 347

100M in height...

*List25.com

The people traditionally eat long noodles on their birthday as it’s believed that the longer their noodles, the longer they live

CHICAGO: 283

400

DUBAI: 240

600

SHANGHAI: 229

800

SKYSCRAPERS rising above

HONG KONG: 1300+

1200

NEW YORK: 573

Hong Kong has the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurants in the world, with award-winning dishes available from just Dhs14

200

Yuen Long

DOU BLE the number in

NEW YORK CITY

Tai Po

Tuen Mun

Tsuen Wan Sai Kung Islands

IT CONSUMES 3x

the world average of

TEA...

9.8KG annually

Kowloon City

“ ”

Hong Kong girls have a genius sense of style. I came back to the States thinking no one here has any individuality.

Or cute enough socks.

CAMILLA BELLE

The saying “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun,” originated in Hong Kong. Writer Noel Coward used it in reference to the Noon Day Gun being fired every day at midday.

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It has the highest IQ average at 107

December // 2013

Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

December 2013

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5-8

6-17

7-17

15

26

30-31

Art Basel Miami For four days every winter since 2002, Miami goes culture-crazy.

You’ll see modern masterpieces as well as works by emerging talent (pictured above): the show takes over the city, with awe-inducing installations and performances on nearby beaches and at parks.

Spitalfields Winter Festival For 11 days this month London’s hip Spitalfields area will ring out with music as its streets, alleyways and iconic spaces (both hidden and open) play host to an array of musicians performing everything from early masterpieces to contemporary beats.

Mevlana Whirling Dervishes Festival This 10-day festival in Konya, Turkey, honours 13th-century poet Rumi’s teachings on December 17.

You’ll be in awe of the whirling, yes, but it also provides a fascinating insight into religious devotion.

Madras Music Season For a month every year Chennai, India, hosts one of the world’s largest music and dance festivals.

South India’s Carnatic music is celebrated across the city with more than a thousand performances, as well as demonstrations, drawing a funseeking crowd.

Polar Bear Swim, Gibraltar Every year on this day, despite the generally plummeting temperatures, normally sane people feel compelled to get into their swimwear skimpies and swim in ice-cold water. If you’re one of them, join hundreds of others at Catalan Bay at midday.

Edinburgh Hogmanay Street Festival Every year tens of thousands descend on Scotland’s capital to celebrate the start of another year. It starts on December 30 with a torchlight procession for charity and ends with the world’s biggest street party on December 31.

Expect fireworks.

Concierge

LET US MAKE YOUR EVENT ONE TO REMEMBER Fraser Suites Dubai’s conference and banquet centre is the perfect venue for your next corporate event, function, wedding or training seminar.

Choose from a private boardroom for 20 with dedicated break-out area or our three state-of-the-art stylish meeting spaces each featuring natural light and views extending to Palm Jumeirah, with exible layouts that will comfortably accommodate up to 200 guests.

Our extensive range of gourmet catering options combined with our personalized attentive service will make your event one to remember.

Be inspired. Book your next event at Fraser Suites Dubai.

FRASER SUITES DUBAI - Sheikh Zayed Road, Media City, Dubai, UAE Reservations: +971 4 440 1400 Email: reservations.dubai@frasershospitality.com dubai.frasershospitality.com

December // 2013

Ask a...

CONCIERGE

Catalin Malureanu, of the InterContinental Bucharest, on where to enjoy the best local food…

Locanta Jaristea Situated at the confluences of so many cultures and choices, Jaristea drives you through ages of Romanian cuisine. The recipes used here were found in very old books from the National Library.

Vatra If you want to have lunch or dinner with the Romanians, then this is the perfect place. Very popular with more than reasonable prices, you’ll also be entertained by Romanian popular music and dances.

Zexe Take your time in this unique place. All recipes are authentic and the ingredients carefully selected.

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Romania

Once referred to as ‘Little Paris’ because of its elegant buildings, grand parks and treelined boulevards, today Bucharest not only houses 10 times more people per square kilometre than the French capital, but it is also one of Eastern Europe’s most prosperous cities.

the country endured for so long are never that far away.

The most obvious is the Palace of the Parliament. So big it is said that it can be seen from space, the palace purportedly cost €3 billion to build at a time (1984) when much of the country’s population lived in abject poverty. It remains the world’s second largest administrative building (after the Pentagon) and, now home to Romania’s parliament and constitutional court, it’s a constant reminder of all the Romanian people have overcome since the overthrow of the nation’s last Communist leader – Nicolae Ceauescu in 1989. Be warned, it’s vast, so

Historic Bucharest Bucharest’s past may not always have been pretty, but there are many aesthetically pleasing remnants of its history to savour should you head there.

And head there you really should, says Leah Oatway It offers everything you’d expect from a modern metropolis but that’s not to say it’s forgotten its rich history. We guide you through the best of what’s not new in Romania’s bustling capital…

Nearly 25 years after the fall of its Communist regime, Romania’s capital is thriving, EU investment having helped to secure the city’s position as one of Eastern Europe’s leading destinations.

But reminders of the oppressive reign

if time’s an issue we recommend investing in a guided tour of its highlights.

The Palace can be found in the Centrul Civic, a complex of concrete buildings with marble facades situated on a boulevard Ceausescu originally intended to represent the ‘victory of Socialism’.

Today, historical buildings and neighbourhoods still surround it, including Lipscani Street, which in the Middle Ages was bustling with goldsmiths, shoemakers and the like. That trade has gone but the cobbled street is the perfect place to stop for food as it’s awash with chic eateries.

Of course, Romania’s history runs far further back than its 42 years of Communist rule. On what is now called Revolution Square (where the revolt against Ceausescu began), you’ll find the Romanian Athenaeum – a grandiose building inspired by Greek-Roman amphitheatres and dedicated to arts and science. Funded entirely by public donations, it remains a symbol of national cultural pride: catch a performance here to experience the incredible acoustics and marvel at the fresco that adorns the 125-year-old concert hall’s wall.

Justification for Bucharest’s ‘Little Paris’ nickname can be found at the Officers’ Circle Palace. Similar in appearance to the French capital’s Opera Garnier, the neoclassical edifice (built in 1912) is still used by the army so the bulk of the inside is out-of-bounds, but the terrace is open.

Those interested in learning how Romanians have lived throughout the centuries should take the time to visit the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, where

Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

Text by: Leah Oatway

World Traveller

December // 2013

Where to Stay

Radisson Blu Hotel, Bucharest

you’ll find costumes, ceramics and even an original house filled with artefacts. And the National History Museum, set in the city’s former main post office building, boasts the astounding remains of the late fourth-century Pietroasele Treasure – the second largest and most significant gold treasure discovery after that of Tutankhamen’s in Egypt.

Finally, no guide to a Romanian city is complete without reference to the supernatural tales that have long pervaded Romanian folklore.

Perhaps the most famous is Dracula: Bram Stoker’s Dracula was actually inspired by Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (a region of Romania), aka Vlad the Impaler, whose patronymic name was Dracula.

While there’s no evidence of Vlad III ever drinking anyone’s blood, those fascinated by his history should visit the remains of the Old Princely Court, which he built in the 15th century.

Legend states that he held prisoners in dungeons that began here and ran beneath the city. Visit the Old Court Museum too, where the oldest document attesting to the city, signed by Vlad III in 1459, can be found, as well as coins belonging to its earliest residents. Next door is Bucharest’s oldest church, the Old Court Church, dating from 1559.

And if you’re interested in seeing where people believe Vlad III was buried, then make the short trip out of town to Snagov Monastery.

If all this sightseeing leaves you hungry, then head to Casa Capsa. Since 1852 this legendary restaurant has served sweet treats and coffee to some of Romania’s foremost creative minds, who would discuss ideas over one of its famous sweet pastries. Delicious.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Bucharest (radissonblu.com) Those who want to be in the centre of the action and have somewhere both plush and modern to stay should consider here. And be sure to reserve a table at the hotel’s intimate 44-seat Prime Steaks & Seafood restaurant.

Hotel Epoque (hotelepoque.ro) Inspired by the Neo– Romanian architecture of 1900 to the 1940s, those looking for a taste of Bucharest’s romantic Parisian-esque architecture will appreciate the attention to detail here, both inside and out: from the Art Deco façade to the gently curving arcs found inside.

InterContinental Bucharest (intercontinental.com) A city landmark, this property has been the hotel of choice for visitors since it was opened in 1971.

The fact that it’s the tallest hotel in Bucharest means great views are guaranteed (journalists reported on the Romanian Revolution from its balconies). For a particularly lavish stay, book the Imperial Apartment on the 19th floor.

Getting around The city boasts one of Europe’s biggest transport networks. Aside from its subway system there are buses, trams and a light rail network as well as taxis.

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Language While the official language is Romanian, most young and educated Romanians speak English to a decent level and those born before 1970 probably have a good grasp of French, Italian and/ or Spanish too.

December // 2013

New Zealand’s selfproclaimed ‘capital of cool’ has it all: history, a thriving arts and cultural scene enriched by a creative and multi-cultural population, and arguably the most dramatic and enchanting scenery in the world – best viewed from the lookout at Mount Victoria, in case you were wondering.

There may not be that many people living in Wellington (government estimates placed the city’s population at just 204,000 in June this year), but those who do live there are unlikely to ever go hungry.

With that in mind, we’ll start our gourmet tour on the waterfront, where you’ll find some of New Zealand’s best fine dining restaurants. For more than 20 years chef Paul Hoather has wowed with his creative use of fresh, sustainable ingredients at The White House, which overlooks Oriental Bay. Service is stealthy but never snooty and the food looks as good as it tastes – feign surprise when your cheese comes served on a mousetrap with a picture of the cow it came from, and don’t be afraid to wash your mouth out with the soap you’re served – it’s just a cheeky palate cleanser.

Hippopotamus Restaurant, on the third floor of the Museum Art Hotel, proves you can successfully marry style and substance. Those who eat with their eyes first will love it here: the hotel boasts its own private art collection and the restaurant’s eclectic décor, with mismatched seats, means there’s plenty to divert your attention between ornately

Gourmet Wellington Not only is Wellington New Zealand’s capital but it’s also widely regarded as the nation’s culinary centre too.

Leah Oatway reveals why…

Wellington has more restaurants and cafés per capita than New York City and, because the compact North Island city centre is flat and measures just two kilometres in diameter, it’s possible to get around them relatively quickly (save for eating time, of course). Good news for the half a million visitors it attracts each year.

There’s something for everyone here, from fine dining to sweet treats, and given the plethora of wild ingredients on Wellington’s doorstep, the city not only delivers on quantity but also on quality.

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New Zealand

prepared courses, of which there could be eight if you opt for Laurent Loudéac’s degustation menu.

For a more informal waterfront dining experience there’s Dockside Restaurant on Queen’s Wharf. You’ll find a hearty, seafood-orientated menu (the fish and chips comes recommended), modern dock-inspired décor, and you couldn’t get much closer to the water without being on it.

If all that great food and sea air has left you feeling creative, then venture

Ask a...

CONCIERGE

Jason Eade, of the InterContinental Wellington, picks out the city’s must-dos

Over the past decade Wellington’s reputation for filming and producing internationally acclaimed films has blossomed, so whether you are a film aficionado or casual fan, a visit to the Weta Workshop and a location tour is a must.

The Wellington Cable Car has been ferrying Wellingtonians from the central city to the top of the Botanic Gardens for over 100 years. In just over five minutes you’ll arrive to spectacular views over the city.

A trolley bus trip to Red Rocks takes you to an area of national significance with fascinating geology and Maori history.

World Traveller

Language English is widely spoken throughout New Zealand, though Maori and New Zealand sign language are also official languages of the country.

Where to Stay Boulcott Suites (villagegroup.co.nz/ boulcott) High ceilings, bright clean furnishings and modern luxe touches make this all-suite facility an appealing option for families seeking a private bolthole that is just walking distance from the city’s major attractions, including The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewam and Wellington Botanic Gardens.

Photography supplied by: Getty Images; Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

While it’s more than possible to walk everywhere – the city’s only two kilometres wide, after all – Greater Wellington has a public transport network to help you go bit quicker or that bit further. Take your pick from taxis, buses, trains and ferries, and there’s a cable car that runs between the city centre and the hill suburb of Kelburn.

in this direction on a Sunday to discover Wellington’s Harbourside Market (formerly Waitangi Park Market). Not only is the venue spectacular but it’s a cook’s dream, with a tempting array of local produce on offer.

For those seeking a more bohemian experience, get on over to Cuba Street. Named after an 1840 settler ship, Cuba, it’s now considered the trendiest part of town and Logan-Brown Restaurant, found there, is its crowning glory. Dubbed the city’s poshest (but not stuffiest) dining destination, it’s set inside a 1920s bank building and nurtures plenty of that old-school charm with its high ceilings, Corinthian-style columns and dark wooden interiors (though animal lovers are unlikely to appreciate the stag head mounted behind the counter).

There’s live jazz, the owners are far from elusive, and the Paua ravioli that has been tingling tastebuds since the 1990s is well worth a taste.

Hidden down a side street here is one of New Zealand’s most exciting, and most decorated, casual dining destinations – Matterhorn. Great for a casual late night out with friends, some of the best musicians in the city play on rotation here while you indulge in an innovative menu designed for sharing.

If over indulging has left you lethargic then fear not, much of Wellington runs on a caffeine-induced buzz thanks to the rich café culture it’s fostered. It’s only right that you make Caffe L’affare on College Street your first pit stop: it was the first café roasting its own beans in the city and breakfast here is a treat. Ricotta hotcakes with banana and local maple syrup being the order of the day.

Coffee geeks, meanwhile, should head directly for Dixon Street – the guys who run the seductively dark Memphis Belle have your back. Cold-drip, Aeropress, Chemex: expect ethically-sourced toasty beans in all their glory.

Got a sweet tooth? New Orleans-esque Sweet Mother’s Kitchen on Courtenay Place has the remedy: a whole menu devoted to pie – pecan, whipped peanut butter, key lime, apple… you get the picture.

Text by: Leah Oatway

Getting around

December // 2013

InterContinental Wellington (intercontinental.com) It’s all about comfort at this luxury abode, where every room offers beds so good you’ll face a daily battle to leave them. Expect crisp, modern décor, five-star service and some of the best views of the city.

CQ Quality Hotel Wellington (hotelwellington.co.nz) Located on hip Cuba Street, this modern design boutique hotel is surrounded by some of the best restaurants, cafés, art galleries and shops in the whole of the city. It’s perfect if you like to be at the beating heart of things.

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December // 2013

Suite Dreams What:

About:

Marquis Penthouse Suite

Opening the curtains to reveal a view of the sea is a common draw of GCC hotel suites, which is why the very best suites offer something a little bit different. In this case, unbroken, widescreen views of the world’s tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, and the Dubai

Where: JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai

Dubai

Abu Dhabi

UAE

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Concierge

Fountain at its foot, which spurts into a rhythmic dance nightly. Split over two levels, this outsized abode houses two bedrooms, three bathrooms (which should put an end to any showerhogging squabbles in the morning), an elegant spa treatment room and this fine majlis, pictured.