120 GOLF
A leisurely tee-off at Queensland’s Sanctuary Cove.
135 MAIN EVENT
Your VIP access to the Sundance Film Festival, Charlotte Brontë anniversary events and Necker Cup in the British Virgin Islands.
207 SUITE LIFE
Our hotel suite reviews including Primus Hotel Sydney, InterContinental Sydney, InterContinental Wellington, The Ritz London and GrandHôtel du Cap-Ferrat, Nice.
2 4 0
223 DESIGN HOTEL
Amanemu, Japan
224 CHEF’S GUIDE
Rajasthan by Christine Manfield
226 GLOBAL KITCHEN
Flavours of the Middle East
232 EPICUREAN NEWS
The latest from the world of fine food and drinks.
236 CREATIVE TRAVELLER
Fashion designer Collette
Dinnigan
240 CELEBRITY TRAVELLER
Kate Winslet
“My all-time favourite luxury property is Amangalla in Galle Fort, Sri Lanka. The building is suffused with its long history, while the warmth of the staff’s hospitality is genuinely felt. The wide verandah could be the best place to have a G&T on the planet.”
Tim heads to the clear waters of the Maldives for a jaunt around some of the archipelago’s most luxurious resorts (page 36).
“One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, for the fabulous food, the extraordinary spa and the absolutely stellar service.”
This issue, Ute uncovers the style of luxury one can expect at any of the Peninsula Hotels properties (page 160).
“A suite at the ornate Hotel de Paris in Monaco with perfect plush decor and views over the Casino and the mega yachts in the harbour is the pinnacle of high living, rather like residing inside a jewel box, and with Alain Ducasse’
Michelin-starred Louis XV Restaurant downstairs, too.”
David reports on the world’s most iconic and luxury train journeys (page 94).
Kelly Allen
Elaine Anderson
Jo Baur
Lisa Doust
Chris Frame
Tim Grey
Ruksana Hussain
Roslyn Jolly
Ute Junker
David McGonigal
Jane Ormond
Rob Mills
Suzane Morphet
Phoebe Stenning
Craig Tansley
Pamela Wade
Camilla Wagstaff
Tony Webeck
For our Gold List issue, we ask three of our contributors to name their all-time favourite luxury property.
Welcome to this bumper issue, where we announce the results of our annual Gold List awards. Our reader-voted awards recognise the best luxury properties, operators and destinations in Australia and around the world. This year, we have introduced a luxury specialist agent panel. The panelists have nominated their own selections across the categories. We are presenting our readers with best-ofthe-best lists and luxury travel agents are a great independent source of information as they hear regular feedback from their clients. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists. Remember to visit our website at our Gold List section to view more images of the worthy winning properties. Is you’re sharing Gold List results on social media, please remember to tag us using #Luxtravgoldlist – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
This month also includes our first-person stories from luxury journeys across the globe, including to Switzerland and the Maldives; and Travel the Way We Do itinerary stories through Ecuador and a safari in Tanzania. Of course, getting there is an important part of the luxury travel experience and so this issue, we have extended our regular High Flyer section to include detailed business and first class airport lounge reviews. Look out for these on our website under Getting There as we visit and review more lounges.
We also invite you to share your own luxury travel moments with us – you’ll find our social media handles for tagging, plus highlights of destinations and launches we’ve recently visited on the opposite page, 11. Stories from this issue can now be read online too – go to our website luxurytravel.com.au and click on the 'In This Issue' tab for digital versions with extended photo galleries.
Safe travels,
Katrina Holden Editor
WEBSITE luxurytravemag.com.au / INSTAGRAM @luxurytravelau
FACEBOOK facebook.com/LuxuryTravelMagazine / TWITTER @luxurytravelau
PINTEREST pinterest.com/luxurytravelau
If you were inspired by our story on the Maldives on page 36 you can see more photographs of the hotels from this luxury island destination and from contributor Tim Grey on our site.
Thanks @saasha_burns for sharing this pic with us while enjoying a stay @intercondoublebay
Please share with us your own luxury travel moments. You can copy us in by tagging @luxurytravelau
A little taste of Tahiti with @tahititourismeaunz at @parkhyattsydney
Visit our Pinterest board for travel destinations inspiration. Visit boards such as Dubai, featuring food-related images on this gastronomic mustsee city.
Visit our Facebook page to see some of our behind-the-scenes snaps while either on assignment for the magazine or staying on top of the latest luxury news at launches and events. Pictured is executive editor, Gary Allen hiking in Switzerland.
At a press conference in Sydney @megankgale is announced as the new celebrity ambassador for @purenewzealand’s New Zealand Cycle Trail.
We marvelled at the 51.5m Buddha Dordenma statue in Thimphu with @tourismbhutan
The luxury travel company, andBeyond, has added Vamizi Island, off the coast of northern Mozambique, to its island collection. The company has taken over the management of the island with six, individually designed luxury villas. It can be accessed via scheduled or charter flights from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Nairobi, Kenya; or Johannesburg, South Africa to Pemba in Mozambique. From there, a light aircraft takes travellers directly to andBeyond Vamizi Island. andBeyond.com
InterContinental Hotel Group has opened a property on London’s iconic Greenwich Peninsula
– The O2, taking its name from its proximity to the world-renowned O2 Arena. The views from the 453room hotel expand across the Thames and Canary Wharf. The five-star hotel is close to a number of popular attractions including The Cutty Sark, Greenwich Observatory and the Maritime Museum. iclondon-theo2.com
WEBSITE luxurytravelmag.com.au / INSTAGRAM @luxurytravelau
FACEBOOK facebook.com/LuxuryTravelMagazine / TWITTER @luxurytravelau
PINTEREST pinterest.com/luxurytravelau
If you were inspired by our story on the Maldives on page 36 you can see more photographs of the hotels from this luxury island destination and from contributor Tim Grey on our site.
Thanks @saasha_burns for sharing this pic with us while enjoying a stay @intercondoublebay Please share with us your own luxury travel moments. You can copy us in by tagging @luxurytravelau
PLAN ON PINTERESTBEHIND THE SCENES
Visit our Pinterest board for travel destinations inspiration. Visit boards such as Dubai, featuring food-related images on this gastronomic mustsee city.
Visit our Facebook page to see some of our behind-the-scenes snaps while either on assignment for the magazine or staying on top of the latest luxury news at launches and events. Pictured is executive editor, Gary Allen hiking in Switzerland.
A little taste of Tahiti with @tahititourismeaunz at @parkhyattsydney
At a press conference in Sydney @megankgale is announced as the new celebrity ambassador for @purenewzealand’s New Zealand Cycle Trail.
We marvelled at the 51.5m Buddha Dordenma statue in Thimphu with @tourismbhutan
NEW
The luxury travel company, andBeyond, has added Vamizi Island, off the coast of northern Mozambique, to its island collection. The company has taken over the management of the island with six, individually designed luxury villas. It can be accessed via scheduled or charter flights from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Nairobi, Kenya; or Johannesburg, South Africa to Pemba in Mozambique. From there, a light aircraft takes travellers directly to andBeyond Vamizi Island. andBeyond.com
NEW
InterContinental Hotel Group has opened a property on London’s iconic Greenwich Peninsula
– The O2, taking its name from its proximity to the world-renowned O2 Arena. The views from the 453room hotel expand across the Thames and Canary Wharf. The five-star hotel is close to a number of popular attractions including The Cutty Sark, Greenwich Observatory and the Maritime Museum. iclondon-theo2.com
Built upon the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course is the newly opened Lodge at Kinloch in New Zealand’s North Island that overlooks Lake Taupo. The Lodge, a 45 minute flight from Auckland, features one-bedroom junior suites and one and two bedroom villas. The resort also includes a restaurant, tennis courts, and spa (specialising in sporting therapeutic and wellness treatments). A gym and infinity pool will be completed later in 2016. Rates start from NZ$1,968 (about A$1,742) per room per night. kinlochlodge.co.nz
couples
SURVEY
CASA KIMBERLY
The newly renovated Casa Kimberly in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is a nine-suite luxury hotel inspired by its legacy— the residence of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. casakimberly.com
MYCONIAN AMBASSADOR HOTEL, GREECE
The newly opened Myconian Ambassador Hotel in Greece is part of The Myconian Collection and a member of Relais & Chateaux. The hotel is just above Platis Gialos beach on the south coast of Mykonos. myconian ambassador.gr
IL SERENO
Le Sereno is launching its second property, the 30room Il Sereno, on Lake Como in Italy as a modern new luxury property to the glamorous region. lesereno.com
The Patina Singapore is a newly opened luxury hotel in Singapore’s Civic and Cultural District. Restored from two historic buildings, the hotel's design retains the heritage features, combined with modern amenities. patinahotels.com
On the southern tip of Lankawi is the newly opened St. Regis, the first UNESCO Global Geopark designated in Southeast Asia that features 85 suites and overwater villas on the Andaman Sea. starwoodhotels.com
Luxury pool villa resort, Sri Panwa in Phuket, recently opened The Habita, a new precinct addition to the existing resort–comprised of 30 new pool suites and penthouses as well as two new food and beverage venues. sripanwa.com
31.6% 26.3% 15.8% 10.5% 10.5% 5.3%
POP QUIZ We asked our readers on which airline they had enjoyed the best quality inflight wine?
Set to open in July is Sri Lanka’s first health and wellness resort, Santani, located in the heart of the island. It offers programs that use meditation, spa and fitness techniques to connect its guests with simplicity, serenity and relaxation. The resort has 16 rooms and two, two-bedroom suites. Santani also features an infinity lap pool, a yoga pavilion and an elevated restaurant. Programs range from three to 14-nights in duration. Rates start from US$484 (about A$635) per night, single-occupancy, for a three-night package. santani.lk
The hottest ticket today is adventure experiential travel defined by authentic cultural immersion with physical interaction and connection to the local scene.
The hottest ticket today is adventure experiential travel defined by authentic cultural immersion with physical interaction and connection to the local scene.
Live
Suite 8, 242 Hawthorn Road
Caulfield, Victoria 3162
Tel: +61 (3) 9519 7777
www.executiveedge.com.au
As expert Virtuoso travel advisors, Executive Edge Travel + Events provides VIP access to experiential travel experiences not available to the public.
As expert Virtuoso travel advisors, Executive Edge Travel + Events provides VIP access to experiential travel experiences not available to the public.
Our multi-award winning Virtuoso agency delivers bespoke service for the international leisure traveller as well as corporate travel for small to mid-size businesses. We hold invitation-only memberships with Belmond, Dorchester Collection, Four Seasons, Jumeirah, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula and Starwood’s W, St. Regis and Luxury Collection.
Our multi-award winning Virtuoso agency delivers bespoke service for the international leisure traveller as well as corporate travel for small to mid-size businesses. We hold invitation-only memberships with Belmond, Dorchester Collection, Four Seasons, Jumeirah, Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula and Starwood’s W, St. Regis and Luxury Collection.
Scenic has combined the ease of all-inclusive luxury travel with journeys that offer a true insight into the culture, landscape and history of South America. This itinerary starts in the World Heritagelisted city of Quito and takes in all the key icons of the continent, as well as a deluxe expedition cruise for three nights of the Galápagos Islands where you will enjoy twice daily small group excursions, to a luxury 3 night cruise on the Amazon, taking you into the heart of this untouched natural wilderness.
Here are the winners and finalists of our annual Gold List Awards for 2016 where you, our readers, vote for the best luxury travel operators and destinations. Now in its 12th year, the awards recognise the ultimate in luxury travel in Australia and around the world.
This year, we have included a select group of specialist luxury travel agents who send their clients daily to discover the world’s most exciting and luxurious properties and travel experiences. Here, they share their nominated preferences across several categories. Our editorial team has also chosen a wider selection of editor’s picks based on our expert knowledge and travels to new luxury properties and operators around the world – as well as the timeless classics that continue to excel in luxury hospitality.
Thank you to the thousands of readers and Virtuoso clients who took the time to vote online at our new website, luxurytravelmag.com.au
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners.
1. PARK HYATT SYDNEY
Congratulations to Park Hyatt Sydney, back on top this year as your favourite Australian Hotel. The hotel previously won in this category in 2012, as well as in our first ever Gold List in 2005.
2. Crown Towers, Melbourne
3. Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
4. Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
5. Hotel Hotel (Canberra)
6. The Langham, Sydney
7. The Langham, Melbourne
8. Sheraton on the Park, Sydney
9. Park Hyatt Melbourne
10. InterContinental Sydney
11. Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park (VIC)
12. QT Sydney
13. Sofitel Melbourne on Collins
14. Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast
15. The Westin Sydney
16. Pier One Sydney Harbour
17. Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour
18. Grand Hyatt Melbourne
19. The Hotel Windsor, Melbourne
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Park Hyatt Sydney
“Consistently fabulous.”
Stephen White, The Exclusive Travel Group
EDITOR’S PICKS:
Park Hyatt Sydney has an unsurpassed harbour-front location. We also like Hotel Hotel in Canberra for its innovative approach to hospitality; and COMO The Treasury Perth for its thoughtful redevelopment of mid-19th Century heritage buildings and bringing a new level of luxury to Perth.
1.
THE PENINSULA HONG KONG (Hall of Fame winner)Perennial favourite The Peninsula Hong Kong continues its reign as the leading overseas luxury hotel in a pool of luxurious finalists including the quirky Ham Yard Hotel in London and ultra-luxurious Villa d’Este in Lake Como.
2. Ham Yard Hotel (London)
3. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada)
4. Raffles Singapore
5. Le Bristol Paris
6. Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
7. Fairmont Banff Springs (Alberta, Canada)
8. Four Seasons George V (Paris)
9. Halekulani (Hawaii)
10. Villa d’Este (Lake Como)
11. The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore
12. Hotel Adlon Kempinski (Berlin)
13. Bellagio Las Vegas
14. Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills (A Four Seasons Hotel)
15. Claridge’s (London)
16. Crosby Street Hotel (New York)
17. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
18. The Langham, London
19. Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok
20. Shangri-La Hotel, Paris
1. QUALIA (Hamilton Island, QLD)
21. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
22. The Ritz London
23. The Dorchester (London)
24. The Beverly Hills Hotel
25. The Langham, Auckland
26. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah (Dubai)
27. The Plaza (New York)
28. The Savoy (London)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK:
Claridges London
“Delivers every time.”
Stephen White, The Exclusive Travel Group
EDITOR’S PICKS:
We like Aman’s first city hotel, the recently opened Aman Tokyo; the beautifully-designed and appointed Mandarin Oriental Marrakech, overlooking the Atlas Mountains; the new, flamboyantly renovated former palace, the Rajmahal Palace Hotel in Jaipur, India; the cutting-edge and classic crystal-accented Baccarat Hotel & Residences, New York; the lavish new The Reverie Saigon in the heart of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh; and The Ritz London for its refined and elegant luxury.
We congratulate all of our luxurious Australian resort finalists, especially qualia, the winner of this category for the fourth year running.
2. One&Only Hayman Island (QLD)
3. Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa (WA)
4. The Byron at Byron (NSW)
5. Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast (QLD)
6. Peppers Beach Club (Port Douglas, QLD)
7. Pullman Bunker Bay Resort & Spa (WA)
8. Peppers Beach Club & Spa (Palm Cove, QLD)
9. QT Port Douglas (QLD)
10. Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Resort (QLD)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: qualia
“A fabulous option with direct scheduled flights into Hamilton island and a private scenic buggy transfer for a special check-in with champagne at hand. Go for the Windward Pavilion with private plunge pool and views over the Whitsundays.
Yvonne Verstandig, Executive Edge Travel + Events
EDITOR’S PICK:
One&Only Hayman Island for taking Australian beachside chic and glamour to new levels.
Tahiti’s luxurious and eco-friendly The Brando wins this category for the second time just two years since it opened – an impressive feat for an impressive resort.
19. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
20. The Havannah (Vanuatu)
21. The Resort at Pedregal (Mexico)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Laucala Island
“Simply the best resort I have ever been to in the world!”
11. Necker Island (British Virgin Islands)
12.
13. The Remote Resort, Fiji Islands
14. Bulgari Resort Bali
15. One&Only Reethi Rah (Maldives)
16. InterContinental Bali Resort
17. Alila Villas Uluwatu (Bali)
18. Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui (Thailand)
Melinda Gregor, Gregor & Lewis Bespoke Travel
EDITOR’S PICKS:
Fregate Island Private, Seychelles, with its stunning clifftop location and private white sandy beaches; Alila Jabal Akhda, providing a luxury base 2,000 metres above sea level for explorers to Oman; and the new Cape Weligama overlooking the Indian Ocean in Sri Lanka, the second hotel to open from the Dilmah family.
1. SAFFIRE FREYCINET (TAS)
Third time’s a charm for Saffire Freycinet, the stunning luxury lodge having also won in this category in 2014 and 2015.
2. Bells at Killcare (Central Coast, NSW)
3. Southern Ocean Lodge (Kangaroo Valley, SA)
4. Halcyon House (Cabarita Beach, NSW)
5. Silky Oaks Lodge (Daintree, QLD)
6. Cape Lodge (Margaret River, WA)
7. Capella Lodge (Lord Howe Island, NSW)
8. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley (NSW)
9. El Questro (WA)
10. Lake House (Daylesford, VIC)
11. Pretty Beach House (Central Coast, NSW)
12. Spicers Peak Lodge (Scenic Rim, QLD)
13. Cradle Mountain Lodge (TAS)
14. Spicers Vineyard Estate (Hunter Valley, NSW)
15. The Louise (Barossa Valley, SA)
16. Islington Hotel (Hobart, TAS)
17. Pumphouse Point (Lake St Clair, TAS)
18. MONA The Pavilions (Hobart, TAS)
19. Berkeley River Lodge (Kimberley Coast, WA)
20. Lizard Island Resort (QLD)
21. Longitude 131 (Uluru, NT)
22. Spicers Tamarind Retreat (Sunshine Coast, QLD)
23. Lindenwarrah at Milawa (VIC)
24. Lindenderry at Red Hill (VIC)
25. Bedarra Island Resort (QLD)
26. Jonah’s Whale Beach (NSW)
27. Spicers Clovelly Estate (Sunshine Coast, QLD)
28. Calabash Bay Lodge (NSW)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICKS:
Saffire Freycinet
“Perfect.”
Stephen White, The Exclusive Travel Group
Lizard Island
“Barefoot luxury.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley for its special location in the UNESCO World Heritage Blue Mountains region, offering a relaxed yet refined rural Australian experience.
1. ANDBEYOND BATELEUR CAMP (Kenya)
The luxurious tented andBeyond Bateleur Camp, set on the edge of the Maasai Mara in Kenya, wins your vote. This year the list of boutique finalists also includes several standout properties in New Zealand and South Africa.
2. Huka Lodge (Taupo, New Zealand)
3. Singita Ebony Lodge (South Africa)
4. JK Place Capri (Italy)
5. Song Saa Private Island (Cambodia)
6. Azur Lodge (Queenstown, New Zealand)
7. Blanket Bay Luxury Lodge (Otago, New Zealand)
8. Eastwell Manor (Kent, England)
9. L Hotel Seminyak
10. The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs (Matauri Bay, New Zealand)
11. Ulusaba Private Game Reserve (South Africa)
12. Viceroy Bali
13. Villa Samadhi (Kuala Lumpur)
14. Windu Asri Bali
15. Kata Rocks (Phuket, Thailand)
16. Eagles Nest (Bay of Islands, New Zealand)
17. Otahuna Lodge (Tai Tapu, New Zealand)
18. Post Ranch Inn Big Sur (USA)
19. Kapama Karula (South Africa)
20. Matakauri Lodge (Queenstown, New Zealand)
21. Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve (South Africa)
22. The Place, Ko Tao (Thailand)
23. Villa Crespi (Italy)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Masseria Trapana
“Puglia’s hottest new property.” Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICKS:
The elegant Relais & Chateaux heritage Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka with its quaint cottages amidst tea fields; Hotel Villa Honegg with its outdoor heated pool and spectacular views over Lake Lucerne; Ashford Castle Ireland dating back to the 13th Century and recently reopened under the Red Carnation Hotel Collection –once home to the Guinness family.
(WITHIN
Matakauri Lodge retains its top spot again this year, the leader of a pack that includes some of the best luxury lodgings on offer in New Zealand.
2. Huka Lodge
3. Blanket Bay Luxury Lodge
4. The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs
5. Millbrook Resort (Arrowtown)
6. Treetops Lodge & Estate (Rotorua)
7. Azur Lodge
8. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers (Hawke’s Bay)
9. Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
10. Wharekauhau Lodge (Palliser Bay)
11. Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa
(WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE OF THE CITY)
1. LAKE HOUSE
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Huka Lodge
“The most popular lodge for the past 30 years. They must be doing something right.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Otahuna Lodge in New Zealand’s Canterbury region, with its classic Victorian architecture and an impressive 17 chimneys!
Luxury travellers need drive no further than picturesque Lake House in Daylesford. We congratulate the foodie favourite for its back-to-back wins in this category.
2. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
3. Bells at Killcare
4. Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park
5. Saffire Freycinet
6. Pretty Beach House
7. Lilianfels Resort & Spa (Blue Mountains, NSW)
8. Cape Lodge
9. Pullman Bunker Bay Resort & Spa
10. Spicers Peak Lodge
11. Bannisters by the Sea (Mollymook, NSW)
12. Château Élan at The Vintage (Hunter Valley, NSW)
13. Lindenderry at Red Hill
14. The Louise
15. Hydro Majestic (Blue Mountains, NSW)
16. The Byron at Byron
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
“New general manager who is out to please.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICKS:
Saffire Freycinet, the stingray-shaped architectural wonder on Tasmania’s Freycinet Peninsula overlooking Hazards mountain range: guests can shuck oysters in the bay. The whimsical newcomer to the New South Wales north coast, Halcyon House, has its visitors setting Instagram abuzz, thanks to its fresh take on the blue and white nautical theme and casual Australian luxury.
1. ANDBEYOND BATELEUR CAMP (Kenya)
The luxurious tented andBeyond Bateleur Camp, set on the edge of the Maasai Mara in Kenya, wins your vote. This year the list of boutique finalists also includes several standout properties in New Zealand and South Africa.
2. Huka Lodge (Taupo, New Zealand)
3. Singita Ebony Lodge (South Africa)
4. JK Place Capri (Italy)
5. Song Saa Private Island (Cambodia)
6. Azur Lodge (Queenstown, New Zealand)
7. Blanket Bay Luxury Lodge (Otago, New Zealand)
8. Eastwell Manor (Kent, England)
9. L Hotel Seminyak
10. The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs (Matauri Bay, New Zealand)
11. Ulusaba Private Game Reserve (South Africa)
12. Viceroy Bali
13. Villa Samadhi (Kuala Lumpur)
14. Windu Asri Bali
15. Kata Rocks (Phuket, Thailand)
16. Eagles Nest (Bay of Islands, New Zealand)
17. Otahuna Lodge (Tai Tapu, New Zealand)
18. Post Ranch Inn Big Sur (USA)
19. Kapama Karula (South Africa)
20. Matakauri Lodge (Queenstown, New Zealand)
21. Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve (South Africa)
22. The Place, Ko Tao (Thailand)
23. Villa Crespi (Italy)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Masseria Trapana
“Puglia’s hottest new property.” Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICKS:
The elegant Relais & Chateaux heritage Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka with its quaint cottages amidst tea fields; Hotel Villa Honegg with its outdoor heated pool and spectacular views over Lake Lucerne; Ashford Castle Ireland dating back to the 13th Century and recently reopened under the Red Carnation Hotel Collection –once home to the Guinness family.
(WITHIN
Matakauri Lodge retains its top spot again this year, the leader of a pack that includes some of the best luxury lodgings on offer in New Zealand.
2. Huka Lodge
3. Blanket Bay Luxury Lodge
4. The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs
5. Millbrook Resort (Arrowtown)
6. Treetops Lodge & Estate (Rotorua)
7. Azur Lodge
8. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers (Hawke’s Bay)
9. Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
10. Wharekauhau Lodge (Palliser Bay)
11. Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa
(WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE OF THE CITY)
1. LAKE HOUSE
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Huka Lodge
“The most popular lodge for the past 30 years. They must be doing something right.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Otahuna Lodge in New Zealand’s Canterbury region, with its classic Victorian architecture and an impressive 17 chimneys!
Luxury travellers need drive no further than picturesque Lake House in Daylesford. We congratulate the foodie favourite for its back-to-back wins in this category.
2. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
3. Bells at Killcare
4. Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park
5. Saffire Freycinet
6. Pretty Beach House
7. Lilianfels Resort & Spa (Blue Mountains, NSW)
8. Cape Lodge
9. Pullman Bunker Bay Resort & Spa
10. Spicers Peak Lodge
11. Bannisters by the Sea (Mollymook, NSW)
12. Château Élan at The Vintage (Hunter Valley, NSW)
13. Lindenderry at Red Hill
14. The Louise
15. Hydro Majestic (Blue Mountains, NSW)
16. The Byron at Byron
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK:
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
“New general manager who is out to please.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICKS:
Saffire Freycinet, the stingray-shaped architectural wonder on Tasmania’s Freycinet Peninsula overlooking Hazards mountain range: guests can shuck oysters in the bay. The whimsical newcomer to the New South Wales north coast, Halcyon House, has its visitors setting Instagram abuzz, thanks to its fresh take on the blue and white nautical theme and casual Australian luxury.
1. QUALIA
Readers looking for a romantic luxury getaway are spoilt for choice with this list of finalists, but it’s qualia that takes out the top spot, the resort winning its second award in this year’s Gold List.
2. Saffire Freycinet
3. The Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park
4. Lake House
5. Bells at Killcare
6. Bedarra Island Resort
7. Capella Lodge
8. Lizard Island
9. Southern Ocean Lodge
10. Pretty Beach House
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Brae (VIC)
11. Jonah’s Whale Beach
12. Silky Oaks Lodge
13. One&Only Hayman Island
14. Lindenderry at Red Hill
15. Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast
16. Lindenwarrah at Milawa
17. Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge
18. Lilianfels Resort & Spa
19. Spicers Tamarind Retreat
20. The Byron at Byron
“The best restaurant in Australia now has accommodation.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Spicers Vineyard Estate offers cosy and stylish surrounds in the heart of Hunter Valley wine country and an award-winning on-site restaurant.
1. FOUR SEASONS RESORT BORA BORA
Luminous turquoise waters dotted with over-water bungalows make for rich and romantic getaways at winning resort, the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora.
2. Laucala Island, Fiji
3. Likuliku Lagoon Resort Fiji
4. The Remote Resort, Fiji Islands
5. andBeyond Mnemba Island (Tanzania)
6. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada)
7. andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (Tanzania)
8. Royal Davui Island Resort (Fiji)
9. Villa d’Este (Lake Como, Italy)
10. InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa (Tahiti)
11. Le Sirenuse (Positano, Italy)
12. Belmond Hotel Cipriani (Venice, Italy)
13. Anantara Layan Phuket Resort
14. Baros Maldives
15. Blanket Bay Luxury Lodge
16. Coco Island by COMO (Maldives)
17. Huka Lodge
18. Mont Rochelle (South Africa)
19. The Nam Hai, Hoi An (Vietnam)
20. Necker Island (British Virgin Islands)
21. Pangkor Laut Resort (Malaysia)
22. Japamala Resort (Tioman Island, Malaysia)
23. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
24. The Peninsula New York
25. The Havannah
26. Twinpalms (Phuket)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Kasbah Tamadot
“At Sir Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot perched high in the Atlas Mountains outside Marrakech, red chandeliers softly ignite the Berber tent – one of the most sexy and romantic settings imaginable.”
Yvonne Verstandig, Executive Edge Travel + Events
EDITOR’S PICKS:
Romance is so high on the agenda at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso, a Rosewood Hotel in Baja, Mexico, that it has created its own Romance Department to cater to its guests’ every whim. The adults-only getaway Likuliku Lagoon Resort Fiji was the first resort in the country to create overwater bures.
1. THE LITTLE NELL (Aspen, USA)
Long-time reader favourite The Little Nell in Aspen also makes it four in a row with another win this year.
2. Fairmont Chateau Whistler (Canada)
3. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler (Canada)
4. The St. Regis Aspen Resort (USA)
5. The Lodge Verbier (Switzerland)
6. Matakauri Lodge
7. Fairmont Banff Springs (Canada)
8. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail (USA)
9. The St. Regis Deer Valley (USA)
10. The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler (Canada)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK:
K2 Courcheval, France
“Perfect location – 1,850 at Courchevel always has snow and Goji spa is a must.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICKS:
The intimate and recently-opened Haus Hannes Schneider in Stuben Austria, former home of ski legend Hannes Schneider. The Lodge Verbier in the Swiss Alps – mountain hideaway of Sir Richard Branson with its nine luxury bedrooms and suites.
(VILLAGE OR TOWNSHIP IN A SKI AREA)
1. THREDBO ALPINE VILLAGE (NSW) (Hall of Fame winner)
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Thredbo continues to prevail as your favourite Australian ski resort, winning for the eighth consecutive year.
2. Falls Creek Alpine Resort (VIC)
3. Perisher (NSW)
4. Mount Buller (VIC)
5. Mount Hotham Alpine Ski Resort (VIC)
6. Charlotte Pass Ski Resort (NSW)
7. Dinner Plain Alpine Village (VIC)
8. Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort (VIC)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Thredbo
“Thredbo boasts the longest and most challenging runs in the country. Don’t miss the butterscotch schnapps après!”
Yvonne Verstandig, Executive Edge Travel + Events
(VILLAGE OR TOWNSHIP IN A SKI AREA)
1. ASPEN SNOWMASS (USA)
Aspen Snowmass is back in the peak position as your favourite overseas ski resort, overtaking leading Canadian favourite Whistler/Blackcomb.
2. Whistler/Blackcomb (Canada)
3. Niseko (Japan)
4. Vail (USA)
5. Zermatt (Switzerland)
6. Beaver Creek (USA)
7. Verbier (Switzerland)
8. Val Thorens (France)
9. Big White (Canada)
1. QT FALLS CREEK (VIC)
Congratulations to QT Falls Creek for its third consecutive win in this category.
EDITOR’S PICK: Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel at Charlotte Pass for the old-world charm and style of the 1930s hotel, right on the slopes.
10. Chamonix Mont-Blanc (France)
11. Hakuba (Japan)
12. Lech (Austria)
13. Méribel (France)
14. Val d’Isère (France)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Aspen
“Still number one with Aussies, great choice of restaurants”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
We love Aspen Snowmass for both its sophistication and seriously good-quality snow fields catering to all ages.
1. EMIRATES
Winner Emirates is expected to reveal new A380 first class suites in the coming months, and we can’t wait to check out the next level of luxury on offer from the airline when they do.
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Qantas
5. Cathay Pacific
6. Qatar Airways
7. British Airways
8. Thai Airways
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICKS: Singapore Airlines
“The best suites in the world.”
Stephen White, The Exclusive Travel Group
“Flat double bed hard to beat.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Etihad Airways deserve recognition for its innovation onboard the A380 with its luxury First Apartments.
1. QANTAS
Our national carrier continues to perform strongly in the Gold List, awarded for its Business Class for a second consecutive year (having won six out of the last seven), and Qatar Airways and Finnair join the ranks this year.
Ahh, Paris... we’re not surprised the French capital has been voted as the best overseas city for another year - c’est magnifique!
11. Vancouver, Canada
12. Prague, Czech Republic
11. Finnair
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Qantas
“Our most popular.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Qatar Airways, now flying daily out of Sydney, has Skytrax award-winning business class seats.
13. Singapore
14. Berlin, Germany
15. San Francisco, USA
16. Vienna, Austria
17. Cape Town, South Africa
18. Budapest, Hungary
19. Auckland, New Zealand
20. Copenhagen, Denmark
1. ITALY
Italy has so much to offer a luxury traveller –amazing hotels and villas, gorgeous scenery and enticing food and wine experiences –and you’ve chosen it as your favourite country for another year.
1. THE DUNES (Barnbougle, TAS)
The Dunes at Barnbougle in Tasmania has jumped from third place to first this year as your pick for Best Australian Golf Resort.
2. Bonville Golf Resort (NSW)
3. Château Élan at The Vintage (NSW)
4. Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort (QLD)
5. Hamilton Island Golf Club (QLD)
6. InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort (QLD)
7. Peppers Moonah Links Resort (VIC)
8. Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club (NSW)
9. The Vines Resort & Country Club (WA)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: The Dunes, Barnbougle
“Barnbougle stands out because not only does it offer two highly world-ranked golf courses, but it also offers accommodation options with cottages and villas at the Dunes course, and the lodge at the Lost Farm. Easy fly-in/fly-out access provides an opportunity to tour Tasmania after a round of golf.”
Yvonne Verstandig, Executive Edge Travel + Events
1. THE FARM AT CAPE KIDNAPPERS (Hall of Fame winner)
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We welcome The Farm at Cape Kidnappers to the Gold List Hall of Fame with their fifth consecutive win this year, congratulations!
2. Pebble Beach Resorts (USA)
3. Argentario Golf Resort & Spa (Tuscany, Italy)
4. The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs
5. Millbrook Resort
6. InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa
7. Mission Hills Resort Shenzhen (China)
8. Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort (Ireland)
9. The Gleneagles Hotel (Scotland)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Cape Kidnappers
“Views to die for.”
Stephen White, The Exclusive Travel Group
EDITOR’S PICK:
The recently opened The Lodge at Kinloch in Taupo, New Zealand was created by the awarded-owners of Treetops Lodge & Estate, and is the only Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course in New Zealand.
1. NORTH STAR CRUISES AUSTRALIA
North Star Cruises is back on top this year as your favourite luxury cruise company, moving up from second place.
2. Scenic Tours
3. Silversea
4. Seabourn
5. Crystal Cruises
6. Cunard
7. Oceania Cruises
8. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICKS: SeaDream
“No company comes close.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
Crystal Cruises
“They have the most professional and friendly staff, and great specialty restaurants.”
Melinda Gregor, Gregor & Lewis
EDITOR’S PICK: Silversea for its innovation in luxury on the seas and all-inclusive cruising holidays.
1. TRUE NORTH, NORTH STAR CRUISES AUSTRALIA
You’ve chosen luxury expedition ship True North as your favourite in our small cruise ship category - congratulations to North Star Cruises for their second award this year!
2. SeaDream II, SeaDream Yacht Club
3. National Geographic Orion, National Geographic-Lindblad
4. Le Ponant, Ponant
5. Seabourn Quest
6. Seabourn Odyssey
7. Silver Spirit, Silversea
8. S.S. Antoinette, Uniworld
9. Scenic Gem
10. Scenic Jade
11. Seabourn Sojourn
12. Silver Shadow, Silversea
13. Silver Whisper, Silversea
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICKS: SeaDream I and II
“Understated elegance without formality.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
Silver Whisper
“A small intimate ship with high levels of service and attention to detail. Silversea also has a great team here in Australia to deal with.”
Melinda Gregor, Gregor & Lewis
EDITOR’S PICKS:
1. QUEEN MARY 2, CUNARD (Hall of Fame winner)
The 12-suite Aqua Amazon and 16-suite Aria Amazon were both upgraded in 2015 for even more luxurious river cruising through South America. 3 G
Congratulations to hall-of-famer Queen Mary 2, continuing an 11-year winning streak and remaining your favourite large luxury cruise ship.
2. Regent Seven Seas Mariner
3. Crystal Serenity
4. Queen Elizabeth, Cunard
5. Riviera, Oceania Cruises
6. Marina, Oceania Cruises
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICKS: Crystal Serenity
“Simply the best and friendliest service at Sea.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
Crystal Serenity
“Fantastic, professional staff that always have a smile on their face and have been with Crystal for many years and really seem to enjoy being on board. This really makes a difference to the service levels. Great choice of optional restaurants too!”
Melinda Gregor, Gregor & Lewis
1. GREAT SOUTHERN RAIL, AUSTRALIA (Hall of Fame winner)
1. THE BRANDO
Congratulations for a second win this year for The Brando. The carbon-neutral resort’s eco-credentials include renewable energy sources like solar power, a coconut oil power station and a pioneering deep seawater airconditioning system.
Great Southern Rail, operators of Australia’s iconic luxury trains
The Ghan and the Indian Pacific, can celebrate another win in our rail category, this year as hall-offamers.
2. Rocky Mountaineer, Canada
3. Belmond Trains, Europe
4. Palace on Wheels, India
5. Rovos Rail, South Africa
6. The Blue Train, South Africa
7. Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, Europe
8. Cruise Train Seven Stars, Japan
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Renfe (Al Andalus)
“Clients loved it, on my bucket list for 2017.” Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Belmond Trains for the classic Venice Simplon-Orient Express and the Eastern & Oriental Express – and coming soon in August, the Belmond Grand Hibernian bringing luxury to the rails in Ireland.
2. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
3. El Questro
4. Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef (WA)
5. andBeyond Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge (Botswana)
6. Southern Ocean Lodge
7. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
8. Daintree EcoLodge & Spa (QLD)
9. Silky Oaks Lodge
10. Paperbark Camp (South Coast, NSW)
11.
12.
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Nihiwatu
“My client commented she felt like they had fallen off the earth.” Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
Song Saa Private Island on the Koh Rong Archipelago in Cambodia – its “luxury that treads lightly” ethos has seen the creation and management of Cambodia’s first marine reserve, a sustainable management program and the formation of the Song Saa Foundation.
1. SCENIC TOURS
Scenic Tours has been voted as your preferred Luxury Tour Operator for the second year in a row – congratulations!
2. Abercrombie & Kent
3. APT
4. Tauck
5. Captain’s Choice
6. Butterfield & Robinson
7. Micato Safaris
8. Insight Vacations
9. Walk Into Luxury
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Imperial Tours China
“Go the extra mile, never had a complaint.”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
The global experts in luxury experiential travel established in Africa in 1962, Abercrombie & Kent, with their Luxury Small Group Journeys, intimate Journey by Private Jet tours for 50 passengers and their family-friendly tours.
1. FBI TRAVEL
Congratulations to FBI Travel, your choice for Best Luxury Travel Agency for a second consecutive year!
2. Travelcall
3. Mary Rossi Travel
4. Executive Edge Travel + Events
5. Gregor & Lewis
6. World Travel Professionals
7. Oasis Travel
8. Escape Travel
9. Concierge Traveller
10. Spencer Travel
11. The Tailor
12. Travel Associates
13. Bicton Travel - Premium
14. Clean Cruising
15. Savenio
16. Goldman Travel Corporation
1. BAROSSA VALLEY, SA
South Australia’s Barossa Valley features again as your favourite food and wine region, with Western Australia’s Margaret River and New South Wales’ Hunter Valley following closely behind while Rutherglen in Victoria joins the list of finalists this year.
2. Margaret River, WA
3. Hunter Valley, NSW
4. Yarra Valley, VIC
5. Mornington Peninsula, VIC
6. Mudgee, NSW
7. McLaren Vale, SA
8. Coonawarra, SA
9. Tamar Valley, TAS
10. Clare Valley, SA
11. Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
12. King Valley, VIC
13. Orange, NSW
14. Rutherglen, VIC
15. Coal River Valley, TAS
16. Adelaide Hills, SA
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Mornington Peninsula “Proximity to Melbourne’s city centre, Mornington Peninsula is unbeatable in breadth of new, quality culinary establishments and boutique wineries complete with views of both vineyards and the Bay in the distance.”
Yvonne Verstandig, Executive Edge Travel + Events
EDITOR’S PICK:
Margaret River in Western Australia – one of Australia’s smallest but most premium wine-producing regions has positioned itself at the luxury end of wine tourism, with beautiful cellar doors, fine dining restaurants and, in the past three years, has hosted the Margaret River Gourmet Escape program each November, attracting some of the world’s best chefs to the program.
1. LAKE HOUSE
Another win for Lake House Daylesford, celebrating the boutique property’s fine dining offerings, helmed by culinary director Alla Wolf-Tasker.
2. The Louise
3. Cape Lodge
4. Chateau Yering (Yarra Valley, VIC)
5. Saffire Freycinet
6. Bells at Killcare
7. Southern Ocean Lodge
8. Royal Mail Hotel (Dunkeld, VIC)
9. Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park
10. qualia
11. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley
12. Spicers Vineyard Estate
13. Lindenderry at Red Hill
14. MONA The Pavilions
15. Longitude 131
16. Polperro by Even Keel (Red Hill, VIC)
17. Lindenwarrah at Milawa (VIC)
18. Crittenden Estate (Mornington Peninsula, VIC)
19. Spicers Peak Lodge
20. Stones of the Yarra Valley (VIC)
21. Peppers Mineral Springs Hotel (Daylesford, VIC)
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK: Southern Ocean Lodge
“At Southern Ocean Lodge, all ingredients are locally sourced from either Kangaroo Island or South Australia with a produce to plate approach by the chef and a daily changing menu. Standout open bar.” Yvonne Verstandig, Executive Edge Travel + Events
EDITOR’S PICK: The newly re-opened Pretty Beach House (sister property to Bells at Killcare) with renowned Italian chef Stefano Manfredi also in charge of the kitchen.
1. TRUE NORTH KIMBERLEY CRUISE, NORTH STAR CRUISES
North Star Cruises wins a third award in this year’s Gold List as your choice of the True North Kimberley Cruise as the best adventure experience in the country –congratulations!
2. Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures (WA)
3. Cradle Mountain Huts Walk (TAS)
4. Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef Wild Bush Luxury
5. The Great Escape Charter Company (WA)
6. Maria Island Walk (TAS)
7. Bay of Fires Walk (TAS)
8. Davidson’s Arnhemland Safaris (NT)
9. Hidden Trails by Horseback at El Questro Wilderness Park
10. National Geographic Orion Kimberley Cruise
GOLD LIST PANELIST PICK:
True North Kimberley Cruise
“You don’t wear shoes for the entire cruise, Manolo Blahniks can stay at home”
Fay Cohen, Travel Phase
EDITOR’S PICK:
The Arkaba Walk with Wild Bush Luxury, a four-day, 45-kilometre walk through the Flinders Ranges staying outdoors and also Arkaba Heritage Homestead, finishing with wine tasting and lunch at Clare Valley. True North Kimberley Cruise for an authentic Australian experience and well-guided luxurious way to see the Kimberley.
1. SOHO HOUSE ISTANBUL
Luxury members club and hotel brand Soho House has undertaken extensive restoration work on Istanbul’s Palazzo Corpi, revitalising the grand building to become its 13th property, Soho House Istanbul, and it’s your choice as Best New Property this year. Other exciting new properties to make the list include a new QT in Bondi, a Six Senses in the Seychelles and a Palazzo Versace in Dubai.
2. QT Bondi
3. Halcyon House
4. Como The Treasury (Perth)
5. andBeyond Benguerra Island (Mozambique)
6. Pretty Beach House
7. Mayfair Hotel (Adelaide)
8. Keemala (Phuket)
9. Six Senses ZiI Pasyon (Seychelles)
10. Bannisters Pavilion (Mollymook, NSW)
11. Alila Seminyak (Bali)
12. 1 Central Park (New York)
13. Palazzo Versace Dubai
14. Six Senses Douro Valley (Portugal)
15. The Laslett (Notting Hill, UK)
16. Tintswolo Atlantic (South Africa)
17. Atlantis by Giardino (Zurich, Switzerland)
*Or relaunched/rebranded. Opened in the last 12 months.
EDITOR’S PICK:
Amanera, Dominican Republic – Aman’s 29th property overlooks Playa Grande beach with access to the famed Playa Grande golf course; Mandarin Oriental Milan with sleek Italian finishes; Mandapa Ritz-Carlton Reserve with a wellness focus in Bali’s cultural hub of Ubud; Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal in the heart of vineyards; and Shambala
Private Game Reserve in South Africa – the five-bedroom luxury retreat the former home of Nelson Mandela.
OUR WRITERS TAKE IN : THE ULTRA-LUXURIOUS RESORTS OF THE MALDIVES / TRAVEL THE WAY WE DO ... AND SEE THE EXOTIC WILDLIFE OF ECUADOR / THE SHOPPING, DRINKING AND DINING HOT SPOTS OF NEW YORK PLUS OUR EXTENDED GUIDE TO LEISURELY, LIVELY AND LUXURIOUS WEEKENDS IN NEW ZEALAND.
Flying low over the indian ocean, the water is the colour of opal. Hundreds of green and white flecks, each a tiny island, are loosed across the surface. And once you’re on the ground – what little there is of it, at least – the Maldives look as much like the picture-book paradise as you could come to expect.
Off the south-western coast of the Indian peninsula, the Maldives is a string of atolls and quays, which formed literally on the back of a coral reef that’s been growing for
hundreds of thousands of years. Home to a population of only 350,000, the main business of the Maldives is tourism.
There are more than 100 resorts scattered across the almost 1,200 islands, each of which is in near complete isolation from the outside world. Secluded beaches, exclusive reef breaks and private diving destinations are par for the course in the Maldives. Many resorts even have their own time zone and, more often than not, your room will have an entirely unobstructed view of endless ocean.
But despite the vast distances that separate these at-
olls from the troubles of the city, let alone one another, visitors can still reasonably expect the world-class dining they’re accustomed to, whether in European, Asian or Arabic-style cuisine. And while the capital, Malé, is a strictly dry city, many resorts boast storied wine cellars (there’s no shortage of Dom Pérignon in the Maldives, let me personally assure you).
That said, you can live in the lap of luxury pretty much anywhere these days, so the real drawcard of the Maldives is neither the bed linen nor the wine list. It is, undoubted-
ly, the fragile and miraculous ecosystem that stretches out in every direction around you. Take a step outside your bedroom door and your feet find spotless white sand. Walk down to the water’s edge and you’ll find it teeming with tropical sea life, from neon lionfish to immense whale sharks, green turtles that bob among the coral and graceful manta rays that glide like A380s.
Here are three excellent examples of Maldivian hospitality, where you can watch the sun rise – and set – over the ocean in utter relaxation.
You’ll likely arrive at cocoa Island after nightfall, ferried by speedboat over darkened seas from the airport at Malé. But that moment when you open the curtains the next morning is a revelation. To call it an ocean view doesn’t cut it; the rooms at Cocoa Island are in the ocean. One need only stretch out of bed and amble down a short stairway to float in the warm water below. There’s an understated elegance to Como’s Maldivian resort; ostentatious displays would spoil the grandeur of the view. Instead, architect Cheong Yew Kuan has appointed the spacious villas with white linen, warm New Zealand pine and metres of glass. An enormous Balinese daybed invites an abundance of wasted time, while private outdoor showers make you wonder why you’d bathe any other way.
If you’re somehow enticed to leave your room, you’ll be rewarded. The island has its own in-house marine biologist, who’ll guide you through the bountiful reef just metres off the shore. It’s already impres
sive during daylight hours, but after dark it’s truly something to behold. Night snorkelling (it’s a thing) reveals a starburst of aquatic life, schools of jewel-blue fish and moray waving out from behind their rocks.
Back on dry land, Ufaa Restaurant is featuring some of that local sea life on the menu; the likes of reef fish carpaccio with fennel, caper and dill, or freshly caught lobster from the nearby lagoon, cooked in a tandoor and served with mint raita, or chargrilled with tropical fruit salsa. Those keen to sample some local cuisine can try the Jobfish curry, cooked in ramba leaf and tomato, and served with a handmade roti.
For the health-minded, there’s an open-air pavilion to practice yoga, and a shady hydrotherapy pool in which to while away a few hours. Balinese-trained masseurs are on hand to provide the signature ‘Shambhala’ treatment, carried out in a private treatment room with a view of the ocean.
Wow factor: The serenity
Best suits: The discerning traveller Rates: Start from US$1,050 (about A$1,413) per night. comohotels.com/cocoaisland/
The most recent entrant into the Maldivian resort scene is Amilla Fushi. Bringing all the creature comforts of Sydney’s Surry Hills to the middle of the Indian Ocean, Fushi rethinks the resort restaurant concept with something of a dining precinct. Separate bars and bistros are set along the shoreline; the ‘bazaar’ mixes up homey if high-end comfort foods such as fish and chips and pizza, while Wok and Grill feature pan-Asian and modern Australian cuisine respectively. Further along the beach is the Wine Shop and Cellar Door, which offers over 8,000 wines by the bottle or the case, along with some unapologetically fancy cheeses.
The pride and joy of Amilla Fushi is Lonu, the fine-dining restaurant overseen by Australian celebrity chef, Luke Mangan. Set on a wharf overlooking the crystalline waters, Lonu has its own rooftop bar to settle in for a cocktail before (or after) dinner. Executed by consummate chef Nonky Tejapermana, the menu’s reserved, if accomplished. You’ll find Australian lamb cutlets with pistachio tabouleh and saffron yoghurt, or
“To call it an ocean view doesn’t cut it; the rooms at Cocoa Island are in the ocean. One need only stretch out of bed and amble down a short stairway to float in the warm water below.”
l RECOMMENDED READING
ON THE ISLAND by Tracey Garvis Graves
It isn't easy to get hold of Maldivian literary fiction, though here is a New York Times best-seller set in the Maldives. When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a summer job tutoring in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation. But Anna and friend must fend for themselves when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean.
tripfiction.com/books/on-the-island
local Maldivian snapper dressed with pine nuts, currants and basil. And a pro-tip: chef Nonky’s raspberry soufflé is the work of a master.
If you find time for anything other than eating (and let’s face it, why should you?), it’s worth noting that Amilla Fushi sits within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll. A short boat trip off the coast of the resort delivers you to Hanifaru Bay, home of the giant manta. Swimming with these incredible creatures is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences and is not to be missed.
Javvu, meanwhile, is an ultra-modern spa with a tea lounge, hair salon and 10 private treatment pods set among a burgeoning tropical forest. There’s even an old-timey barber, where even the most genteel of hipsters can have their lustrous beards oiled and trimmed.
The suites are similarly contemporary, with treetop villas nestled on stilts among the canopy, and beach houses featuring private pools and their own little waterfront.
Wow factor: The restaurant scene
Best suits: Young couples or pals on holiday Rates: Start from US$1,306 (about A$1,758) per night. amilla.mv
“A short boat trip delivers you to Hanifaru Bay, home of the giant manta. Swimming with these incredible creatures is one of those once-in-alifetime experiences and is not to be missed.”AMILLA FUSHI TIM GREY
When a resort is managed by the former Michelin Guide directeur général, it’s a fair bet you’re in for something classy. And that’s exactly what you get at One&Only Reethi Rah. A more classical style of five-star accomodation, every aspect of this resort is polished to a high shine.
The rooms, which will soon undergo a generational refit, are already palatial yet tasteful. Each villa is nestled within a little grove of coconuts, where a carved gate opens onto personal
beachfront, replete with pool and hammock.
The level of service you’ll find at Reethi Rah is the stuff that sets the bar, and raises it. Your personal butler will walk over coals to ensure you’re comfortable, and every staff member you’ll happen across has warmth, wit, and a welcome reserve of good sense. It’s clear that working for One&Only is a well-earned point of pride for these skillful employees.
With the aforementioned Jean-Luc Naret at the helm, it’s probably not surprising that dining on Reethi Rah is an unalloyed pleasure. Fanditha is perhaps the most fun, with Arabicstyle spit roasts cooked over coals served with
chilled rosé under the stars by the beach. The Beach Club serves casual, all-day bar food, while Reethi Restaurant has almost literally something for everyone. Tapasake is the most ambitious, with its modern Japanese cuisine and a strong sake and Euro-inflected wine list in an incredible setting.
The enormous spa offers an exhaustive range of treatments: Ayurvedic, Swedish, Hot Stone, Balinese – even ‘Watsu’, a style of Shiatsu performed in a mineralised pool – are available. Natural facials and intensive skin-analysing procedures are also on offer.
The Sunset Sandbank Experience, however,
is perhaps the most eye-opening activity on offer. Your captain will shuttle you out to a deserted island only accessible at low tide, far out of view from any landmass on the horizon and miles away from the nearest boat or human being. As the pink sun sinks into the Indian Ocean, your hosts offer champagne and picnic boxes, and you’ll be reminded, once again, why you travelled all this way.
Wow factor: The hospitality
Best suits: Those with an eye for the finer things in life
Rates: Start from US$1,190 (about A$1,601) per night. oneandonlyresorts.com
l GETTING THERE
The writer flew from Sydney to Malé, via Singapore courtesy of Singapore Airlines and Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation. visitmaldives.com; singaporeair.com
l GETTING AROUND
Enjoy your luxury holiday, honeymoon or family holiday in the Maldives. To find out more contact Wildlife Safari, the Indian Ocean specialists, for a copy of their Indian Ocean brochure or to discuss your Maldives island escape. wildlifesafari.com.au
Free Call: 1 800 998 558 or email info@wildlifesafari.com.au
See more images from this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
“The level of service at Reethi Rah sets the bar and raises it. Your personal butler will walk over coals to ensure you’re comfortable, and every staff member you’ll happen across has warmth, wit, and a welcome reserve of good sense.”ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH TIM GREY
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I’m standing on the pristine shoreline of a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific, watching a baby sea lion excitedly, though slightly ineptly, make its way toward me across black volcanic rock. In my haste to capture the moment on camera, I move through the jagged terrain with my eye glued to the viewfinder. I only notice the adult sea lion snoozing behind me when I’m a few short centimetres from it. Sea lions, I’ve been told earlier that day, can be very aggres-
sive and you shouldn’t get too close, lest they take a chunk out of your leg. I feel a jolt of adrenaline as this one wakes and turns towards me. My eyes meet with a pair of sleepy brown pools and she considers me a moment, before turning to rest her head back on the sunny rock with a soft snort. This, I have come to realise, is one of the extraordinary things about the animal residents of the Galapagos Islands. They show no fear, as they have known no fear or devastation at the hands of humans.
Guided by the handsomely-weathered Diego (who has been touring travellers like our group through the islands since 1979) and our Abercrombie & Kent Guardian Angel Aleyda, the past few hours on North Seymour Island have brought us within arm’s reach of inquisitive land iguanas and nesting frigatebirds of both the great and magnificent variety. We’ve watched on from mere feet away as a male blue-footed booby attempted to woo a lady booby with his adorable mating dance; the rejection palpable when we realised she was not impressed. The animals have returned our pie-eyed rapture with mild curiosity, followed by a profound disinterest that only comes with familiarity. For us though, Galapagos is unlike anything we’ve experienced before.
The Galapagos archipelago comprises 18 major islands spread across the Pacific from its central birthplace, a submerged volcanic hotspot about 1,000 kilometres off the Ecuadorian coastline. The islands lie at a crossroad between two competing tropical winds and three uniquely converged ocean currents; a Goldilocks-style recipe that has made for some truly remarkable evolutionary traits in the local flora and fauna. It is one of the most distinctive and diverse marine ecosystems in the world, with more than 20 per cent of the marine species alone found nowhere else on the planet.
Spending even a short amount of time exploring the islands, it’s not tough to see why Charles Darwin was so inspired on his visit aged just 26 – his subsequent research changing the course of evolutionary theory. On the final day of our Galapagos tour we make a not-to-be-
missed trip to the iconic naturalist’s namesake Research Station on Santa Cruz Island. The facility is dedicated to Galapagos conservation through research and education. When we stop by, the resident scientists are experimenting with a fungus that kills wild raspberry, an introduced species that has claimed thousands of acres of land and wreaked havoc on the native populations. We also meet Super Diego, a giant saddleback tortoise who is the proud father of
more than 1,800 baby tortoises born via the centre’s breeding program.
Galapagos may be considered the crown jewel of Ecuador, but the adventure certainly does not stop there. Straddling the equator between Peru and Columbia, the small yet startlingly diverse mainland is essentially its own microcosm of South America. From the fertile palm-fringed coastlines and lush tropical rainforest and cloud forest ecosystems in the west, to the snowcapped peaks of the Andean volcanic highlands and the Amazon jungle provinces of the east, Ecuador has much to offer any intrepid traveller. And that’s not to even touch on the rich tapestry of cultural and historical legacy woven by thousands of years of Amerindian and Inca settlement followed by Spanish colonialisation in the 16th century. (Ecuador emerged as its own sovereign state in 1830.)
Ecuador’s ecological and cultural diversity is driven home when we leave the sparsely popu-
RECOMMENDED READING
As Ute and her husband Jerry travel to a remote area on the west coast of South America, they decide to visit a recently established eco retreat called Villa Pacifica. When a huge storm descends on the coast, travellers and locals are left to fend for themselves. The hot-house world that teems below the surface of Villa Pacifica rises to engulf everyone. Madness begins to take hold, and everybody starts questioning themselves and their own sanity. Brilliantly written and hauntingly atmospheric. tripfiction.com/books/villa-pacifica
l
VILLA PACIFICA by Kapka Kassabova
“It is one of the most distinctive and diverse marine ecosystems in the world, with more than 20 per cent of the marine species alone found nowhere else on the planet.”PIKAIA LODGE, GALAPAGOS ISLANDS BLUE FOOTED BOOBY
lated island paradise that is Galapagos to fly a few short hours to Quito, Ecuador’s bustling capital. Home to some 2.6 million, the sprawling city is piled upon monstrously steep volcanic peaks that reach elevations of more than 2,800 metres above sea level, making Quito the highest official capital in the world. The old town centre, with its cobblestone streets, neo-Gothic churches and colonial architecture, is one of the best-preserved historic centres in the Americas and was one of the first World Cultural Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in the late 1970s.
A rich cultural mecca in its own right, for us this time Quito is a short stop on our journey. We rise early the following morning to make the four hour drive northwest of Quito to Mashpi, a thriving cloud forest ecosystem rolling down the western slopes of the Andes. We receive a warm welcome at Mashpi Lodge, our base from which to explore the surrounding 1,300-hectare Biodiversity Reserve. The area is regarded as one of the world’s most important biodiversity hot spots, home to virtually thousands of plant species, more than 500 species of birds, tens of thousands of insects, countless rodent species, monkeys, peccaries, ocelots and even puma, to name a few.
Our first outing on arrival at Mashpi is a hike along the Cucharillos or “little spoon” trail, named for the towering hard woods that produce tiny spoon-shaped, delightfully aromatic flowers. They are one of the 500 plant species endemic to the area. Their dense wood has made them a popular construction material and as a result their numbers have dwindled to only 300 to 400 indi-
viduals. We are lucky to see four Cucharillos huddled together along the trail, towering high above the canopy. The hiking trail leads us 950 metres down to a waterfall, where we cool off in crystal clear pools before making the return ascent. As we climb, the coming rains excite the rain frogs, who begin to sing in loud chorus from the surrounding trees.
“A trip to Mashpi isn’t complete without a ride on the Sky Bike,” our knowledgeable guide Juan Carlos tells us the next morning over a spot of bird watching on the Mashpi Lodge terrace. The Sky Bike, he informs us as we hike to its secluded location, is a contraption of the lodge’s own invention that offers a slightly different perspective of the surrounding rainforest, that is, via riding a suspended cable machine 60 meters above and 200 meters across a rainforest ravine. On arrival we are strapped in two-by-two and thrust into the gaping abyss, where the forest reveals itself in an entirely new way. Around 70 per cent of the flora and fauna in Mashpi calls this part of the rainforest home, safe from the forest floor and just below the sunny open canopy above.
It’s difficult to say goodbye to Mashpi, and even more difficult to say goodbye to Ecuador the following day. But I leave the country with my inner biologist satisfied, a camera full of baby sea lion snaps and a deeper appreciation for the astoundingly rich and diverse natural world around us.
See more on this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
The writer flew with LAN on the 787-9 Dreamliner from Sydney to Santiago via Auckland, then from Santiago to Baltra Island, Galapagos via Guayaquil. The writer journeyed throughout Ecuador with Abercrombie & Kent.
LAN Airlines, part of LATAM Airlines Group, is the leading carrier to and from South America with the largest network and unparalleled connectivity throughout the region. LAN Airlines operates seven one-stop flights each week from Sydney to Santiago, Chile, the gateway to South America. LAN also offers non-stop flights between Sydney and Santiago four times per week in codeshare partnership with oneworld partner airlines. Onward connections to Ecuador’s capital, Quito, and to the Galapagos Islands are also available through LAN Airlines. For more information or to make a booking call LAN reservations on 1800 126 038, see your local travel agent or visit lan.com
l STAY HERE
Pikaia Lodge, Galapagos Islands
Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) specialises in tailormade journeys throughout South America. In Ecuador, A&K’s four-day ‘Pikaia Lodge’ extension includes three nights’ accommodation in a Terrace Room, return airfare Quito/Baltra/Quito, VIP lounge access at Baltra Airport, return transfers to lodge, all guided land and marine exploration programmes, use of sporting equipment (ie. wet suits, snorkelling equipment, mountain bikes and helmets), all meals, non-alcoholic beverages during meals and Galapagos Park Fees. Prices start from A$6,920 per person twin share.
In Ecuador, A&K’s five-day ‘Mashpi Extension’ includes three nights’ accommodation in a Wayra Room, return private transfers from Quito, guided activities at Mashpi, all meals and a night at Casa Gangotena Quito. Prices start from A$4,450 per person twin share.
For more information call 1300 590 317.
Day 1
Arrive Guayaquil
Arrive into Guayaquil, Ecuador where you are met by an A&K representative and transferred to the hotel.
Overnight: Hilton Colon Guayaquil
No meals included today
Day 2
Guayaquil – Galapagos Islands
Morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands.
On arrival at Baltra Airport you are transferred to Pikaia Lodge, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Located on Santa Cruz Island the lodge is situated on a small plateau within a 31 hectare private giant tortoise reserve. Spectacular views are possible from all parts of the lodge.
Overnight: Pikaia Lodge
Meals included today: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3-4
Galapagos Islands
The next two days are spent at Pikaia Lodge where a unique style of eco adventure is planned. Guided half and full day explorations are conducted from the lodge with options to be tailored to the group.
Overnight : Pikaia Lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5
Galapagos Islands – Quito
This morning you are transferred to the airport for the flight to Quito where you will be met and transferred to the hotel. This afternoon is a guided tour of the historic centre of Quito before dinner.
Casa Gangotena occupies an enviable site in Quito’s Old Town on the Plaza San Francisco. Rebuit in the 1920s after a fire, the historic mansion has been reborn as an elegant 31-room boutique hotel. Dinner tonight is in the hotel.
Overnight: Casa Gangotena
Meals included today: Breakfast, dinner
Quito - Mashpi
Early this morning you are transferred approximately four hours west to the Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve, a haven for wildlife. Stay at the award-winning Mashpi Lodge and this afternoon a wildlife activity is scheduled with an optional night walk after dinner.
Mashpi Lodge design is sophisticated and strikinglycontemporary with views over the cloud forest. Menus at the lodge showcase the diversity of Ecuadorian cuisine.
Overnight: Mashpi Lodge
Meals included today: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7
Mashpi Rainforest Reserve
A full day to enjoy the magic of the forest. Start at dawn when most birds are active and views are often at their most spectacular.
Overnight: Mashpi Lodge
Meals included today: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 8
Mashpi - Quito
Enjoy a final activity this morning before the return drive to Quito after lunch. A farewell dinner is arranged tonight.
Overnight: Casa Gangotena
Meals included today: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Morning transfer for onward flight arrangements.
Meals included today: Breakfast
Itinerary includes All accommodation with private facilities; all meals (except lunch in Quito); exclusive A&K airport welcome and assistance with Customs & Immigration, assistance with luggage, transportation by private airconditioned chauffeur driver; A&K English speaking private guide for sightseeing in Quito; shared guided land and marine activities in the Galapagos; Galapagos
National park fees and tourist transit card; shared activities at Mashpi Lodge; entrance fees; economy class airfare Guayaquil/ Baltra/Quito; VIP airport lounge access in Quito; service of A&K Guardian Angel.
Itinerary excludes International flights and airport taxes; additional meals; travel insurance; personal expenses such as drinks, laundry, dry cleaning or meals not mentioned above; tipping to local representatives, guides or drivers.
Cost
Explore breathtaking bays and beautiful lodges near Auckland
Wellington's wine and design amidst natural wonders
Victorian elegance, wildlife and waterfalls within reach of Christchurch
Majestic mountains and luxury stays in and around Queenstown
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COVER: Great Barrier Island
Photography: Darryl Ward
Just a short distance from the City of Sails, you'll find luxury lodges nestled amongst world-class golf courses and pristine bays.
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The artistic city of Wellington is the gateway to the South Island across the Cook Strait where you'll find premium vineyards, art galleries and national parks.
Be awed by whales and feel the spray from waterfalls before heading back to a colonial-style luxury retreat.
Adventure on mountain tops, on the lakes and deep in the white snow will be rewarded by relaxation back at a luxurious property.
Your planning calendar to some of New Zealand's best sport, art and culinary events.
FLIGHT ROUTES BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OF THREE MAJOR AIRLINES SERVICING THE TWO COUNTRIES.
AIRLINE FROM TO AIR NEW ZEALAND
*With a trans-Tasman alliance between Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand, together they operate more than 200 flights per week from 45 destinations in Australia to 22 New Zealand destinations
Sydney
Melbourne
Auckland, Wellington Christchurch, Queenstown
Auckland, Wellington Christchurch, Queenstown
Brisbane
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Perth
Gold Coast
Cairns
Sunshine Coast
EMIRATES
Sydney
Melbourne
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Sydney
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Perth
Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown
Auckland
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Auckland, Christchurch
Auckland
Auckland
Auckland, Christchurch
Auckland
Auckland
Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown
Auckland, Wellington
Auckland, Queenstown
Auckland (seasonal only)
New Zealand makes an ideal luxury getaway destination for a leisurely and lively long weekend. Just a short flight for many Australians, you can land in either Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch or Queenstown from where, after perhaps a short city experience, you can really lose yourself in the luxurious accommodation positioned in the surrounding bays, coves, valleys and mountains of nearby rural towns and regions.
Heading north out of Auckland will see you in remote and unspoiled islands and pristine bays where luxury lodges and golf courses await. The artisanal city of Wellington is the gateway to the wine regions of the Wairarapa, as well as the South Island, just across the Cook Strait. It’s only a brief helicopter or boat journey to premium vineyards and restaurants in Marlborough, the art galleries of Nelson, or waters that offer top fly fishing and sea kayaking opportunities around Abel Tasman National Park.
Around Christchurch, amidst the grand colonial architecture in the city and the Canterbury region, you’ll also find abundant wildlife and spectacular natural wonders, with whales and waterfalls at your fingertips. Around Queenstown, there’s no shortage of luxury places to bed down at after an adventure-filled day among the ski fields and lakes.
Throughout all of these regions you can stay at the renowned luxury lodges that have set a world-class standard of excellence, with everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to Lady Gaga having immersed themselves in the comfort of these remote escapes.
Why wait? Plan your luxury long weekend to New Zealand today. You can also view all these pages and see more images online at our website luxurytravelmag.com.au in the New Zealand section.
Katrina Holden EDITOR
In Auckland, New Zealand’s largest metropolis and City of Sails, you’ll find luxury yachting and a dazzling fusion of fashion, food and festivities. You could spend days here perusing boutiques on Ponsonby Road; taking day trips to nearby Rangitoto Island for 360-degree panoramas of the cityscape; or wining and dining on Waiheke Island, one of
New Zealand’s best wine regions. After a dose of Auckland’s city charm, a quick whisk by car or helicopter can leave you feeling miles from anywhere, yet in the lap of luxury and surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. Head out of town to discover a host of watery distractions; or keep the sea as the sparkling backdrop for something drier, but equally memorable.
Not far from Auckland, Northland is a region of bush, bays and beautiful islands, remote and unspoiled; yet some of the country's most luxurious residences are tucked into its private valleys or draped over commanding headlands. Attentive hosts will give you tailored experiences that will live long in your memory.
At Eagles Nest, high above Russell in the Bay of Islands, a lodge with five different accommodation options, will it be the personal chef, or the personal trainer you go for? Or maybe treat yourself to both…(eaglesnest.co.nz).
Kauri Cliffs effortlessly lives up to its awardwinning reputation, with wide views over the sea, surrounded by its own golf course and
fringed by three private beaches, one of them of tiny pink shells (kauricliffs.com).
For something even more personal , The Landing Residences are elegant private homes of the highest quality, all with sweeping views and the services of a private chef (thelandingresidences.com). Go further south to try Helena Bay: opening end of 2016, the villas here are designed to answer every need, practical and aesthetic — and sometimes unconscious: did you know you wanted your own Turkish Hamam? (helenabay.com).
If you can tear yourself away from the accommodation, that sparkling sea offers a swathe of diversions. Charter any of the elegantly stylish yachts available that will open up the Bay of Islands, whether it’s fishing, diving or dolphin-watching that appeals to you.
If it’s marlin or kingfish you’re after, the expert fishing charters in the region will give you the best chance of bagging the catch of a lifetime. Prefer to just look? Go diving or snorkelling at the Poor Knights group of islands, where warm currents foster a marine reserve of abundant richness.
For the region's most premium golfing experiences, explore the Kauri Cliffs par 72 golf course. Try not to lose your concentration because of its distinctive views or lose your ball over a spectacular cliff. Then relax tired muscles to the attentions of the masseuse at the lodge's spa in the quiet centre of a totara forest. With luxurious places to rest your head, it's the dream getaway. Then make the acquaintance of Tane Mahuta, Lord of the Forest: New Zealand’s biggest kauri tree, a massive presence in the
Waipoua Forest with its network of inviting walking tracks. Or get above even the mighty kauri on a helicopter ride to Cape Reinga, the country’s northernmost point where a lighthouse gleams white in the sun and the spirits of departed Māori creep down the gnarled pohutukawa to return to their ancestral home of Hawaiki.
Ashort 35-minute ferry from Auckland or a ten minute helicopter ride delivers you to Waiheke Island, one of the world’s favourite islands. Private, sandy beaches lapped by turquoise water and fringed by bush brimming with native birds are just the start of the simple joys to discover here. World-class wines and olive oils, quirky sculpture, lively markets, friendly
locals and a laid-back lifestyle are balanced by serious luxury at retreats and restaurants that have been delighting increasing numbers of international celebrities. Follow Lady Gaga to Fossil Cove Estate, or Michael Douglas to Stonyridge, or Taylor Swift to Mudbrick
Historically a retreat for the alternative and artistic, Waiheke is rich in the creative arts. Discover jewellery, clothes, paintings and equally lovingly-created foods at the colourful Ostend Saturday market, a weekly must-do for islanders and visitors alike. Visit the Connells Bay Sculpture Park where, tucked away in a peaceful and picturesque bay, you’ll find large scale site-specific artworks by New Zealand sculptors, on a guided walk around the property (connellsbay.co.nz).
Waiheke, the holiday equivalent of New York’s Hamptons, punches above its weight on the
world wine scene, and its vineyards are the perfect place to taste award-winning wines as you enjoy a leisurely lunch in the sun, or dinner as the sky glows behind the lights of the distant city. Sit by the topiary garden at Mudbrick as bees buzz around the lavender and rosemary and the adobe walls of the barn house soak up the heat (mudbrick.co.nz). Perhaps enjoy a crisp rosé in the cool restaurant at Cable Bay, or recline outside on the wide lawn with its distant views of Auckland's city skyline (cablebay.nz). For a different feel entirely, drive deep into the island’s Far End to visit Man O’ War, where in the Tasting Room close to a pebbled beach, you can dither between rich reds and clean whites. (manowarvineyards.co.nz).
There’s far too much to explore and enjoy on Waiheke in a single day, so stay over on one of the island’s distinctive properties. Continue
HELENA BAY, NORTHLANDthe nautical theme at The Boatshed, in one of its wood and glass beach houses overlooking sheltered Little Oneroa Bay (boatshed.co.nz)
Or go for the spectacular overview in one of the airy, contemporary suites at Marino Ridge, a personalised retreat high on a hilltop with sweeping panoramas of the island, sea and distant city (marinoridge.co.nz). If you need more choice, Waiheke Unlimited can supply a long list of tempting residences, from boutique beach cottage to spacious lightfilled villa, featuring infinity pools, private beaches, personal chefs and concierge services (waihekeunlimited.co.nz).
Visible from the city, but so very separate from it, is the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula, fringed with flowering trees along its nibbled coast. Two-and-a-half hours by
car or just 30 minutes by helicopter, this mountainous peninsula once buzzed with gold miners. Today the colours of its treasures are blue sea, white sand, green bush and the bright scarlet of the pohutukawa flowers. Take time to breathe it all in at the Bushland Park Lodge & Retreat, ideally with a glass of champagne in a double claw-footed bush bathtub lit by the Milky Way (bushlandparklodge.co.nz).
The North Island’s beating heart is Lake Taupo: created by the world’s greatest eruption, the lake is so big that it has tides; and it still takes the breath away today. Around an hour by helicopter from Auckland Airport, the scenic and active delights of the region are easily accessible, and some seriously luxurious lodges await the discerning traveller. For luxe golf enthusiasts, start at the newly-
opened The Lodge at Kinloch, which is set within the grounds of the Kinloch Golf Club (thekinlochclub.com)
For those wanting to unwind, stay in the exclusive Huka Lodge, that has welcomed everyone including the Queen of England. Its manicured lawns beside the foaming Waikato River surround a stately country retreat in the classic tradition (hukalodge.co.nz). Just outside town, Acacia Cliffs Lodge is a collection of glass and wood triangles with long views over the lake, where dining is a refined, intimate experience (acaciacliffslodge.co.nz). South of Taupo, there’s hiking and trout-fishing on offer at River Birches Lodge, close to the famous Tongariro Crossing one-day walk (riverbirches. co.nz). At Poronui Lodge you might find it’s the tall tales by the log fire you enjoy just as much as the fun fly-fishing that initiates them (poronui.com); while at the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Lake Taupo Lodge, your hosts
are waiting to customise your Taupo experience (laketaupolodge.co.nz).
Tucked into a private valley of native forest near Rotorua, Treetops offers guests a relaxed retreat in stone, wood and leather with nature-based active options like hiking, horse-trekking, fishing and hunting (treetops. co.nz). On the shore of Lake Rotorua, Peppers on the Point is a classic 1930s mansion where comfort is paramount and you can walk out onto the private jetty to be met by a ski plane for a flight over Mt Tarawera’s dramatic split summit (peppers.co.nz). Solitaire Lodge has such perfect views and delicious cuisine that guests are reluctant to leave its warm embrace (solitairelodge.co.nz).
It’s worth forcing yourself out of the cocoon, however: world-class fly-fishing on
clear tumbling streams is within easy reach, the rivers offer an adrenaline rush to white-water rafters, while the hills are made for mountainbiking. Rotorua is the national centre for Māori culture, from dance to food to carving; and noone who takes the heli-tour to the sulphurous, steaming, unpredictable active volcano that is White Island will ever forget the experience.
Further south is New Zealand's premier art deco destination. A devastating earthquake in 1931 meant a rebirth for Napier as an Art Deco delight. Clean lines, colour, cars and costumes are celebrated in a host of events at the annual Festival in February, but guided tours operate year-round. Nearby Hawke’s Bay is renowned also for its wine, and perusing the vineyards is a must — an off-road guided bike tour is a safe and popular option.
Cape Kidnappers offers a gannet colony for nature-lovers and a world-famous golf course on top of the cliffs.
The estate at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is perhaps the most luxurious farm you’re likely to encounter: elegant accommodation, fine dining, spa treatments, and more besides (capekidnappers.com). The area is known for its fresh produce, so why not stay with a chef? At Breckenridge Lodge, Malcolm Redmond will dazzle guests with his culinary skills (breckenridgelodge.co.nz); or if wine is your passion, stay on a vineyard at Black Barn, with an amphitheatre that has hosted memorable musical events (blackbarn. com). Greenhill Lodge offers over 100 years of history in a homestead surrounded by lush, peaceful gardens (greenhill.co.nz).
SURROUNDING NEW ZEALAND’S CAPITAL OF WELLINGTON, THERE’S EXCEPTIONAL FOOD, PREMIUM LODGINGS AND VAST SCENERY ON THE TIPS OF BOTH ISLANDS – AND IT’S ALL JUST A STONE’S THROW AWAY.
At the bottom of the North Island, Wellington is arguably New Zealand’s art and cultural hub and a strong foodie destination, with the best coffee in the country and more restaurants, cafes and bars per capita than New York City. A day exploring this fascinating city could include the panoramic views from a
walk up Mount Victoria; a degustation at one of New Zealand’s best restaurants, Logan Brown; or a private tour of New Zealand’s national musuem, Te Papa Tongarewa. Take an outing less than half an hour out of the capital city in any direction to explore where the region's finest produce originates, with a personalised tour of the rich farmland and pristine wilderness.
PINOT NOIR AND PALLISER BAYWith a luxury transfer, be whisked northeast over the steep bush-clad slopes of the Rimutaka Range to Martinborough in the Wairarapa region. Central to the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail and a delightfully picturesque colonial settlement in its own right, this little town deserves exploration. It needn’t involve much effort: with more than 20 wineries within an easy walk or cycle ride of the charming tree-lined town square, and a selection of excellent restaurants, most of your energy can be concentrated on pinning down your favourite pinot noir, the region’s specialty. Then go south to visit dramatic Cape Palliser with its jauntily-striped cast iron lighthouse, high above the rocks that a large colony of fur seals calls home.
One day will not be enough, so make plans to stay the night. Be pampered in Edwardian splendour at Wharekauhau Lodge with its wide views over Palliser Bay. This intimate working sheep station offers a range of unique and personalised experiences, from indulgent spa treatments to clay bird shooting to, if you time it right, hand feeding a lamb; all before watching chef at work in the open kitchen preparing an unforgettable meal that will linger in the memory (wharekauhau.co.nz). Or head to the west coast, where the Kapiti Island sanctuary is home to some of New Zealand’s rarest birds. Submit, as legendary golfer Tiger Woods once did, to the old-world charms and hospitality of nearby Greenmantle Estate, where well-established gardens are the perfect backdrop to a classic and traditional high tea; and where, later, in the undisturbed dark and peace of the countryside, an astronomer can introduce you to some real stars (greenmantle.co.nz).
It’s just a short journey via helicopter, plane or sea over the Cook Strait to some of the South Island’s most stunning scenery. Abel Tasman National Park is the country’s smallest, but its beauty is out of proportion. Here is where sea kayaks seem to float in the air, the water beneath them is so perfectly clear. The beaches are sandy and golden, the
hills are dotted with distinctive granite and marble boulders, the bush is full of tui and bellbirds, and all of it is accessible along inviting trails. Next door is Kahurangi National Park, part total wilderness, part hiker’s heaven; while Nelson Lakes National Park is an alpine landscape of glacial lakes, beech forest and rocky peaks.
ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK
About a 45-minute drive from the galleries and arty buzz of Nelson, where passing musicians tinkle the keys of the public piano in Trafalgar Street with anything from Chopin to the Beatles, and where its independent bookshop is full of intent browsers, you will find the perfectly-titled Edenhouse. Here, acres of lovingly-tended gardens surround a home of traditional comforts that guests find hard to leave. From its own spring water to Chilli, guest liaison officer and labrador, this retreat is unique, welcoming and faultlessly luxurious (edenhouse.co.nz).
Alternatively you could settle into Stonefly Lodge, a luxurious twist to the traditional log cabin. Environmentally sensitive and sustainable, powered by alternative energy sources, the lodge fits lightly into its remote setting, surrounded by three national parks. Here, the fly-fishing is second to none and
you can watch the talented chef prepare your dinner: perhaps that very brown trout you caught in the crystal-clear waters of a backcountry stream (stoneflylodge.co.nz).
You’re deep in some of New Zealand’s most iconic scenery – yet you’ll feel as if you’re staying in classic English surrounds at Lake Timara Lodge with its sweeping parklands, mature trees and rose gardens. Take a row on the mirrored surface of the lake, watch the birds, explore the surrounding wine country, play golf — but always come back to Timara’s timeless comforts (timara.co.nz).
Accessible only by boat — or helicopter — the Bay of Many Coves is tucked deep into a beautiful corner of the Marlborough Sounds, an area of remote bush-clad peninsulas and islands edged with sandy bays and set in the cleanest of seas where New Zealand’s prized salmon and mussels are farmed. Drop in to the resort
for a lunch of delectable, local seafood, or stay to enjoy the total peace and seclusion of one of the remote luxury suites set into the bush around the bay. Each has private views over the clear blue sea where dolphins, seals and orcas may come to call (bayofmanycoves.co.nz). At The Sounds Retreat, the name is literally true: leave the bustling world behind and be pampered in blissful solitude in beautiful Queen Charlotte Sound — perhaps as a reward
“Acres of lovingly-tended gardens surround a home of traditional comforts that guests find hard to leave.”SPLIT APPLE RETREAT EDEN HOUSE
for walking some, or all, of the 70 kilometres of the deservedly famous nearby track of the same name. Even those who find it hard to stir themselves from the idyllic surroundings may be tempted to venture out by the chance to discover local vineyards with world-class wines in the retreat’s BMW Mini Cooper convertible (thesoundsretreat.co.nz)
Does this all sound like too much selfindulgence? Split Apple Retreat makes the
unusual promise that you may leave there lighter than when you arrived: healthier, energised, yet more relaxed, thanks to a programme of pure foods, many of them locally-sourced. Thoughtful food is the focus here, and the lodge runs five-night cooking intensives to teach guests how to recreate their signature gourmet, healthy cuisine (splitapple.com).
While each lodge takes full advantage
of the natural glories on its doorstep — the clear turquoise sea, empty golden beaches, native bush ringing with bird calls, tumbling mountain rivers and mirror-like lakes — a day out with The Food Source is hard to beat. Arrive in style via helicopter to a vineyard to select your wine, then to a river to catch your lunch, and then devour it on a mountain-top, cooked to perfection by their chef — life-long memories (helicoptersnelson.co.nz).
CONTRAST THE ENGLISH GENTILITY AND ARTISTIC VIBRANCE OF CHRISTCHURCH WITH SOME OF NATURE’S GREATEST GIFTS.
HAPUKU LODGE, KAIKOURA
North Island
South Island
CHRISTCHURCH
Known as the Garden City, there's plenty to explore in Christchurch, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. The city is buzzing with innovative enterprises like Re:START, a collection of boutique shops, coffee spots and food carts housed within brightly coloured shipping containers. In the nearby port town of Lyttelton, you'll discover premium coffee spots and hatted restaurants amongst an artistic atmosphere. Or if you'd prefer to explore the Canterbury region's wineries and natural attractions, it's all within a short drive or heli-ride from the city.
Sometimes it’s better to be up close with the scenery: it’s how you can appreciate the soaring magnificence of the mountains. Though not the traditional luxury train experience you might find in Europe, the summertime Coastal Pacific train ride between Christchurch and Picton, with the option to stop off in Kaikoura, is unbeatable for striking scenery as the route traverses the fertile
Canterbury Plains and skims along between the mountains and the sea, popping in and out of tunnels before passing through Marlborough’s picturesque and world-renowned wine country. A truly memorable year-round experience, the TranzAlpine runs daily from Christchurch to Greymouth on the West Coast and back again. First comes the golden country of the Canterbury Plains,
then the narrowing valley of the braided Waimakariri River, which runs fast and foaming through its gorge as the train enters the steep and rugged mountains. Marvel at the engineers who cut the line across the spectacular Southern Alps, before stopping at the mountain resort of Arthur’s Pass, where kea (alpine parrots), wait to greet the train before it descends through the dense beech forest of the West Coast.
Arriving by luxury car transfer, about two and half hours from Christchurch, or a short heli-ride, you’ll come to Kaikoura, a jutting peninsula on a narrow ledge of land between its magnificent snow-capped mountain range and the deep blue southern Pacific Ocean. Here the great Hikurangi Trench feeds cold, nutrient-rich waters right alongside the coast, bringing sea-life flocking to the area. Sperm whales are resident here, and humpback whales are common, making whale-spotting promises a sure bet for the local Māori-owned operation, Whale Watch Kaikoura. From one of their purpose-built boats you can stand eye-level with a whale's great tail as it lifts, streaming water into the air. The view is even more spectacular from above. Hovering by helicopter, you can see the entire length of their body in the clear water. Marvel at the sheer size of them and admire their distinctive shape before they dive back below.
There are other natural treats here, too. Large pods of dusky dolphins, numbering several hundred, are commonly spotted from the Whale Watch boats, and are the focus for dolphin-swimming operations. Exuberant, playful, energetic, they are natural-born entertainers – leaping, somersaulting and playing up for the crowds. It's an unforgettable sight. New Zealand fur seals are resident here too, in colonies along the coast right by the road and around the peninsula, easy to spot as they sunbathe, snooze and galumph across the rocks. Just to the north of the town, along a bush track at Ohau Waterfall, is the area’s best-known secret: a seal cub crèche where, from May to October, scores of cute furry babies spend their days playing in the shady pool beneath the falls, safe from the pounding surf back down on the beach.
Kaikoura’s most famous gift of the sea is the crayfish, a delicately-flavoured and succulent lobster that abounds along the
rocky shore. The best way to enjoy it is from the famous Nin's Bin restaurant. From this humble seaside caravan savour this local delicacy warm, straight from the pot, wrapped up in paper along with lemon, and cracked open right there by the sea.
As fun as rustic, fresh seaside dining may be, don’t miss a more sophisticated culinary experience from the menu at Hapuku Lodge – nestled above the trees, it's an architecural feat. Stylishly simple boxes of wood, glass and copper perched on tall stilts and surrounded by a stand of native manuka trees, they are furnished inside with quantities of goose down, merino, possum fur and a cosy woodburner for those chilly winter evenings. (hapukulodge.com).
Alternatively, seek out Pegasus Bay Winery to the south, and find out why it’s the country’s most-awarded vineyard restaurant. Family-run, they are known for achieving perfection in pairing wine and food: few diners will dispute their skills.
“Surrounded by sweeping striped lawns, mature trees, an architectural Dutch garden, daffodil fields and a lake, peace and comfort are guaranteed here.”
For something entirely different, take a short drive to the far side of Banks Peninsula, to the little French-founded fishing port of Akaroa. Tucked alongside a deep and sheltered harbour, its French heritage is unique in New Zealand. From the Tricolour flying by the shore, to the streets labelled Rue with quaint heritage cottages, to its Frenchdescended town crier, Steve le Lievre, in his double-breasted jacket and white gloves. Take a cruise out through the heads to catch a glimpse of one of the world’s rarest — and cutest — dolphins, and hope to see some little blue or yellow-eyed penguins too.
Stay on the far side of the Peninsula in one of Annandale’s four distinctive properties: from the quaint, historic, yet luxurious Shepherd’s Cottage; to two modern structures in remote and serene bays, Scrubby Bay and Seascape; to the tranquil homestead itself, full of Victorian refinement. Each comes with guaranteed privacy, comfort and Annandale’s unique specialty: ‘gumboot luxury’ (annandale. com). Back towards Christchurch, backed by a
distinctive volcanic peak, find yourself in the truly splendid surroundings of historic Otahuna Lodge, a symphony of arched verandas, turrets, wooden panelling and sculptural chimneys. Surrounded by sweeping striped lawns, mature trees, an architectural Dutch garden, daffodil fields and a lake, peace and comfort are guaranteed here (otahuna.co.nz).
If choosing to travel via helicopter, distances count for little: pop down to Oamaru in South Canterbury to enjoy the distinctive charms of Pen-y-Bryn Lodge, a grand building of Victorian heritage. Built in 1889, the rooms are spacious, offering modern comfort in a historic setting that is lined with English oak and furnished with antiques (penybryn.co.nz). While in this historic, limestone-built town, be sure to catch the march of the penguins: every evening a parade of little blue penguins waddles past purpose-built viewing stands on their way to their nests in an old stone quarry near the waterfront. Most numerous in November and December, they’re a magical sight and one you won’t want to miss.
THERE’S NOWHERE QUITE LIKE QUEENSTOWN FOR PUSHING YOUR LIMITS AND THEN REPAYING THE EFFORT WITH DELICIOUS SELF-INDULGENCE.
Queenstown is the city hub of New Zealand's Central Otago region, famed for its pinot noir, thrilling adventure activities and worldclass ski slopes. While luxury lies within easy reach – such as some of New Zealand's luxe lodgings, renowned wineries and fine-dining galore – there are also hidden gems to discover throughout the lower South Island. Wanaka, Milford Sound, and Fiorland National Park are just a handful of the options for those wanting to get out of town.
In New Zealand’s adventure capital, there are innumerable ways to scare yourself silly, or watch others doing it for you. First home of the world-famous bungy-jump, the classic experience is at Kawarau Bridge, where there is a constant queue of eager jumpers shuffling to the edge of the platform. Head first, feet first, in tandem, in silence or shrieking fit to burst, their only common feature is the width of their grins afterwards as they’re guided into the boat 43m below this historic suspension bridge.
Leaping into vast wilderness is a common theme here: try a canyon swing, less dangerous perhaps than the bungy but addictively fun — you’ll never look at a simple chair the same way again; or swoop down from Bob’s Peak on a zipline, or tandem paraglider. Go even higher, and do a tandem sky-dive from far above the brilliant blue lightning bolt of Lake Wakatipu Duck and dive out of that clear water in a sharkshaped boat-cum-submarine — or maybe just marvel at its bizarre antics from your elegant waterfront suite at historic Eichardt’s Private Hotel, right in the middle of town (eichardts. com). You could even copy Princess Catherine and Prince William, and take the thrilling jet boat ride through the narrow gorges of the Shotover River, closer to the rock cliffs than you would have thought possible.
Even golf here can be extreme. Eighteen holes? That’s for beginners: work your way around the 27 holes of the championship course at Millbrook, and work up an appetite for one of the resort’s four restaurants (millbrook.co.nz). Have a golf course all to yourself at The Lodge at the Hills, where a team awaits to give you a tailored, memorable experience (thehillslodge.co.nz). Nestled between the Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu, Jack's Point Golf Course runs to the lake’s edge with wetlands and bountiful wildlife, with fairways designed with little impact to the natural environment. Four tee positions cater to golfers of all levels.
Or, go extreme and let Over the Top Golf chopper you away to an experience no-one will believe: how often is vertigo a factor when teeing off, and how often on a round are you at
“Have a golf course all to yourself at The Lodge at the Hills, where a team awaits to give you a tailored, memorable experience.”
such great heights?
There are more sedate pleasures to enjoy. Treat yourself to the baronial splendour of Blanket Bay near the top of the lake, and take a soak in the Jacuzzi as you gaze across at the light painting the Humboldt mountain range (blanketbay.com). From here you can take a jet boat to the top of the lake to skim along the bi-colour Dart and Rees Rivers.
Catch some trout for yourself on a bespoke fly-fishing helicopter flight to a remote river. That’s just one of the fabulous activities on offer at many of the region’s luxury lodges — like Matakauri Lodge (matakaurilodge. com) where you can take a bubble bath in the window, gazing out at the TSS Earnslaw puffing across the lake, and understand why The Remarkables mountain range is so well-named.
The old Earnslaw steamer is a Queenstown icon, but to truly appreciate the lake's beauty, why not take your own boat? Perhaps the super-yacht Pacific Jemm. Sleek and elegant, she’ll take you wherever you fancy, and there
can be few things more memorable than dining well under a bright starlit sky before being rocked to sleep in perfect peace and quiet.
Speaking of tranquility, take a look at Azur Lodge: close enough to town to have a special meal brought in from one of Queenstown’s finest restaurants (as long as you didn’t overdo the home-made afternoon tea), but far enough out for total seclusion (azur.co.nz).
Perhaps, though, you like to be close to the action. Right in town is the distinctively French-flavoured Sofitel: Parisian panache plus possum-fur throws, it’s a winning combination (sofitel-queenstown.com). A short water-taxi ride away is the Hilton Resort and Spa, each of its suites complete with a schist fireplace: now what could be cosier on a crisp autumn afternoon? (queenstownhilton.com). For a more personal experience, Touch of Spice offers a full range of private villas in the area, with something to suit every taste. (touchofspice.co.nz).
The area is thick with excellent vineyards
and restaurants: on the way to picture-perfect Arrowtown, be sure to stop off at Amisfield Winery to taste their signature pinot noir. A sure bet is the ‘Trust the chef’ dinner menu at their popular Bistro: different every day, depending on local produce, it’s always a triumph of fresh and innovative tastes complemented with excellent wines.
Queenstown: in autumn, its colours are blue, white, yellow, orange and red — really, though, it’s all gold.
“Close enough to town to have a special meal brought in from one of Queenstown’s finest restaurants… but far enough out for total seclusion.”AZUR LODGE LAKE WANAKA
Don’t just be dazzled by Queenstown –you might miss some of New Zealand’s most dramatic scenery. It is truly breath-taking to take a helicopter ride over and through the snow-capped jagged peaks of Fiordland National Park to spectacular Milford Sound Hover over the top of Sutherland Falls, the country’s highest cataract, spot the worldfamous Milford Track, land on a glacier, view
Mitre Peak from all angles: you’ll never forget these sights. Stay in the heart of this World Heritage area at Fiordland Lodge near Lake Te Anau: stylish, private and designed for your total comfort (fiordlandlodge.co.nz).
Over the Crown Range from Queenstown lies Lake Wanaka, its radiant blue waters fringed by autumn-bright willow trees. Less frenetic than its neighbour, this is where the connoisseurs come for pure beauty. Everything you thought you wanted is here, and much more besides:
the famous Lone Tree of Lake Wanaka, Carole Lombard’s 1934 Duesenberg and an armchair cinema. For a memorable wintery stay, Minaret Station Alpine Lodge is set on a glacial valley surrounded by unspoiled landscapes. You can only arrive to this remote cluster of four luxury chalets by helicopter (minaretstation.com).
New Zealand: it’s full of unexpected delights and seductive luxury, tucked into some of the planet’s most spectacular, and accessible, scenery. And it’s all just a short hop away.
New Zealand International Comedy Festival
22 APRIL- 15 MAY 2016
The International Comedy Festival has live comedy shows from the globe, including standup, sketch, improvisation, comedy-theatre and children’s comedy. comedyfestival.co.nz
New Zealand International Film Festival
13 APRIL - 3 MAY 2016
Founded in 1969, the NZ Film Festival shows between 150-170 features. nziff.co.nz
MAY
Bluff Oyster and Food Festival
21 MAY 2016
Said to be the world’s best oysters, this festival marks a seasonal celebration of the Bluff Oyster harvest when they are at their best. bluffoysterfest.co.nz
American Express
Queenstown Winterfest
24 JUNE - 3 JULY 2016
A 10-day event celebrating winter, Winterfest has street parties, fireworks, international and local music acts, comedy, and family activities. winterfestival.co.nz
JUNE 2016 (WINTER SERIES)
A premium Hawke’s Bay event, the winter series of the F.A.W.C. runs every weekend during June, offering patrons the chance to mingle with the chefs, food producers and winemakers of NZ’s foodie scene. fawc.co.nz
Art Deco Weekend
JULY 2016 & FEBRUARY 2017
The Tremain Art Deco Festival in February and its winter equivalent, the Hawke's Bay Toyota
Winter Deco Weekend in July, showcases the art deco style of Napier. artdeconapier.com
Visa Wellington on a Plate
12-28 AUGUST 2016
A gastronomic dream, this annual event has been running since 2009 and features fine food and drink experiences, as well as a competition for Wellington’s best burger. wellingtononaplate.com
Brancott Estate World of WearableArt® Awards
22 SEPTEMBER – 9 OCTOBER 2016
Referred to as WOW, this global event held in Wellington showcases works of art designed to be worn in a dramatic show featuring theatre, dance and movement. worldofwearableart.com
Auckland Diwali Festival
17-18 OCTOBER 2016
Auckland Diwali Festival celebrates Auckland’s ethnic diversity by showcasing traditional and contemporary Indian culture with live dance, music, puppet and theatre performances. aucklandnz.com
Toast Martinborough Festival
20 NOVEMBER 2016
This year marks the 25th annual Toast Martinborough Festival. Peruse the wineries of Martinborough while dancing among the vines and sampling the best produce of the region. toastmartinborough.co.nz
JANUARY
New Zealand Millennium Cup
24-27 JANUARY 2017
New Zealand's premier superyacht regatta, held in the Bay of Islands. millenniumcup.com
BMW New Zealand Golf Open
MARCH 2017
As part of the PGA Tour of Australasia, the BMW New Zealand Open includes a minimum field of 140 amateurs and 140 professional players teeing off at courses throughout Queenstown. nzopen.co.nz
Warbirds over Wanaka
International Airshow
MARCH 2017
An aviation extravaganza celebrating classic aircraft and warbirds, as well as modern jets and sport aircraft. warbirdsoverwanaka.com
ID Fashion Week, Dunedin
MARCH 2017
Eight days of catwalk shows, international and local designers, and the International Emerging Designer Awards. idfashion.co.nz
New Zealand is a one-of-a-kind destination where priceless natural assets inspire pure luxury and premium experiences. From spectacular peaks to crystal-clear lakes, endless coastline and private islands, New Zealand’s regions offer world-class activities and endless opportunities to create the perfect break.
Enjoy un-obstructed views from your private villa.
Whether you are after the thrill of an adrenaline rush or the tranquility of nature, complemented by personalised service, luxury and privacy – Azur is the choice.
www.azur.co.nz
Alexandra Carroll, AUTHOR OF A NEW GUIDE BOOK TO NEW YORK , TAKES YOU BEYOND THE CITY'S WELL-KNOWN FACADES AND INTO THE DEPTHS OF MANHATTAN AND BROOKLYN, SEEKING OUT THE VERY BEST SHOPPING THE CITY HAS TO OFFER. HERE WE PUBLISH SELECTED EXERPTS FROM THE BOOK AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR THE LUXURY TRAVELLER.
18 Jay St, TriBeCa and 636 Hudson St, West Village
If you want to truly shop local, you can’t go past Annelore. Juliana Cho handmakes the whimsical silk dresses, blouses and coats that adorn her TriBeCa atelier. The prices reflect the quality of her garments and the handiwork that has gone into every pleat and tuck of her 30-piece collection, but these are clothes which will see you through many a trend cycle.
l BEST FOR SECRET STYLE
18 East 69th St, Upper East Side
Located in a whisper-quiet street just off Madison Avenue, Fivestory’s townhouse location and discreet signage will make you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a secret style coven for the New York fashionista and, indeed, this boutique carries a finely curated collection for those who are steeped in fashion knowledge and prepared to invest in it. Swoon over decadent Giambattista Valli creations just off the Paris catwalk and the minimalist lines of Cushnie et Ochs. Up the grand staircase, you’ll find daywear through to eveningwear, and a small but to-die-for collection of shoes spanning ladylike heels from Salvatore Ferragamo and Gianvito Rossi to flats by Chloé. Accessories, gifts and delightful children’s clothing can be found on the ground floor.
l BEST FOR FINE HOMEWARES
THE APARTMENT BY THE LINE
3rd Floor, 76 Greene St, SoHo
If you’ve ever imagined what a typical SoHo loft might look like inside, then The Apartment by The Line is the place for you. In an 1872 cast iron building on Greene Street, the loft’s luxe decor is styled as though the apartment is a home. Every item is thoughtfully curated to tempt expenditure, with Georg Jensen silverware, Lasvit lighting fixtures, Corriedale wool stitch blankets, and Helmut Newton and Robert Mapplethorpe photos among the delights. But it is the vintage items that pull the whole picture together: Moroccan rugs, exquisite enamelled silver teaspoons from the nineteenth century and Japanese lacquer boxes. Only open Wednesdays and Saturdays.
l BEST FOR FASHIONISTAS DOVER STREET MARKET NEW YORK
160 Lexington Ave, Midtown East
The retail concept store founded by Rei Kawakubo, the visionary behind the Japanese label Comme des Garçons, Dover Street Market is a seven-floor wonderland of the most fashionforward kind. Comme des Garçons leads a constellation of designers that orbit around an avant-garde sensibility. Prada, Nina Ricci, Jil Sander and Victoria Beckham inject gorgeousness into the proceedings, and the overall effect is fun bazaar rather than high temple of fashion. The onsite Rose Bakery is a cut above your average fuel stop on this strip of Lexington Avenue.
l BEST FOR HEIRLOOM JEWELS
DOYLE & DOYLE
412 West 13th St, Meatpacking District
Atrove of antique, vintage and estate jewellery, Doyle & Doyle is a collector’s haunt for its resplendent range of antique jewels dating all the way back to Georgian times (1747–1837) and through to the Retro Moderne era (1937–1950). Its Art Deco selection is to die for, and if you want a one-of-a-kind engagement ring to symbolise
your once-in-a-lifetime union, and can play in the price range such heirlooms command, its collection is unsurpassed.
l BEST FOR THE BIG NAMES IN ART GAGOSIAN GALLERY
555 West 24th St, Chelsea; 522 West 21st St, Chelsea; 980 Madison Avenue, Upper East Side.
Revered and unrivalled, Gagosian’s roster is a who’s who of modern and contemporary art. Andreas Gursky, Francis Bacon, Henry
Moore, Damien Hirst, Dennis Hopper, Alberto Giacometti and Cy Twombly are among the titans Gagosian has exhibited. With galleries in London, Athens, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Geneva and Beverly Hills, it has a stake in every major art market, but New York is its seat of power, with three galleries on the Upper East Side and two in Chelsea. The Gagosian Shop, close to its Madison Avenue gallery, is a melange of unusual objects, catalogues and art tomes.
l BEST FOR INTIMATE ART
1 East 70th St, Upper East Side
To enter Henry Clay Frick’s mansion on Fifth Avenue is to cross the threshold into a bygone era. The New York of the Gilded Age was awash with wealth from the growth of industrialisation, though the spoils belonged to very few. Frick used some of his fortune to collect objects and artworks that pleased him, with the intention that both his home and his collection would one day become the Frick Collection. The museum is preserved as the opulent home it was in its day. Wander the 16 galleries where 18th-century French furniture, oriental carpets and Limoges enamels create a sumptuous setting for the superb Old Masters on the walls. Works by Rembrandt, Degas, Goya and Titian are held in a collection that rivals any larger museum, but it’s the intimate setting that makes it one of the city’s unmissable cultural experiences.
209 Elizabeth St, NoLIta
Elizabeth Street is known for being fashion central, so happening upon a life-size bronze horse in a shop window is a tad unexpected and immediately intriguing. The hunt for the unusual continues inside what was once a New York fire station: a pair of stone griffins stand like sentinels near the entrance; an 18th-century French gaming table is a fascinating insight into the pastimes of the upper class; and a 19th-century Dutch iron safe with an intricate locking system promises to keep its owner’s secrets. Exceptional and very upscale, Elizabeth Street Gallery is a place of inspiration (even if the price tag was less than $40K for those griffins, how would you get them home?).
l
217 Mott St, NoLIta
Upscale vintage at the modern end of the spectrum, Resurrection’s meticulously curated range spans the 1960s right up to the mid 2000s. With designer clothing as lustworthy now as it was when it first hit the catwalk at Chanel, Gucci, Hermés, Karl Lagerfeld and Issey Miyake (to call out just a few of its superb labels), Resurrection is the place to go to hunt for that Tom Ford for YSL skirt you wished you’d bought the first time around back in 2002, or a piece of fashion posterity from before Yves Saint Laurent became Saint Laurent.
If you’ve always hankered after a little Mad Men styling in your home, the End of History is the place to pick up mid-century glassware and
ceramics in all the colours of the rainbow. Its eye-popping technicolour window displays are a West Village beacon, especially when lit up at night, and inside a dazzling collection of approximately 10,000 pieces, artfully arranged by hue, awaits. Owner Stephen
With designer clothing as lustworthy now as it was when it first hit the catwalk Resurrection is the place to go.
Saunders has an exceptional eye and has pickers scouring estate sales and auctions all over the world for his store’s precious finds, with an emphasis on Italy, Scandinavia, Germany and the US. There’s also the occasional figurine and some Art Deco objects from the 1930s. Stunning.
l BEST FOR INSPIRATIONAL FASHION
DEAR: RIVINGTON+
37 Great Jones St, NoHo
Avant-garde meets exquisite at this fashion industry haunt. Dear: Rivington+ is my number one pick for inspirational fashion. The store features a mix of monochromatic couture – Comme des Garçons is a showstopper in this whitewashed space. The owners have an eye for vintage furniture (Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and J.Crew have been known to use Moon and HeyJa’s pieces in shop fitouts), lighting and curios, which can be found downstairs
l BEST FOR ACCOMMODATION WITH A TWIST GRAMERCY PARK HOTEL
2 Lexington Avenue, New York
Gramercy Park was first conceived in the 1830s, based on the model of a private English garden. The park’s gates were locked in 1844, and since then only residents of the buildings that border the park have been allowed to use it. If your heart is set on entering this exclusive oasis, you could stay at the boho luxe 1920s-era Gramercy Park Hotel. They have 12 keys and you are escorted in and out of the park by hotel staff, so closely guarded is access. Nearby is Danny Meyer’s iconic Gramercy Tavern.
l BEST FOR DINING CHEF'S TABLE
200 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn
Follow the stars and dine at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare, for the borough’s
only three Michelin-starred dining experience. Eighteen spots at the kitchen counter, a 15-course degustation inspired by Japanese cuisine (which changes daily), and a spot so hard to come by it’s booked out within minutes of the Monday morning reservation openings (for six weeks in advance). One way of securing this oncein-a lifetime dining experience could be to host a private event!
l BEST FOR INTIMATE DRINKS ANGEL'S SHARE
8 Stuyvesant St, New York
Japanese speakeasy Angel’s Share is located upstairs behind an unmarked door in a Japanese restaurant. This tiny tworoom establishment, with a celestial mural above the elegant bar, is heavenly for all the right reasons: gifted mixologists, intimate (no parties larger than four), civilised (no standing at the bar) and romantic.
LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines form LATAM Airlines Group which serves over 130 destinations in 22 countries. LAN Airlines offers seven flights per week from Sydney to Santiago, Chile via Auckland and four direct codeshare flights operated by oneworld partner. From Santiago, LAN offers connections to the most exciting destinations in Ecuador, including San Cristobal and Baltra, gateways to the exotic Galapagos Islands.
LEISURELY TRAVEL : CRUISE WITH US THROUGH THE MEDITERRANEAN / WE TRACK THE WORLD'S MOST ICONIC LUXURY RAIL JOURNEYS / PLUS OUR BUSINESS CLASS FLIGHT REVIEWS AND WE REVIEW FIRST AND BUSINESS CLASS AIRLINE LOUNGES.
EXPERIENCING EQUAL PARTS LUXURY AND ADVENTURE, Rob Mills HITS THE HIGH SEAS TO DISCOVER THE ANCIENT WONDERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.
It’s a perfect spring evening on the Adriatic as our ship pulls away from the ancient preserved medieval Montenegrin port of Kotor bound for Dubrovnik, just 83 kilometres up the Croatian coast. We’re sipping champagne at the pool deck bar, watching the fortified old town at the foot of the limestone Dinaric Alps grow smaller, when the gentle words of Captain Etienne Garcia are broadcast, urging his 250 “dear guests” to savour this “beautiful navigation”. His ship, the French small luxury liner, Le Soléal, glides through the glassy, turquoise waters of the 28-kilometre long Bay of Kotor. It may look like a fjord but is in fact a ria or submerged river canyon. As we continue, two exquisite islets can
be seen from the port side. One is Our Lady of the Rocks, which bears the 17th-century church of the same name. The other, Ostrvo Sveti Đorđe, is home to the 12th-century Saint George Benedictine monastery. Both are important pilgrim destinations.
Captain Garcia circles the striking islands before leaving the Bay of Kotor via the Verige Strait and its narrow 230-metre wide opening, giving some idea of the strategic importance of what was once thought to be Europe’s southernmost fjord.
Fourteen days aboard Le Soléal exploring the ancient ruins of Southern Europe from Istanbul to Venice is a feast for the eyes, the intellect and – because this is a sophisticated French ship after all – a feast of the literal kind.
We are in fact being enthusiastically spoiled on APT’s 17-day Ancient Mediterranean luxury cruise from Athens and Istanbul to Venice. As well as two nights at Athens’ magnificent Hotel Grande Bretagne with its Parthenon, Parliament, Syntagma Square and Mount Lycabettus views, a packed itinerary includes Santorini, Mykonos, Canakkale, Gallipoli, Troy, Assos, Istanbul, Kepez, Kusadasi, Ephesus, the Corinth, Canal, Itea, Delphi, Kotor, Montenegro, Dubrovnik and Venice.
There’s another aspect to this 3,471-kilometre experience. APT has chartered Le Soléal, one of French cruise company Ponant’s four exploration and discovery ships, for Gallipoli’s 100th anniversary. This means Gallipoli is front and centre for a few days, before Le Soléal continues her Aegean (Aegean) and Adriatic exploration.
But while this cruise is a one-off, it is also a dry-run for APT’s 2016 Boutique Collection Cruising program between Venice and Istanbul, which includes the 15-day Aegean and Adriatic Seas cruise aboard Ponant’s newest ship, Le Lyrial (almost identical to Le Soléal), and the 15-day Adriatic & Aegean Odyssey aboard APT’s even smaller, 114-passenger luxury ship, MS Island Sky.
Gallipoli will still be on the itinerary but the emphasis will swing towards the Aegean
and Adriatic ports, with an itinerary very similar to Le Soléal’s.
It’s tempting to lounge around this sleek ship – thankfully casino-free – but Le Soléal and APT, with its “Freedom of Choice” excursions, focus on providing a sophisticated experience that includes an active engagement with its destinations.
And so we find ourselves diving from a traditional wooden caïque into the bracing Mediterranean to swim 60 metres into Santorini’s Nea Kameni, where sulphurous gases heat the water to 37 degrees. Next we’re hiking to the top of nearby Palia Kameni, an active volcanic centre in Santorini’s circular archipelago. The awe-inspiring site was once a single volcano that erupted catastrophically 3600 years ago.
In Montenegro, we choose between kayaking, swimming and snorkelling in the picturesque Bay of Kotor, speedboating to the Lustica peninsula’s luminous Blue Caves to swim and sunbathe, walking the walled old town of Kotor, then climbing the zigzag path to St John’s church.
In Croatia, we must decide between a fascinating cycle in the wine and olive-growing valley outside Dubrovnik (including lunch, wine tasting and a crash course on Croatian history and culture), walking the old town, or navigat-
“Le Soléal’s name is a combination of the French “sun” and “the one
ing the ramparts Game of Thrones aficionados might recognise. It’s serious FOMO territory.
And don’t get me started on Istanbul. From the moment we glide into the Golden Horn, with the city’s minarets silhouetted against the sunrise, and dock beneath Topkapi Palace, we’re offered a cornucopia of choices.
Something we can all experience is a dawn crossing of the Corinth Canal. Our 18-metrewide ship navigates the 21.4-metre wide, 6.4-kilometre high-walled channel that cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth, slicing the Greek mainland from the Peloponnesian peninsula. Few cruise ships are small enough to manage the journey, making this a once-ina-lifetime experience.
It would be remiss to omit what some consider the raison d’etre of this cruise – the total immersion in the ancient world’s diverse civilisations that produced such wonders as Ephesus, Troy, Delphi, Assos and Delos. Not to mention Athens’ Acropolis, Parthenon, Emperor Hadrian’s Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Poseidon and many more.
It would be equally lax to gloss over shipboard life. Le Soléal’s interiors are sophisticated, with good use of neutral colours – sand, caramel, chocolate, pale aqua and cream. Paintings and sculptures have a nautical or galactic
theme, with an eye-catching, two-deck sculptural “shoal of fish” in the role of central atrium light. And I defy you to stay awake in the theatre’s luxurious armchairs.
The 132 private-balcony cabins spread over four decks accommodate 264 guests (there’s lift access). Prestige staterooms are 22.6 square metres, with decent storage space, flat screen TV, desk, safe, air-conditioning, fridge and a shower with an optional glass screen so you can enjoy the view and your L’Occitane products simultaneously.
There’s butler service for Deck 6 guests and room service for all others. The ship’s spa operates in association with French beauty brand Sothys As the Med races past, Restaurant L’Eclipse serves excellent degustation-style a la carte dinners, with matched European wines and champagnes. Restaurant Le Pytheas, boasting outdoor seating on the pool deck, is more casual. Buffet-style dining is complemented by made-to-order hot meals and to-die-for desserts including delicate crèmes brulees and, a piece de resistance, chocolate and sugared-pistachio tart.
Breakfast is another treat – one you can order to your bed! Amazing croissants and pastries are a highlight. Room service is also available for dinner, though the lure of fine food and good conversation beyond your door
is strong, which brings me to the bars. Galilee resides in the main lounge but it’s the airy Observation bar that lures us most strongly. Its huge skylight and wraparound glass offer the perfect setting for Bruno’s magnificent preand post-dinner cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, accompanied by the delicate sounds of concert pianist, Valentyn Smolianinoff
Le Soléal’s name is a combination of the French “sun” and “the one who shows the way”. It’s appropriate for this wonderful experience.
APT’s 2016 Mediterranean Boutique Collection
Cruises include the 15-day Aegean and Adriatic Seas cruise from Venice to Istanbul aboard Ponant’s Le Lyrial (June 14 or 28, 2016) from A$14,990 per person twin share; and the 15-day Adriatic and Aegean Odyssey all-inclusive small ship coastal cruise from Venice to Istanbul aboard APT’s MS Island Sky (departures in April, July and August 2016) from A$13,295 per person twin share (includes APT’s early payment discount). aptouring.com.au
Emirates flies from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth to Venice via Dubai daily. emirates.com
See more on this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
who shows the way”. It’s appropriate for this wonderful experience.”
NEW SHIP
Cruise and touring company Scenic has announced new luxury mega yacht Scenic Eclipse. The six-star vessel will have 114 suites, all with verandas. On-board facilities will include a spa with indoor and outdoor jacuzzis and plunge pools, two on-board helicopters and a seven-seat submarine for guests to explore the destinations they visit, with a Discovery Team available to assist with excursions.
In August 2018, Scenic Eclipse will embark on her maiden voyage from Istanbul to Venice before sailing to The Americas, Antarctica, Europe and the Mediterranean, and the Arctic and Norwegian Fjords. Voyages will start at A$8,795 per person twin share for the Taste of Cuba & the Caribbean cruise, including all meals, complimentary beverages, butler service, onboard entertainment, as well as all gratuities, WiFi, local guides for shore excursions and a selection of activities and events. scenic.com.au
Luxury cruise and expedition company
Ponant has announced it will venture into the Kimberley in 2017. Ponant’s modern and environmentally accredited L’Austral ship will take guests through historic areas like King George Falls, the Hunter River, Horizontal Falls and Montgomery Reef, with possible on-land excursions including visits to Langii, the spiritual home of the Wandijina; and freshwater cover, where guests will spend a day with Kimberley elder and Wandijina artist Doony Woolagoodja. Each expedition will be led by veteran Kimberley explorer and photographer, Mick Fogg. The first 10-day journey departs 3 July 2017 from Darwin heading to Broome, with prices starting from A$5,980 per person, twin share. ponant.com
The only luxury cruise through America’s heartland will launch in August 2016. French America Line’s French Colonial-inspired boutique riverboat Louisiane will explore the Deep South, taking in the cuisine, culture and history of its ports. With capacity for 150 people in 75 staterooms and suites, the newly refurbished ship will offer itineraries exploring New Orleans, Nashville, Ohio, Mississippi, and Florida, among others. Highlighted excursions include visits to the home of Elvis Presley at Graceland, Tennessee; a visit to the hometown of Mark Twain; and sampling Creole and Cajun cuisine in Louisiana. Parisian-trained Cordon Bleu chef Regina Charboneau will be heading up the vessel as executive chef. Rates start at A$5,751 per person, twin share, including guided shore excursions, all meals and most beverages, and on-board gratuities. cruising.com.au
Cruise-lovers wanting to keep fit and healthy on board can now book a specially themed wellness cruise with Silversea Expeditions. The luxury cruise company has partnered with fitness company Technogym to create a series of wellness cruises for 2016 and 2017, with activities including yoga and pilates classes on board and ashore; fitness classes in the ship’s swimming pool; a complimentary spa massage treatment; cooking demonstrations that highlight healthy cuisine; and gym sessions with personal trainers. The first 14-day Wellness Expedition Voyage departs 4 October 2016 from Cairns heading to Balikpapan, Indonesia and is priced from A$16,950 per person, twin share. silversea.com
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IN OUR FAST-PACED WORLD, MANY RAIL JOURNEYS REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE LUXURY OF RELAXED TRAVEL. HERE David McGonigal OUTLINES SOME OF THE WORLD’S ICONIC LUXURY RAIL TRIPS.
and depersonalised, luxury slow-travel develops apace. More trains at the high end of luxury are operating in ever-widening regions. While there are some spectacular day trains and several journeys where you stay offtrain, there are also some remarkable options with on-board accommodation. Here are some of the best in different regions.
the world’s greatest rail journey is the 9,300km Trans-Siberian trip from Moscow to Vladivostok. In 2007, the 25-car Golden Eagle, under UK management, brought luxury to the line. By day, the Bar Lounge Car hosts talks and activities while, in the evening, the resident pianist presides. The cuisine is international but features Russian specialities such as black sturgeon caviar. The spacious Imperial Suites are the most luxurious with a large double bed plus lounge area, and a private guide and driver for off-train excursions.
The Golden Eagle offers a wide range of rail journeys in Eurasia. The 15-day Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express runs virtually throughout the year, including Winter Wonderland departures. An Imperial Suite costs from A$44,470 per person.
goldeneagleluxurytrains.com
the enduring legend of luxurious rail journeys is the Orient Express that began in 1883, travelling from Paris to Istanbul. Today, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express begins in London or Paris to finish in Venice, Vienna, Prague, Verona, Istanbul or – new for 2016 – Berlin. The perfectly detailed Art Nouveau lounge interior and Art Deco cabins hark back to golden days of travel, as does the Lalique Champagne Bar. The meals in the three restaurant cars feature modern cuisine created by talented French chefs.
The most luxurious accommodation is a Cabin Suite, made up of two interconnecting Double Cabins. The ultimate once-a-year journey, which this year starts on August 26, recreates the original route taking six days and five nights from Paris to Istanbul via Budapest and Bucharest. Prices start from A$11,412 per person. belmond.com
the eastern and oriental express provides the chance to travel between Singapore and Bangkok in a luxurious style that owes a lot to refined colonial days. Over three days and two nights you pass through Malaysia and much of coastal Thailand. In this heartland of overlapping cuisines and cultures the train’s talented chefs create elegant eastern and western dishes. The saloon, bar and observation cars provide lots of sophisticated, convivial space.
While all cabins are luxurious, the Presidential Cabin is larger, with more seating and an extended bathroom.
The train operates year-round. October to March is high season. The price of a Presidential Suite in high season is A$15,019.
belmond.com/eastern-and-oriental-express
the belmond grand hibernian will debut in August when it departs Dublin station bound for Cork as the first stop in a seven-day journey of Ireland that extends from Killarney to Belfast and Portrush.
There are just 20 luxurious cabins from which to watch the green patchwork of the Irish countryside flow past.
Two dining cars, one formal and one less so, serve Irish fare complemented by Waterford crystal or Irish tweed fabric. The Grand Tour is the longest of three itineraries and prices start from A$12,277 per person. It departs weekly but is booked out until the 2017 April to October season.
belmond.com/grand-hibernian-train
the words ‘perfect hospitality’ come to mind when thinking of The Blue Train that carries guests in a high degree of luxury between Cape Town and Pretoria. Originally catering for mining magnates,
The Blue Train has introduced several innovations that make it one of the world’s most comfortable trains. The decor and service are exquisite and all meals, featuring local specialities, are prepared in the tiny on-display kitchen.
There are two Blue Trains and the stops differ depending on direction. The Luxury Suites are a metre longer than Deluxe Suites and feature baths in the marble bathrooms. The lounge, bar and dining cars gleam like gems. The Blue Train operates year-round and a Luxury Suite for the two-day/one-night journey, in high season (September to November) costs A$1,983 per person, twin share.
www.bluetrain.co.za
australia’s greatest rail journey enthusiast, ex-Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer, selects the 19-carriage Golden Chariot as his pick of India’s luxury train offerings. It has two eight-day itineraries from Bangalore with the Pride of the South running between October and March and visiting Mysore, Goa, temples, a tiger reserve and several World Heritage sites.
Cabins have satellite TV, WiFi and a well-designed ensuite bathroom. Accommodating maximum of just 44 guests, the Golden Chariot boasts hand-woven silk sheets and hand-carved wooden panels. Expect a band to welcome you on board and to be bedecked in garlands. The two beautiful dining carriages serve both Indian and international fare and there’s a spa car as well as the Madira Lounge Car that is modelled on the opulent Mysore Palace. Through RailPlus, the fare is A$5,926 per person, twin share. railplus.com.au
Exclusively for adults and located just 30 minutes’ drive from Port Vila, The Havannah is an oasis of tranquility and your perfect romantic retreat. With only 17 luxurious villas set amidst elegantly landscaped gardens, you can be assured privacy and personalised service, Havannah style.
Great Southern Rail recently launched its new Platinum Club with the first of four refurbished carriages unveiled on the luxury train, the Indian Pacific. Platinum Club marks the company’s first major redevelopment since 2008 and offers a deco-style bar, lounge and fully flexible dining area. It will be available on both The Ghan and the Indian Pacific. The company’s chief revenue officer, Steve Kernaghan, explained the company has been investing in developing an all-inclusive product across both trains, with food, beverage and off-rail excursions.
The company has seen a 24 per cent increase in demand for its platinum service over the past two years. New-look attire has also been revealed, with Australian fashion designer Juli Grbac teaming up with R.M. Williams to design the uniforms for Great Southern Rail’s 300 staff members. greatsouthernrail.com.au
For the first time in 40 years, iconic British passenger train the Flying Scotsman has taken to its old route along the East Coast Main Line, following a decade-long restoration, which cost £4.2 million (about A$8 million). Built in 1923, the Flying Scotsman is considered one of the most famous locomotives of its time, and in its day, was the world’s longest non-stop rail service. The Flying Scotsman was taken in for preservation at the time of its retirement in 1963 but the restoration process only began in 2006, two years after it was bought by York’s National Railway Museum. Virgin Group owner Sir Richard Branson helped facilitate the train’s return with a £365,000 (about A$697,000) donation. Branson said his contribution was due in part to his love for the “glamour that the Flying Scotsman brought to travel”. In May, the train will make a series of excursions, travelling the length and breadth of the UK. Though the London-Edinburgh journey will only take about half the time it once did, the character of the train remains intact, from the traditional green of the former national railway agency’s uniforms to the scarlet of the vintage-style velvet seating. The locomotive will be on display at the National Railway Museum until 8 May, with a Starring Scotsman exhibition, looking at the history of the train, running until 19 June. flyingscotsman.org.uk
Belmond’s seventh luxury train, the Belmond Grand Hibernian, will make its inaugural journey in August 2016 as the first luxury rail experience of its kind in Ireland. Departing from Dublin, the rail will offer two, four, and six-night itineraries travelling the countryside, coasts, and cities of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The all-inclusive trips feature a number of daily excursions, such as tours of ancient castles and whiskey distilleries. Keen golfers can also opt to add on a selection of daily golf excursions. The train will have a 40-person capacity with 20 ensuite cabins. Prices start at A$5,024 per person for the two-night journey. belmond.com
WE SHOW YOU HOW TO FLY FLAT ON POINTS + HIGH FLYER REVIEWS OF QANTAS AND BRITISH AIRWAYS BUSINESS CLASS AND INTRODUCING OUR AIRPORT LOUNGE REVIEWS – OF QANTAS AND AIR NEW ZEALAND
Following its first flight into Sydney in March, five-star airline Qatar Airways has announced it will add 14 new destinations to its network across four continents. The additional destinations include Nice, France; Pisa, Italy; Helsinki, Finland; and Marrakech, Morocco. In what has been touted as the world’s longest flight, a Doha to Auckland route has also been added, giving more options to those travelling to Europe and beyond from New Zealand. Qatar Airways has recently expanded its offering to Australians, with new routes between Doha and Sydney, and Doha and Adelaide introduced this year. In June, the airline will add an Airbus A380 to its service between Sydney and Doha, which is currently operated by a Boeing 777-300ER. The airline was voted the world’s best in 2015 by airline rating website, Skytrax. qatarairways.com
Air New Zealand has opened its new 771sqm lounge at Brisbane International Airport. The lounge is the most recent project of a four-year upgrade of the airline’s lounge network by award-winning US design firm, Gensler, and complements reopened lounges at Sydney International and Auckland International airports. The Brisbane lounge has expanded significantly in size, with capacity for nearly 200 guests, and boasts views over Brisbane city. It features a café with a self-service food buffet and beverage station; a children’s play area and family space; a business zone and private shower suites with ensuite bathrooms. airnewzealand.com.au
Celebrated US-based chef Wolfgang Puck will open a premium dining outlet in Sydney International Airport’s new City View precinct. The Bistro by Wolfgang Puck will serve Italian trattoriastyle cuisine and will be joined by modern eateries Benny Burger by Melbourne chef Shannon Bennett and Sydney’s popular Kitchen by Mike concept. The City View precinct is part of wider improvements to the airport’s T1 terminal and will be complemented by a luxury shopping precinct scheduled to open mid-year. sydneyairport.com.au
NEW SEATS
Emirates has unveiled an updated business class seat for its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The new seat has a 72-inch pitch, a fully lie-flat bed, a mini-bar and a 23-inch TV screen – one of the industry’s largest. The business class cabin will have a 2-3-2 layout, meaning those in the middle seat will not have direct aisle access. The Boeing 777-300ER fleet is being rolled out from November. The current 777-300’s will not be retrofitted. emirates.com
SKYTEAM
Garuda Indonesia has started rolling out its new Airbus A330-300 fleet, featuring an updated business class seat. The airline has replaced its 2-2-2 configuration with a 1-2-1 configuration, giving all business passengers aisle access. Other improvements include a wider lie-flat seat and a 16inch monitor. An updated self-service mini-bar is also available. However, the new A330s have capacity for only 24 business class passengers, compared to 42 seats on the previous planes. garuda-indonesia.com
UPGRADE GOOD FOR BUSINESSSTAR ALLIANCE BRISBANE BOLSTERED BY LOUNGE UPGRADE
Etihad Airways will open a new first class lounge at Abu Dhabi International Airport in May. The new lounge will open in Terminal 3 and will be for the exclusive use of guests in first class and The Residence by Etihad, as well as Etihad Guest Platinum and platinum members on partner airlines. etihad.com
Each issue we flight test airline loyalty programs to a specified route, flying business class on points. This issue we examine if you want to travel from Melbourne to Copenhagen and lie flat, what is the best way to do it on points? We compare the frequent flyer points needed through several airline loyalty programs.
*Note: Flying Singapore Airlines, Includes 15% online booking discount
service with a smile?
There were three staff members at the arrivals desk, which is accessed after passing a living greenery wall with 8,400 plants and alighting an escalator beneath an impressive circular light well. I was greeted warmly by name and escorted to the dining area where I was offered my choice of dining table in the 48-seat restaurant for breakfast.
lounge ambiance
There was classical and lounge music playing in the background. The lounge has a strong sense of space with plenty of room to settle in with your hand-luggage. The lounge overlooks the tarmac with a fantastic view of aircraft coming and going, including the Flying Kangaroo, thanks to floor-toceiling windows allowing plenty of natural light.
reading materials and entertainment
Shelves of magazines include Popular Science, Collective Hub and Crikey. Newspapers included The Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph, The Australian and Australian Financial Review Television screens were playing Sky News through a Bose sound system.
connect me
If you have to be online, print or have a Skype session, desk stations in the lounge have fullsized MAC desktops, a phone and printers. There are power points and charging stations at some (but not all) lounge settings. There is also a business centre.
feed me
Sharp table service from staff
AIRLINE LOUNGE REVIEW: QANTAS
LOUNGE CLASS: FIRST CLASS
AIRPORT: SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
REVIEWED BY: KATRINA HOLDEN
adds to the dining experience, with white napkins placed on lap and an automatic offer of still or sparkling water. The menu includes executive chef Neil Perry’s food philosophy, outlining that eggs are freerange and sourced from farms using sustainable methods. I ordered the Signature Breakfast and was also offered fruit on the side – a sweet and refreshing start to the day with a bowl of blueberries, strawberries, rockmelon and pineapple drizzled with passionfruit pulp. The fresh flavours continued in the Signature Breakfast – the semidried tomatoes were particularly memorable.
Tea comes from T2 and coffee from Cinque Stelle by Vittoria. A selection of cocktails is available, including non-alcoholic; but if a pre-boarding Bloody Mary
appeals, you’re in the right place. Several Australian beers are well represented on the list such as James Boag’s, Hahn, Coopers, James Squire and craft brewer, Pipsqueak. Australian wines cover a good mix of regions, with selections including Mount Langi Ghiran (Grampians); Abel’s Tempest by Heemskerk (Tasmania); Coldstream Hills (Yarra Valley); Wolf Blass (Barossa Valley); and Clonakilla (New South Wales). With three champagnes on the menu, I chose Perrier Jouët Grand Brut – but there was also Taittinger Brut Réserve and GH Mumm Rosé.
The Aurora Spa (only available in the first class lounge in Sydney and Melbourne) invites travellers in with another living greenery wall and the soothing scents of Aspar products, a vase of fresh orchids and herbal tea on arrival.
It is at the far end of the lounge. Get a pre-flight pep-me-up with a 20-minute hand or foot treatment, a massage or a facial, catered to men and women. In the general amenities area, bathrooms and shower facilities are in different locations. Bathrooms are spacious with a bench to rest bags on; plus Aspar Mandarin and Sandalwood hand wash and hand cream. The shower cubicles featured coat hangers, thick white towels, Aspar shower products, and a make-up and mirror area, plus hairdryer.
Any flight delays and boarding calls were announced over the loud speaker. I also spotted two large display screens with flight departure information.
High chairs are available in the dining area. A baby change room is located near the showers.
Aside from the food, I would have to say the biggest wow factor for me was the design, courtesy of renowned Australian industrial designer Marc Newson. European oak arced partitions act as segment dividers of the various zones throughout the 2,000sqm lounge, and are flanked by a marble-tiled bar, kitchen and walkway. With a semi-circular layout, you can see through to the far end of the lounge with splashes of Qantas red used throughout in furnishing accents, as planes move on the ground just beneath the long stretch of window. For me, it had the effect of feeling like I was on the wing of an aeroplane.
AIRLINE LOUNGE REVIEW: AIR NEW ZEALAND
LOUNGE CLASS: BUSINESS*
AIRPORT: SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
REVIEWED BY: BELINDA CRAIGIE
service with a smile? Service was perfectly friendly. There were two well-presented staff members who greeted me at the entrance to the lounge.
lounge ambiance
Air New Zealand’s Sydney International Airport lounge underwent a refurbishment in 2015 and now has capacity for 300 guests, with different seating zones to suit your mood. It’s modern in design and I found it to be very spacious, despite visiting during the busy Christmas period. Vintage Kiwiana-themed posters decorate the walls, memorabilia from the airline’s 75th anniversary last year. I bypassed the business area, which had a long
workstation with internet and power ports, and decided to instead get comfortable in the quiet, relaxed booth seating area at the back of the lounge, where I had a sunshine-infused view of the tarmac.
A selection of reading materials were available including The Sydney Morning Herald, New Zealand Herald, Australian Financial Review, Time magazine, and Air New Zealand’s inflight magazine Kia Ora (which is no longer offered onboard transTasman flights).
The connectivity throughout the
lounge was excellent, with plenty of power points available and easy-access, speedy WiFi.
It seemed there was an option for every taste at the buffet area with salads, sandwiches, cheeses and hot food options, along with muffins and cakes. The live food station has a chef who prepares fresh food to order. I sampled a baby banh mi (Vietnamese pork roll) which was fresh and tasty.
The wine selection was Kiwicentric, with a Dulcét Methode Traditionelle sparkling wine, plus Villa Maria, Esk Valley and Thornbury still wines. The beer selection included Stella Artois, James Squire and Corona. For something a bit stronger, fresh cocktails are available on request from the on-site bartenders. I sampled a refreshing Kiwitini – a kiwifruit spin on the martini. The lounge’s distinctive pre-order coffee service was
impressive. The service allows guests to place a barista-made coffee order via the Air NZ app, which then provides an estimate for when it will be ready for collection. Allpress Espresso beans are used at the lounge, which happens to be one of my favourite blends.
Bathrooms were clean and tidy. Private shower suites are available with hairdryers, towels and Antipodes products.
Flights are called out over an intercom and large screens with updated flight information are scattered around the lounge. An information desk acts as a lounge concierge, allowing guests to change seats, amend their in-flight meal preference or check flight information with staff.
A treehouse-themed kids’ area has a selection of colouring-in materials, books, and educational toys to keep the little ones entertained.
The live cooking station and manned cocktail bar were highlights. They made the lounge experience feel more personalised, especially when combined with the seating zones. It was a relaxing way to begin my trans-Tasman holiday.
*The lounge is open to Air New Zealand passengers flying Business Premier and Koru Club members, as well as passengers flying an equivalent or higher class on some Star Alliance partner airlines. To check whether your flight has access to the lounge, contact your airline.
the cabin Club Europe is a 2 x 2 configuration, however unlike business class from Australian operators, the seats are ‘converted’ economy seats. This means the middle seat of a 3 x 3 layout is converted into a small table while the armrests are extended to widen the seat; giving Club Europe passengers more space than those travelling in economy.
checking in
We checked in at the airport. Check-in opened three hours before our flight and we arrived about two hours before departure. The Club Europe/One World premium check-in was easy to find, and quick and painless.
lounge
In Zürich, British Airways uses the One World Aspire Lounge in Terminal 2. It is on the third level, accessible via a lift. Other One World carriers share the lounge, so it was quite full. It has comfortable seating and complementary WiFi. The toilets are located outside the lounge, but were kept clean.
alcohol
In the lounge, a self-service bar area provides a choice of red and white wines, with varieties including syrah, merlot, pinot noir and chardonnay. There is the expected selection of soft drinks. Tomato juice is available for anyone wanting a ‘Bloody Mary’, which can be made using the spirits on offer. If you fancy a beer there are local Swiss brews such as Feldschlösschen. On board, I drank tea – something the British do very well. There were also soft drinks, water and alcoholic drinks.
AIRLINE: BRITISH AIRWAYS
FLIGHT NUMBER: BA0713
AIRCRAFT: AIRBUS A319
ROUTE: ZURICH TO LONDON HEATHROW
SEATING: CLUB EUROPE
FLIGHT TIME: 1HOUR, 55 MINUTES
SKYTRAX AIRLINE STAR RATING: 4 STARS
Our flight had an afternoon tea service, with quintessential British cucumber sandwiches and scones. The sandwiches (which also came with egg or salmon) were tasty, while the scone was served warm with clotted cream and Wilkin & Sons Tiptree jam –delicious!
Club Europe felt more like premium economy than international business class. There is just enough legroom for me (over six foot tall) and the seat recline is fairly limited. However, for the short flight, it was acceptable and I didn’t feel any discomfort during the trip. The 2
x 2 layout is a definite bonus and offers much more space to stretch out than standard economy.
amentities kit
No.
pyjamas or not
No.
There is no digital inflight entertainment provided in Club Europe. Small screens do pop down from the ceiling showing the flight path, while each seat has a copy of British Airways’ inflight magazine High Life, which keeps passengers entertained. If you get bored easily, bring your iPad or a good book!
There was one toilet at the front of the cabin for Club Europe passengers. As with most singleaisle aircraft bathrooms, it is very compact. It was kept clean during the trip, with the soap dispenser kept full and plenty of fresh hand towels available 10/10 .
As Club Europe passengers, we were able to check two bags of 32kg each. As a One World Sapphire (via Qantas Platinum) frequent flyer, I was entitled to an extra bag of 32kg.
British Airways’ frequent flyer program is called Executive Club, however membership is not open to Australian passengers who are directed to join the Qantas Frequent Flyer program. As both airlines are members of One World, British Airways affords passengers with Qantas status the same premium treatment as its own guests, such as priority checkin and embarkation, and access to the express lane at Heathrow immigration – a real bonus.
Overall this was a pleasant flight. The seats are relatively basic, but on par with the inter-Europe business class offering from other carriers. One downside is the lack of in-seat power so charge your devices before travelling!
CHRIS FRAMEThe business class cabin had seven rows in a 1 x 2 x 1 configuration (28 seats in total). I was in a window seat in a singular pod. The best features include the pre-set seat recline of seven degrees for take off and landing on the Vantage XL seat; the improved touch pad to control your lighting and the pitch of your seat, including the fully lie flat bed; a Do Not Disturb signal you can activate immediately prior to take off; the USB, power and headphone socket; the stowage console; and the easy-to-pullout dining tray table. I also appreciated the little mirror on the underside of the cabinet that holds the controls.
checking in
I joined this flight from a connecting flight with another airline. It was a bit convoluted collecting my bags at Bangkok but I felt a real sense of relief when I finally reached the Qantas checkin desk. There was no queue and I had my boarding pass and lounge access details within moments.
lounge
I used the Cathay Pacific lounge, a oneworld partner.
alcohol
I drank the Duval-Leroy Brut on take off. With my dinner I had a Yering Station 2011 Chardonnay. My attendant was also raving about the new 2015 Tempranillo from Western Australia.
meals
My starter was a green creamy pea and mint soup with ricotta (8/10). For main I chose seared snapper with tomato salsa, roast pumpkin,
AIRLINE: QANTAS
FLIGHT NUMBER: QF24
AIRCRAFT: A330R
ROUTE: BANGKOK TO SYDNEY
SEATING: BUSINESS CLASS. SEAT 1A.
FLIGHT TIME: JUST UNDER 9 HOURS
SKYTRAX AIRLINE RATING: 4 STARS
green beans and almond butter (7/10); for dessert I selected the Mövenpick chocolate ice cream (though pudding and a cheese selection were also available); breakfast was fruit salad with creamed spinach, eggs and tomato (7/10).
The design allowed a great use of space. There was a side style ‘table’; a stowage unit immediately at arms reach; a little nook for shoes or small bags (but items must be removed to lie flat). Magazines are contained in a pull-down sleeve.
There’s a circular drinks holder containing an Evian water bottle on take off, with room for more small items such as a mobile phone or book to be stored.
In a colourful Kate Spade bag, we were provided Aspar hand cream, moisturiser and soothing lip balm; as well as socks, eye-mask and toothbrush with paste.
Yes, grey Qantas cotton pyjamas, which I put on as soon as the seatbelt sign went off.
I appreciated the fabulous new touch screens with larger viewing windows on the Panasonic eX3 screens. A range of movies, TV, music, radio, games, shopping, news and kids’ options were streamed from Q streaming technology. In movies, there was a choice of premiere, encore, classics, Oscar classics, family, art house, Australian, world, Chinese, Japanese and an A-Z search function. You can also make a call using your headset, at a cost of US$5 per minute.
Well fitting with good audio quality.
It was tidy with Aspar hand wash and hand cream, coat hangers and fairly adequate to room to change.
In business class, adult passengers can take up to 40kg; 52kg for Qantas Club and silver Qantas Frequent Flyer members; 56kg for gold Qantas Frequent Flyer members; and 60kg for platinum and platinum one members. My carry on included a laptop, handbag and small cabin bag.
A Qantas Frequent Flyer membership (A$89.50 to join) allows access to the oneworld alliance, which includes British Airways, Japan Airlines, American Airlines and Cathay Pacific, as well as individual partnerships with Emirates, Alitalia, China Eastern Airlines and others.
KATRINA HOLDEN
WITH THE PROMISE OF UNRIVALLED SIGHTSEEING, IT’S NO WONDER AN AFRICAN SAFARI IS ON TOP OF SO MANY TRAVEL WISH LISTS. Lisa Doust FINDS THE EXPERIENCE IS A TREAT FOR THE SENSES AND THE SOUL.
guides lead the group to the most spectacular lookouts.
It’s been less than an hour since our group touched down at Kilimanjaro Airport and we’ve already learned a Tanzanian proverb: Mwenye pupa hadiriki kula tamu (‘A hasty person misses the sweet things’). It’s a sentiment I’m planning to be guided by as I spend two weeks touring with Nomads Secrets, getting to the heart of one of the globe’s oldest inhabited areas.
Our journey begins with a drive through Arusha National Park, on the slopes of Mount Meru. Our first treat comes shortly after we pass through the entrance gates – driving through the shadowy forest we see a small group of blue monkeys huddled together, as if discussing our arrival.
This is the first visit to Africa for all 10 members of our group and, in spite of our collective jetlag, we’re energised by experiencing a true taste of Tanzania so soon after arriving. That said, it’s just as thrilling to arrive at our accommodation.
Located on the northern edge of the park within acacia woodland, Hatari Lodge is a fabu-
lous retro retreat. The ultra-stylish rooms pay tribute to the 1962 movie Hatari, with art deco furniture, African sculptures, minty shades of green and funky 1970s wallpaper working in perfect harmony. East African hospitality and breathtaking views of Mount Meru and the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro are the icing on the cake.
A delicious African-infused dinner and deeply rejuvenating sleep later, and we’re off for a day in Arusha National Park with our cheerful trio of guides, all of whom have lived in the area their entire lives and are completed attuned to their environment.
It’s surreal to see elephants, buffalo, warthogs, boars and baboons going about their business, giraffe heads peering from the tree tops and the flutter of a thousand pink flamingos rising above Momela Lakes – an awesome spectacle.
Observing wild animals in their natural environment is truly magical, but a long-held desire to spend time in the company of Tanzanian tribes is what brought me here.
Today we are destined for Shu’mata Camp, deep in Maasai country. Translating to mean ‘above the clouds’, Shu’mata lies at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro. Soon after arriving, we are introduced to our very tall, elegant and engaging Maasai guide, who leads us on an educational walking safari around this luxe tented camp.
We admire the stunning scenery and learn of the medicinal value of local flora and the great respect the Maasai have for the animals they share this breathtaking wilderness with. It’s moving to simply be standing with this wise and gentle man on his ancestral land.
The walk ends at the top of a hill, where a group of Maasai men are preparing a traditional goat barbecue especially for us. It’s hard not to stare at the exquisite men before me. It’s not just that they are so physically striking and magnificently dressed in red, it’s that they seem to possess profound inner peace and have a zest for life that exudes from every pore. And they really can jump high, which they prove when we all have a
joyful dance together!
As we enjoy our tender and tasty meal on this unforgettable moonlit evening, I marvel at the fact we have been so warmly embraced by these exceptional people. It’s a humbling experience that will stay with me forever.
Our fourth day brings a beautiful early morning game drive, another opportunity to learn from the Maasai. This time we see how a traditional boma (homestead) is made. Made of sticks, mud and cow-dung, with grass roofs, the round huts appear in clusters and are at one with the environment.
We’ve just arrived at the small but charming Kisima Ngeda Camp, located on the shores of Lake Eyasi and renowned for its amazing sunsets (which I can vouch for). Today we visit a Datoga tribe, distinguished by circular tattoos around their eyes and attire designed to blend in with the environment.
Polygamous, resistant to change and far more timid than the Maasai, the Datoga live simply and admirably. They are pastoralists and skilled craftsmen, and observing a blacksmith slowly hammering a hoe into shape provides a chance to sit and enjoy a very sweet thing.
The next morning we spend time in the company of another tribal group – the Hadzabe. We have the honour of choosing from several cultural experiences, including learning Hadza – the Hadzabe’s complex click language. Four of my female travelling companions and I try our hand at jewellery making with a group of Hadzabe women. Shy but proud, these wizened, hard-working women generously show us how to make a neckpiece from tiny coloured beads, seeds and wire.
My new buddy Alana and I are in absolute awe of the skill these women apply to their work. The real lesson, however, is in gaining greater understanding of the primitive huntergatherer Hadza culture, where men and women are treated equally, possessions have zero value and customs have remained the same for 10,000 years.
As our group gathers back at camp, we all practice the Hadza words we’ve attempted to learn throughout the day. It’s impossible to wrap our tongues around the language, but we have plenty of fun trying on the drive to Crater Lodge, Ngorongoro.
crater Lodge is a luxury game reserve where you can be lucky enough to see the ‘Big 5’ – lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos and elephants – in one spectacular location. The world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, Ngorongoro Crater was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 and is a veritable Garden of Eden.
We’re here in May, at the very end of the rainy season, and the landscape is lush and teeming with life. I spontaneously burst into tears when I see black rhinos and hundreds of zebras and wildebeest grazing in the open grasslands. We spot several lions, three graceful cheetahs, plenty of buffalo and gazelles, and a majestic bull elephant with magnificent tusks.
The beauty of this corner of Tanzania is overwhelming, as is our guide’s knowledge. By the end of the day we are all experts on the crater’s fragile ecosystem, along with all the big game animals residing here.
Back at the lodge I’m struck by the opulence of our rooms. The Maasai-style mud-and-stick
structure is cleverly contrasted with chandeliers, deep red detailing and crater views from every window. The beds are so insanely comfortable that the only option is to dream the night away.
after a week of sunshine and moderate temperatures, it’s pouring as we drive to Central Serengeti. Although the rain is short-lived, it gives us an indication of the impact Tanzania’s two rainy seasons (March to May and October to December) must have on the people we’ve met to date. Everything is glistening and it’s a wondrous sight, but our driver is relieved it has passed, as the roads can quickly become treacherous.
For the next two evenings we’re staying at Kiota Camp, opened just a week prior by Tanzanian born Hezron Mbise and his American wife Stacy Readal. This dynamic duo has been operating Tanzanian safari tours since 2004 under the name Duma Explorer, and they call on their vast local knowledge to ensure everything runs to the highest possible standards.
Kiota (the Swahili word for ‘nest’) features super-sized tents with ensuites, furniture crafted by Tanzanian artisans and tasty organic food. The ever-smiling staff members are clearly passionate about their work, and in the evening Isaya and Godlisten regale us with stories of their close encounters with local wildlife.
While we don’t want our encounters to be too close, it’s exhilarating to be scouring the Serengeti for leopards and cheetahs on another beautiful day. We get to see plenty of big cats but my favourite animal experience today is observing families of contented hippos splashing around in a giant natural pool.
Making our way to Northern Serengeti and the Mara River area the following morning, we glimpse migrating herds of zebras and wildebeest in the distance. A leisurely day is on the agenda and we spend it at Chaka Camp – also owned by Hezron and Stacy and equally fabulous, this mobile camp follows the migrating animals and their predators.
After a hearty breakfast, a drive around the river allows us to watch Nile crocodiles basking
in the sun. They are enormous yet move with such agility that it’s easy to see how these prehistoric apex predators have survived so long. Dinner under the stars is the perfect way to end our final safari.
as someone with no natural talent for learning languages, I surprise myself by feeling right at home using the few Swahili words I’ve managed to retain. Maybe it has something to do with the sheer joy it gives the locals to see me trying. Tafadhali (please), asante (thank you) and ndio (yes) are such lovely words, and I find myself saying nimefurahi (I am happy) on a regular basis.
Today my happiness comes from being in Stone Town, Zanzibar’s soulful capital (an historic trade centre and UNESCO World Heritage Site). The mix of Swahili and Islamic influences has resulted in great beauty at every turn. As we explore the cobbled alleys our wonderful guide reveals all, including Stone Town’s dark slave trade history, thankfully shut down by the British in 1873.
We’re staying at Emerson Spice, where the plush rooms feature stained glass windows, antique Swahili beds, supersized stone bathtubs and ornate timber balconies. We make our way to the rooftop to hear the 6pm call to prayer emanating from the city’s mosques, enjoy sundowners (cocktails) and sit down to a sensational meal. Lobster is served on green papaya salad, coconut chilli king fish is baked in banana leaves and Tambi prawns are paired with grilled mango. Needless to say, nimefurahi.
on another perfect african day we follow in the footsteps of the Arabian Princess Salme, rebellious daughter of Zanzibar’s first Sultan, Seyyid Said. Wandering around the artful remains of Mtoni Palace, built for the Sultan in 1828, it’s not hard to imagine the Princess gazing through the arabesque arches out to sea and dreaming of the distant lands she
eventually left Zanzibar for.
A dhow (sailboat) whisks us away to Salome’s Garden, set in an early 19th-century mansion that belonged to Salme’s uncle and now serves as the Zanzibar Creative Education Foundation, where children follow Rudolph Steiner’s holistic approach to learning. We are privileged to spend some time with a group of gleeful youngsters as we take part in a traditional coffee ceremony and roam among the walled tropical gardens and orchards that roll down to the sea.
This educational day ends at Mzee Yussuf’s spice plantation, where a rest house once owned by Salme’s brother remains. Mr Yussuf’s great grandfather purchased the plantation from Salme’s brother, Sultan Majid. It’s an opportunity to sample exotic spices and herbal remedies at the source.
Much to our delight, Mrs Yussuf serves up a feast fit for a hungry Sultan – fish masala, roasted meats, spiced pilau rice, fragrant vegetable dishes, fresh juice and spice teas are produced in abundance. Fully sated and armed with our charming hostess’s top Tanzanian cooking tips, we hit the road again, bound for the coast.
luxuriating at baraza resort and spa makes it easier to accept this amazing journey is coming to an end. A far cry from the savannahs and grasslands of recent days, this boutique property is set on the beach and pays homage to Zanzibar’s cultural heritage by fusing classic Arabic, Indian and Swahili design elements with the grandeur of a Sultan’s palace. Alana, our fellow traveller Sarah and I take a tour of the resort and fall in love with every facet.
Eternally bonded, our group meets by the pool to sip on refreshing fruity concoctions and reflect on the highlights of the past two weeks. For me, having the chance to really interact with tribespeople, our guides, drivers and hotel staff members deepened the experience. We all agree that it’s impossible not to be touched by the profound spirituality and genuine kindness of the Tanzanian people.
As we head for Zanzibar International Airport, I close my eyes and a kaleidoscope of vivid images flashes by. These images – and my newfound ability to stop and savour the sweet things – will sustain me until Alana and I fulfill our agreement to sign up for another adventure with Nomads Secrets.
Travel the Way We Do with Nomads Secrets.
Prices for this 16-day/15-night itinerary start from A$16,750 (excluding international flights); or A$23,250 including Etihad Airways Business Class return tickets. Single supplement: A$6,500. The next trip departing Australia leaves on 5 May 2017. For full details of this itinerary with Nomads Secrets, visit luxurytravelmag. com.au/itineraries
“... it’s exhilarating to be scouring the Serengeti for leopards and cheetahs on another beautiful day.”BOB MADDEN Top: Bedding down at Chaka Camp. Bottom: Hippos up close in the Serrengeti. See more images from this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au DIANNA SNAPE
Anew luxury tented camp has opened in the Loisaba Conservancy, in Laikipia County, Kenya. Loisaba Conservancy, a 56,000-acre private reserve and home to the country’s second largest population of elephants, has partnered with Elewana Collection to open the Loisaba Tented Camp on the site of the former Loisaba Lodge. A private residence comprising three ensuite tents, a shared private lounge, dining tent and private pool is the star of the accommodation options. Kiboko Starbeds – handcrafted four-poster beds that are rolled onto wooden platforms for sleeping under the stars – are available for guests. Rates start from US$385 (about A$508) per person, twin share in the low season. elewanacollection.com
Nikon has released a new camera geared towards the more adventurous traveller. The KeyMission 360 is shockproof to two metres and waterproof up to 30 metres, as well as being compact for easy storage. It is capable of shooting 360-degree videos in 4K UHD quality by combining two wide-angle lenses positioned on the front and back. The camera features electronic image stabilisation for high quality film, with a HDMI port, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The KeyMission 360 is available from April 2016. RRP US$1,000 (about A$1,338). nikon.com.au
A&K Philanthropy, an extension of luxury travel operator Abercrombie & Kent (A&K), has launched its first initiative in Sri Lanka. Project Leopard aims to improve leopard survival rates in Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park by working with local communities to lessen human-leopard conflict. A&K Philanthropy is gifting steel enclosures to farming families to house their livestock at night, guarding them from leopards and, in turn, protecting leopards from farmers. Twenty enclosures are planned for donation throughout 2016 and future A&K tours to Yala National Park will include the opportunity for guests to meet with farmers benefitting from the project. abercrombiekent.com.au
Panasonic’s new LUMIX DMC-GF8
Camera offers a new take on the selfie. The camera’s touch control 180-degree flip-up monitor automatically triggers a Self Shot Mode, allowing users to easily take pictures of themselves and friends. The camera features 22 Creative Control filters as well
as Beauty Modes, which promise to whiten teeth, smooth skin and retouch makeup. The 12-32mm lens camera includes features such as Light Speed Autofocus to capture fast-moving subjects in high quality, and a Jump Snap mode that uses your smartphone’s acceleration sensor
to detect the highest point of a jump, for the ultimate airborne group shots. Download the Panasonic Image App for image sharing and remote shooting. The camera is capable of full HD 1920 x 1080 50p videos with stereo sound, and is offered in black or orange. RRP A$699. panasonic.com/au
Wildlife Safari has released a 13-day tour dedicated to sampling the culinary specialties of South India. Renowned Indian chef Kumar Mahadevan of Sydney restaurant Aki’s will escort the group from Tamil Nadu to Kerala. Mahadevan has appeared on MasterChef Australia and represented Indian cuisine at the first Sydney International Food Festival. Highlights of the Thali tour include visits to produce markets, cooking demonstrations with local chefs and a traditional lunch on a working organic farm. The tour is priced at A$8,695 including accommodation, all meals, ground transport, escorts and excursions, domestic flights where applicable, transfers, and porterage at hotels and airports. The tour runs from 10 to 22 September 2016. wildlifesafari.com.au
Anew small group journey by private jet through Vietnam has been released by TCS Travel. Starting in Singapore, the Unchartered Vietnam by Private Jet tour explores off-the-beaten-track areas in Vietnam, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi including: Dien Bien Phu, site of a historic First Indochina War battle and home to ethnic minority communities; the Áo Dài Museum where guests meet a celebrated ào dài designer; and Hue, where guests can observe and participate in meditation techniques at a 19th-century Buddhist pagoda. The 16-day tour has capacity for 14 guests who will travel on a privately chartered Gulfstream G550 jet between locations and stay at luxurious accommodation throughout. The tour departs 26 September 2016 and is priced from US$49,950 (about A$66,947) per person, twin-share. tcsworldtravel.com
Luxury touring company Captain’s Choice has announced a special cruise onboard Le Ponant with Italian wine professional Michael Trembath (pictured). The 21-day Italian Gourmet tour starts with a land excursion showcasing Rome, Nice, Tuscany and Liguria, while tasting rare wines and visiting esteemed wineries. From Nice, guests will board the 32-room luxury ship Le Ponant to visit Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. Led by Trembath and his partner Elizabeth Toumbos (pictured), excursions will include the opportunity to meet with winemakers at some of the finest wineries in the region. Other highlights include a sail around Stromboli, Italy’s live volcano, and a visit to Mandranova’s award-winning olive oil farm. The fully inclusive tour runs from 12 May to 1 June 2017 and is priced from A$27,620 per person, twin-share. captainschoice.com.au
Just 24 hours earlier i sat at a fast food restaurant with a mate and our five collective kids smiling through a half hour of chaos that can simultaneously bring as much pleasure as it does pain.
So when I find myself a day later seated in solitude at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort’s signature restaurant, The Fireplace, I take a moment to pause, exhale and thank the universe for its small mercies.
In a modern world where truly special experiences are becoming harder to find, turning onto Sanctuary Cove Boulevard and cutting yourself off from society for a day or three is a moment to be cherished.
Situated on the northern end of the Gold Coast within easy reach of the theme parks that attract so many visitors to south-east Queensland each year, Sanctuary Cove has been an iconic holiday destination since visiting superstars Frank Sinatra
and Whitney Houston heralded its arrival in 1988.
A resort now so big it has its own postcode, the influence of golf on Sanctuary Cove has been significant since the day the only Arnold Palmerdesigned course in Australia opened.
In the early 1990s, The Pines hosted a skins format featuring Peter Senior, Laura Davies, fivetime British Open champion Tom Watson and the flamboyant and unpredictable John Daly.
When the quartet arrived at the 325-metre par-4 sixth the prudent play was to hit an iron to the safe part of the fairway and leave a short approach in across the water hazard. But ‘prudent’ has never been the John Daly way. So he leant back, smashed driver over the pines lining the left side of the water, across the large lake and onto the green; a feat commemorated to this day with a plaque beside the tee box from where he let rip.
Reserved exclusively for members of Sanctuary Cove and guests of the InterContinental, The Pines represents one of few golf courses left in Australia that will prompt friends, when you regale them of your round, to ask: ‘How did you get on there?’
While The Pines’ standing as one of Australia’s toughest golf courses has been long founded, the adjacent course, The Palms, has come flooding into consciousness on the back of a redesign by acclaimed architect – and Sanctuary Cove resident – Ross Watson.
Formerly the ‘public access’ course that received short shrift, The Palms is now a rollicking round of golf that challenges shot selection from tee to green. When it opened, members at Sanctuary Cove were so taken by it they wanted to keep it for themselves.
Such has been The Palms’ rise since 2011 it is now No.48 in Australian Golf Digest’s most recent ranking of the country’s top 100 golf courses, just three spots behind The Pines. Their lofty positions make Sanctuary Cove one of six golf clubs in Australia with two courses in the top 50.
Finding time to fit in everything on offer at Sanctuary Cove will be one of the great challenges of your stay.
The resort itself has a magnificent beach lagoon pool that is the epicentre of all outdoor activities, the younger members of the family have InterContinental’s Planet Trekkers program to engage their creative side, and the Champions Hair Beauty Day Spa has a range of treatments ready to replenish.
The Marine Village that serves as the hub of the world-famous Sanctuary Cove Boat Show boasts culinary experiences encompassing Chinese, Thai, Italian, Japanese and modern Australian but you will be hard-pressed to find anything to match what is on offer in-house at The Fireplace.
The smell and ambience created by the open woodfire oven that serves as the centrepiece to the dining experience is intoxicating. It pervades your nostrils as soon as you step through the door and stays with you
as you sample the multitude of tastes to be explored throughout the menu, the heady mix of burning embers and fresh, local produce filling the room. While extensive, the wine list has been carefully crafted by chief sommelier David StevensCastro and boasts local favourites such as Penfolds and Henschke, wines from our near neighbours in New Zealand, and also exotic varietals from France, Chile and Argentina.
For entree I had the Fraser Island spanner crab followed by the chimney grilled Victorian lamb backstrap, with a side of the best pumpkin I have ever eaten in my life. I know, pumpkin! Trust me, it was amazing.
That probably would have been enough but I was coaxed into trying the mango and berry trifle and, having devoured it, would commit to doing whatever exercise was necessary to burn it off so I could have it all over again. After all, an escape from the real world should always be a little bit indulgent.
l STAY HERE
Rates for a King Garden View room at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort start from $220 per night twin-share for room only. intercontinentalsanctuarycove.com
l PLAY HERE
Rates for golf at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove start at $105 for18 holes on The Palms and $140 for 18 holes on The Pines. Players must be members or hotel guests, with the exception of Golf Link cardholders who can play The Palms.
l STAY & PLAY HERE
The Memorable Escapes package can be added to your reservation at time of booking and includes overnight accommodation, complimentary breakfast for two at Cove Cafe and 18 holes at The Palms, The Pines or Links Hope Island on the Gold Coast. You can read this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
“Finding time to fit in everything on offer at Sanctuary Cove will be one of the great challenges of your stay.”
When you stay at Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore, the days are sun-drenched and dreamy with the sand literally at your doorstep. The nights are long and languid and, with arguably the region’s best restaurant and day spa onsite, all the ingredients are at hand for some guaranteed relaxation in the sun.
Difficulty: Level 3 (moderate)
5-22 kilometres per day
by joe baurThe nakasendo way was one of the five pedestrian highways of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868) that connected Kyoto to present-day Tokyo. Stone paving (ishidatami) paths stretch for 534 kilometres, scoring the cinematic Japanese countryside through mountains and rolling hills. Over time, it became popular among Japanese celebrities of the era, such as 17th-century haiku master, Matsuo Basho.
Today, only a modest number of the original ishidatami paths remain along the Nakasendo, replaced predominantly by marked hiking trails. Though modernisation is prevalent in the region, with vending machines serving hot coffee, it still escapes the organised chaos of Tokyo. Craving a taste of historic Japan, I signed up for a hike along the Nakasendo with Walk Japan to experience a comfortable jaunt in the countryside.
The Nakasendo is one of 21 routes offered by Walk Japan (four of which incorporate the Nakasendo). The tour runs for 11 days and 10 nights, fully guided with a maximum group of 12. Ten breakfasts and 10 dinners are included in the tour, with prices varying slightly depending on room preference and whether you plan to join a Kyoto or Tokyo city tour at either end of the trip. The tour begins and ends with hotel stays but includes a number of charming, traditional Japanese inns that dot the rural landscape. These inns gave me a taste of what Japan may have been
like centuries ago with our group converging in the evenings to share a dinner, seated on traditional tatami mats, and dressed in comfortable yukatas – a more casual take on kimonos, made of cotton or synthetic fabric.
Overall this itinerary earns a Level 3 rating (Level 6 is the highest), demanding reasonable health capable of four to six hours of hiking at a moderate pace. At the end of each day, after hiking anywhere between an easy five kilometres on relaxed days to a maximum of 22 kilometres, we were treated to the fin-
est in Japanese home-cooking. Wild boar hunted by the owner of the Shinchaya Inn in Yamaguchi-mura almost always makes it to the menu alongside mamushi sake. (Mamushi is the most poisonous snake in Japan.) River trout raised in local ponds is the highlight of breakfast and dinner menus in Maruya. More adventurous eaters can look forward to deep fried and candied grasshoppers, considered a crunchy delicacy in the mountain post towns, or even horse sashimi. Everyone in our group chomped away at the grasshoppers without flinch-
ing, but nobody could go for the horse sashimi after seeing the indigenous variety along the Kaida Plateau.
Visiting in late November, the leaves changed colours throughout our hike. Various hues of orange, brown, red, and yellow painted the Japanese vistas until dipping beneath the horizon. We deviated from the Nakasendo Way at times, but only to see other natural beauties, such as the 100-metre-tall Karasawa Falls in Kiso. Toward the end, we were rewarded more often than not with a soak in the onsen, a bathing facility inspired by the thousands of natural hot springs scattered around the volcanic country.
It all ended after a 10-mile hike to Yokokawa Station where we took the first in a series of trains (including the sleek Shinkansen bullet train) to Tokyo. Our final walk consisted of a short, urban jaunt to the Nihonbashi Bridge where the Nakasendo Way officially terminates. The colourful leaves, rigid mountains, and hills had been replaced by the seemingly endless barrage of concrete towers, video screens, and cacophonic chatter of millions of businessmen and women chirping into their mobile phones.
Then, with Tokyo Tower glistening in the window, we enjoyed one last dinner together. With no hikes planned for the next morning, there was no presiding guilt to stop after just one sake.
The Nakasendo Way: starts in Kyoto and ends in Tokyo. Price: 11-day/10night tours start from JPY472,000 (about A$5,863).
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Visiting in late November, the leaves changed colours throughout our hike. Various hues of orange, brown, red, and yellow painted the Japanese vistas until dipping beneath the horizon.
As i entered my room in a traditional Japanese inn for the first time, I was surprised by its spartan simplicity. The floor was covered in tatami mats and the only furniture was a small table low to the ground with a tea service and a couple cushions on either side. There wasn’t even a bed.
Yet this inn, and others I stayed in during my 10-day tour with Walk Japan, was wonderfully authentic, a highlight of my trip. Inside my closet was a carefully folded yukata, a garment made from unlined cotton, fastened with a belt, and worn by both men and women. We wore our yukata to the inn’s onsen – the thermal hot springs that are common in this volcanically active country, and wonderfully welcome after a long day’s walk –as well as to the dining room where we enjoyed local cuisine, often fresh fish. At first it seemed strange to wear what felt like a robe outside the privacy of my room, but soon it became familiar. Dressing for dinner had never been so easy!
The Kunisaki Trek takes place on Japan’s southern-most island of Kyushu. Walk Japan rates it as a Level 5 tour. You are only required to carry a daypack as your luggage is transferred by taxi each morning to that night’s accommodation.
We walked for five or six hours a day, which at times was physically challenging. The trek follows in the footsteps of a religious ascetic named Ninmon, who is thought to have introduced Buddhism to this region in the 8th century. According to our guides, who both live in Japan and know it well, Ninmon’s followers created roughly 150 kilometres of trails. Most monks drive now, but every 10 years they walk these trails on a pilgrimage.
Ours wasn’t that, but it was definitely an adventure. Our route took us through
evergreen forests, over spectacular ridges and bridges, and alongside rice paddies so old they’ve been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In places, the ascents were tortuous and we pulled ourselves hand over hand onto the craggy, windswept ridges. The number and variety of religious sites was astounding; from simple wooden shrines to ornate temples, to sprawling complexes with stone pagodas, bamboo gardens, koi ponds and orange torri gates. Combined with the colourful fall foliage in late November, the effect was often otherworldly.
We also get glimpses of rural life –the woman pulling Daikon radish from her garden, the group of elderly Japanese playing croquet. It’s a peaceful part of Japan that leaves me longing for more. The fully guided Kunisaki Trek tour: starts in Fukuoka and ends in Yufuin.
Price: 10-day/9-night tour start from JPY428,000 (about A$5,357) per person.
Top, walking five or six hours a day on the Kunisaki Trek. Opposite page, top right: This is a Level 2 walk – mostly on level ground or gravel roads.
Left: We're rewarded with beautiful scenery along the way..
“The number and variety of religious sites was astounding; from simple wooden shrines to ornate temples, to sprawling complexes with stone pagodas, bamboo gardens, koi ponds and orange torri gates. ”SUZANNE MORPHET SUZANNE MORPHET PHOTO COURTESY OF WALK JAPAN
BASHO TOUR: NARROW ROAD TO THE NORTH
Difficulty: Level 2-3 (easy to moderate) 8-11 kilometres per day
by ruksana hussainAgroup of eight, including the tour guide and myself, were a part of this walking journey tracing the steps of famed 17th-century poet Matsuo Basho. Our guide was fluent in English and Japanese, knowledgeable and well-trained, happy to assist with decoding local culture or any questions about the history and other aspects related to the area. Encounters with locals were encouraged and our guide did his best to facilitate conversations, translating for the group and passing on our questions. I was pleased to receive read-
ing material pertaining to our specific tour, as well as local etiquette and norms, before our trip to help understand the new culture. The entire trip was a seamless process – well planned and detailed.
It started in Tokyo with an introductory dinner feast and ended in Kyoto with a farewell izakaya (gastropub) dinner. Accommodation in both cities was at the luxury Royal Park Hotel. Accommodations for the rest of the trip were in authentic ryokan (traditional inns), most of them featuring onsens, which were a welcome treat at the end of a day’s hike.
Rooms were well-appointed tatami floor-style lodgings, featuring ground level desks on arrival, but staff laid out a floor mattress and buckwheat pillows in the evening while I enjoyed decadent dinners.
I was surprised by the variety of preparations that greeted us at every stop on our journey. From a vegetarian meal at a monastery to a seafood-heavy dinner in a coastal area, to the local delicacy of raw horsemeat served at the Akakura onsen and colourful shabu shabu pots in another location, each meal was a new experience and expanded my limited vocabulary of Japanese food, which until that point consisted of the words sushi, sashimi and ramen.
This is a Level 2 walk – mostly on level ground or gravel roads. There are some slopes and upward hikes but the tour is paced out to ensure no one is left behind. On day 1, I braved a 200-stair climb to a shrine, but nothing compared to the 2,467-stair trek to a Buddhist temple sitting atop a hill – a challenge accompanied by a certificate to help make it all worthwhile. We carried our own backpacks but larger suitcases are transported by car daily to the next location. Car transfer is also an option available for anyone who chooses not to hike.
The Narrow Road to the North Itinerary: starts in Tokyo and finishes in Kyoto. Price: 10-day/9-night tour start from JPY484,000 (about A$6,061) per person.
See more images from this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
In many ways, robert redford’s restaurant Zoom encapsulates Park City. The Main Street eatery is fancy but not at all pretentious. It’s frequented by the very rich and the very famous, but it’s just as accessible to the old bloke in the flannelette jacket across from me who just wants a hearty steak and the chance to meet Hollywood’s last true icon. He has
a chance too. Redford comes in now and then, eating upstairs where we are, often walking from table to table, introducing himself to diners (although not tonight, unfortunately). That’s Park City for you. This town looks as regal as royalty with its picture-perfect facade, but at its heart it’s just a simple silver-mining town in the mountains that’s about as downhomey as where you grew up.
Park City’s been making the news this season for more than the usual paparazzi flashes of big-name celebrities walking Main Street during the town’s world-renowned Sundance Film Festival. In summer, the powers that be decided to connect Park City’s two ski resorts – Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort – by building a gondola line across the Wasatch Mountains. The result is Park City Mountain Resort – the largest ski resort in the USA, home to a whopping 3,000 hectares of skiable terrain.
Before my first visit to Park City in 2012, I was put off coming to Utah by draconian liquor laws courtesy of a State Government dominated by Mormons. (Salt Lake City, a 35-minute drive away, is the centre of the Mormon Church empire). Don’t get me wrong, I’m no party animal, but isn’t après ski as vital to the overseas ski experience as the snow itself? But liquor laws have evolved in Utah –and, as I am grateful to have discovered, Park City never did feel like part of the Mormon State. Now its après and bar scene is as action-packed –and as diverse – as what you’ll find across the state line in Colorado (minus the legalised marijuana laws).
This is one hell of a pretty town. In a region of the world known for postcard-perfect 19th-century mining ski towns, Park City wins first prize in the beauty stakes. It’s been years since my last visit and I’d forgotten how dreamy Main Street – Park City’s famous entertainment strip – is. Running parallel, Park Avenue is equally impressive.
I drive into town on a cloudless blue-sky afternoon. In the late 1860s, hopeful adventurers came to the area looking to make their fortune in silver. Salons, grand hotels and stores were built on the profits of the boom; many of these grand old structures still stand today (with 64 buildings, mostly in Main Street, on the National Registry Of Historical Places).
Today these buildings are a mixture of sun-drenched après ski bars, fine-dining establishments, designer
boutique stores (fur, anyone?), art galleries, bookstores and cafes. As I walk through town, skiers and boarders ride ski runs directly above me, right down onto Park Avenue and Main Street, to drink in the late afternoon sun in ski bars. These mountains sure dwarf the town, and conjure the feeling you’ve been somehow shot back in time – a feeling reminiscent of Telluride, Colorado (surely another front-runner in the beauty stakes).
The Sundance Film Festival had a lot to do with upping the ante when it came to providing sustenance to luxury travellers. Each year, Hollywood royalty invade town for 10 days. They sure as hell aren’t going to stay in flea traps or eat at McDonalds. Park City – and nearby Deer Valley Ski Re-
more than 300 runs to choose from, with plenty of wide-open groomers for beginners to intermediates. But for those who seek more adrenalin, there are steep runs and well-spaced tree runs all across the mountain. More than nine metres of snow falls in a season and most days I ride at Park City – there’s never a chairlift line, even on weekends.
But it’s the off-piste pursuits for luxury skiers that make coming here comparable to only Aspen. It too offers up western USA’s best regional restaurants – fancy affairs where you can dress up or down as much as you like (which is what I like best about ski towns). In places like Park City it’s sometimes impossible to make out who has the money. There are cocktail bars along Main Street that are as chic as those you’ll find in St Moritz, and even the world’s only ski-in, skiout whisky distillery (a stylish affair called High West Distillery with equal amounts cowboy charm and high-end après pizazz).
sort – is now home to many of North America’s most renowned luxury hotels, including the Montage, the St. Regis and the Waldorf Astoria. I’m staying at the Waldorf Astoria near Canyons Village and to make it back to my room there’s a run specially built at the base of the ski area that leads hotel guests to their front door. Guests can be assigned personal butlers, and there’s ski concierge so you need never handle your own ski gear (my boots are handed to me warm and dry each morning). A specially crafted Moët Ice Bar caters for après pursuits.
I love the skiing at Park City: it’s a pretty mountain, with fir, aspen and pine trees dividing runs, and views right over town and the huge valley Park City sits in. There are
Park City’s a multi-cultural place, with cuisine from all over the world. Fresh seafood is flown in daily (you try sampling fresher ahi tuna sashimi, and there’s Maine lobster arriving daily, fresh from the Atlantic). Main Street is full of designer boutiques with clothes worth tens of thousands, and if you like culture with your groomers, Park City has plenty of art galleries holding winter exhibitions showcasing noted artists. With its Sundance credentials, artists and designers know just getting floor space here counts for plenty.
Qantas offers direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to LA and onward connections to Salt Lake City with codeshare partner American Airlines. qantas.com.au. Then take a 35 minute private SUV transfer to Park City. allresort.com
Rates at the Waldorf Astoria start from US$619 (about A$869) per night. parkcitywaldorfastoria.com
For more information on Park City Mountain Resort visit parkcitymountain.com
“This is one hell of a pretty town. In a region of the world known for postcard-perfect 19th-century mining ski towns, Park City wins first prize in the beauty stakes.”With the building of a gondola line across the Wasatch Mountains, connecting the ski resorts of Park City Mountain Resort and Canyons Resort, The Park City Mountain Resort is now the largest ski resort in USA enjoying 3,000 hectares of skiable terrain.
Main street of Park City, where many of the buildings are on the National Registry Of Historical Places.
A$59.99
An iconic destination for Sydney vacationers for the past 86 years, Jonah’s is located on the cliffs between the Pacific Ocean and Pittwater and overlooks stunning Whale Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. Luxurious and discreet, Jonah’s prides itself on its relaxed feel and atmosphere. All of the rooms have expansive views of the ocean with private balconies. Jonah’s multi-award-winning restaurant offers 180-degree panoramic ocean views and is renowned for its contemporary Australian cuisine with a strong emphasis on seafood to be accompanied by a simply divine wine list of more than 1,500 stunning wines from around the globe.
THE TWO NIGHT ULTIMATE ESCAPE COMPETITION PRIZE INCLUDES:
• Two nights’ accommodation in an Ocean Retreat room
• Six-course Degustation Dinner with matched prestige wines one night
• Three-course à la carte dinner in the Restaurant one night
• Full à la carte breakfast each morning
• Cabana Lifestyle Bag
• Transfers to local activities
Plus your choice of one of the following activities:
• 2-hour cruise on Pittwater followed by a picnic lunch hamper with a bottle of Taittinger
Champagne
• 1-hour in-room massage with Purity Pacific (choice of aromatherapy or Swedish) followed by a picnic hamper lunch with Taittinger
Champagne
This year marks the 200th birthday of Britain’s greatest romantic novelist, Charlotte Brontë. When her most famous novel, Jane Eyre, was published in 1847, the mysterious new writer from the backwaters of northern England shocked contemporaries with her passion and unconventionality. Since then, generations of readers have been inspired by her strongminded heroines, who insisted on the emotional equality of men
and women. “She is the champion of strength in weakness as well as of love in loneliness,” A. C. Benson wrote on the occasion of Brontë’s first centenary, in 1916. Brontë gave girls permission to feel and women permission to write. What’s not to celebrate?
To honour this landmark anniversary, the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, Yorkshire, is working with a team of creative partners to celebrate “All Things Charlotte”. At the centre of the
VIP tours throughout the museum will get you up-close to precious Brontë memorabilia
Festival Weekend (10-13 June), when biographers, novelists, visual artists and performers will gather to pay homage to Brontë’s unique imaginative legacy within the houses and landscapes that inspired her. If you’re a Jane Eyre fan, this is your chance to meet Brontë specialists and share your passion with like-minded readers from around the world, while enjoying some of Britain’s most atmospheric scenery and soulstirring cultural history.
While in Haworth, don’t miss the 200th birthday exhibition Charlotte Great and Small, curated by best-selling novelist Tracy Chevalier (Girl with a Pearl Earring). You can make your visit even more special by adding a bespoke museum tour. The Brontë Parsonage Museum offers exclusive access to expert curators and precious objects through their VIP Brontë Tours and Treasures
groups of up to six visitors can book personalised tours of the museum with a member of the collections team. VIP tours include a session in the research library (not open to the general public), where you can get up close
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Brontë.
Plain Jane survives a hostile world (including the terrifying “red room” and a pyromaniac madwoman in the attic) to find true love.
to fragile, rarely displayed Brontë memorabilia. Sessions are tailored to the interests of individual visitors, allowing you to focus on a favourite book, character, or particular aspect of Charlotte’s life. VIP Tours and Treasures Sessions last 90 minutes and cost
READER, I MARRIED HIM edited by Tracy Chevalier.
Twenty-one 21stcentury stories inspired by Jane Eyre.
REGARDING JANE EYRE edited by Susan Geason.
Criticism, fan fiction and personal responses to Charlotte Brontë’s most loved novel.
Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth: bronte.org.uk/visit-us Summer Festival Weekend: bronte.org.uk/whats-on/june-2016 Brontë Way Walking Track: bronte-country.com/bronte-way.html
The Brontë Birthplace, Thornton: delucaboutique.co.uk/about-us3 Ponden Hall, Haworth; ponden-hall.co.uk
£50 (A$100) per person.
A celebration of all things Charlotte should also include a ramble through “Brontë country”, the rugged moorland that surrounded her home and shaped her imagination. The Brontë Way, a 69 kilometre sign-posted walking track, will connect you to the most important places in Brontë’s life and work. It takes four days to hike the entire track, but you can also drive to key points on the route and make shorter, circular walks. Don’t miss the village of Thornton, where the sisters’ birthplace has been turned into a stylish Italian café offering quirky historic interiors and award-winning food and coffee. Add on a stay in five-star B&B or self-catered accommodation at Ponden Hall, a local manor house often visited by the Brontë sisters, and you’ll have the perfect recipe for a long weekend of literary indulgence.
BY ROSLYN JOLLYNecker Cup, sometimes referred to as the “World’s Most Exclusive Pro-Am Tennis Event,” is approaching its fourth annual return in 2016. The event takes place on Necker Island, the private island of entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and congregates a number of tennis legends, pop stars and amateur tennis players. In the past, partial profits from this event have been donated to foundations such as the National Tennis Foundation. The Necker Cup package includes a six-night retreat to the island, with the company of celebrity guests which in the past have included Jewel and Chevy Chase. Beach activities will be available throughout the trip along with a chance to compete on the court with pro-tennis players like Boris Becker, Marion Bartoli and Tracy Austin.
BY ELAINE ANDERSON
When: 14-19 November 2016
Where: Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
Price: $110,000 (about $A147,995 per couple)
Includes: Accommodation for up to two people on Necker
Island; all meals and drinks (including alcoholic beverages); team entry for up to two players into the Necker Cup Pro-Am Main Draw; VIP seating at the Charity Exhibition, Dinner and Auction; Access into the “End
of the World Party;” use of all amenities on Necker Island (excluding spa treatments); boat transfers around Virgin Gorda; return launch transfer from Virgin Gorda or Beef Island airports.
Our small group tours to Italy have something extraordinary around every corner and offer so much more than just the well-trodden tourist paths
l We are specialists in travel to Italy
l Tour prices incorporate our extensive inclusions - if it’s in the itinerary, it’s in the price
l Itineraries are personally designed and researched and our small groups ensure an intimate experience
l Tours have a relaxed pace - we stay for up to a week in each location
l We travel when it’s less crowded
l We visit off-the-beaten-track areas, as well as some major tourist destinations
l We host all of our tours together with a team of hand-picked, highly experienced locals
l We introduce you to the real Italy
l Take an extended holiday in Italy –tours run consecutively, so you can link one or more experiences together
Park City Utah hasn’t seen this much snow for a decade. The man in the local ski shop looks outside the window up Main Street, wondering how the LA movie types will fare in the heavy snow dump.“I’m not sure they’ll survive this Sundance.” Metres of powder line the pop-up bars and restaurants, recent additions to this stunning 1860s-era silvermining town. The People in Black (PIBs) – a nickname bemused locals give the festival attendees –are jumping puddles and dodging piles of slush, trying to protect their high heels and designer suede cowboy boots they’ve worn into town.
Bona fide superstars come out to play at the Sundance Film
Festival, but for every Matt Damon or Brad Pitt, there are scores of wannabe movie producers begging for their big break, or 100-or-so star-spotters desperate to snap the selfie of a lifetime. But the show? Oh, the show! There are few events more entertaining.
Locals tend to move out for the festival’s 10-day duration. They can rent their house for US$600 a night – $1,000 if it’s close to Main Street. They bemoan the crowds, paparazzi and movie stars filling their favourite haunts and causing traffic chaos, but you can’t
help but detect a bit of pride too. After all, this is the work of Utah’s favourite son, Hollywood legend Robert Redford. His restaurant, Zoom, takes centre stage on Park City’s Main Street and if you asked anyone around here, they’d make him Mayor, if only he’d nominate, like Clint Eastwood in California.
The Sundance Film Festival started in nearby Salt Lake City in 1978. It is America’s largest independent film festival and one of the world’s most famous film events. Since day one, Redford has been at the helm. Sundance
has single-handedly launched the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson, to name a few.
Where the Cannes Film Festival boasts the beauty and splendour of the French Riveria backdrop, Sundance is flanked by soaring mountains that dwarf the streetscape, making even George Clooney look fairly insignificant.
There’s a fairytale element about this place as I stroll down Main Street at dusk, past 19th Century store facades lit up like Christmas trees. Behind them, the snowy mountains conjure awe as music reverberates around me. The crowd is as diverse as the fashion choices. Conspicuous fur and the finest Italian leather are
juxtaposed by sensible, sturdy mountain boots and Gore-Tex jackets.
I’ve just seen Sting play a free acoustic set that included Every Breath You Take at a music tent on Main Street. Later, at one of the country’s best five-star ski hotels –the Montage Deer Valley – worldrenowned DJ Paul Oakenfold plays a surprise gig to a room of just 80 people. It’s unforgettable but it’s not unusual. Sundance is full of mega-musicians playing free shows. Two years ago, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl played with the legendary Stevie Nicks at Park City’s ski resort base.
You can stay and sleep in absolute luxury at the Sundance Film Festival whether in Park City
or nearby Deer Valley. The latter is home to several of the country’s most celebrated five-star hotels while Park City has properties like the prestigious Waldorf Astoria, featuring its own chairlift, should you have time for the snow between champagne and starspotting.
But staying somewhere luxurious won’t guarantee your place at Sundance’s most celebrated events. Celebrities known globally by their first names
– think Leo, Johnny and George – are festival regulars and not just anyone can fraternise with such stars. Aside from scoring a media pass (which won’t get you invites to the inner circle) or knowing a director or a movie star, the best chance of canoodling with the festival’s most famous attendees is to join the Sundance Circle. There are various levels of Sundance Circle membership, offering access to private screenings, receptions with the biggest stars, the prestigious opening day party, gatherings with leading directors and actors and, if you’re prepared to pay top dollar ($50,000 to be exact), even a private brunch with Redford.
BY CRAIG TANSLEY
For information on the Sundance Circle, visit sundance.org. VIP status packages start at $1,000. Sponsorship begins at $5,000 and includes VIP status.
With partner American Airlines, Qantas Airways offers flights to Salt Lake City from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane via Los Angeles. From Salt Lake City, take a 35-minute private SUV transfer to Park City. allresort.com; qantas.com
The Montage Deer Valley, a ski-in, ski-out property located in its own private valley, delivers unforgettable five-star luxury. montagehotels.com/deervalley
The Waldorf Astoria at Park City puts you in the thick of the action. parkcitywaldorfastoria.com
Experience a complete wellness journey at Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, Koh Samui, and restore your health and vitality with one of our inclusive programs
Park City is home to two sensational ski resorts filled with the light dry powder snow Utah is renowned for and accessible on one lift pass called TRIP Pass.
Deer Valley Resort’s immaculately groomed slopes are long and varied and numbers on the slopes are limited each day giving you your own sense of space.
Park City Mountain Resort is the largest ski resort in the United States with over 7300 skiable acres of diverse terrain. Tackle the trees on Ninety-Nine 90 or just cruise the blues on King Con Express.
But Park City, Utah is so much more than just the snow. Charming Historic Main Street is lined with Victorian architecture and packed with award-winning dining, vibrant nightlife and some incredible shopping.
Park City has some of the finest accommodations you will find in any ski destination. Enjoy the luxurious ski-in/ski-out properties of Montage Deer Valley, Stein Eriksen Lodge and Waldorf Astoria or be in the heart of the action on historic Main St at Main & Sky.
If you are interested in spending some time in this amazing ski town, then have a chat with one of the team at Mogul Ski World to take that first step towards your next snow adventure.
1800 335 724
reservations@mogulski.com.au mogulski.com.au
This fiji holiday began as our others had, with the traditional arrival song
Welcome Home played on a ukulele and sung by Fijian men wearing grass skirts at the entrance to the resort. The song, with its wistful tune and lilting Polynesian melodies, promised all the dreamy clichés of a south pacific paradise yet it hadn’t ever sounded sadder to me. The previous day, our old, family dog had, with barely a few hours’ notice, passed away. “This will be the worst holiday ever,” our 10-year-old son announced as we had set out.
Months earlier, we’d settled on Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort. It is
one of the three or so luxury properties in Fiji that take children plus, we’d planned scuba diving courses and JeanMichel Cousteau, son of the worldfamous ocean explorer and conservationist Jacques Cousteau, took diving expeditions there in the 1980s and 90s.
On the night of our arrival we ate at the outdoor table by the private pool at our villa (number 25) overlooking the ocean and just a few steps from the beds we’d fall into to finally put an end to what had been a sullen day. Just before dinner arrived, the ten-year-old had another announcement. He wouldn’t be going to any kids’ club this holiday.
While we ate, we read aloud the
Bula Club program for the 6 to 12 year olds. It started at 7.00 with a kayak race followed by a church service and then decorating the Christmas tree, a snorkel trip, a game of Marco Polo in the kids pool, lunch with the other kids around outdoor tables, a trip on the glass bottom boat, play time in the big tree house, a tennis challenge followed by kite flying and a hunt at the point to collect hermit crabs for that evening’s race at the lounge bar with the adults, afternoon tea and then soccer, boys versus girls, then more pool games before dinner. At 6.30 an Island Dance troupe would perform and then there would be a game of chess staged on the
oversized chess board back at the Bula Club before popcorn and board games. Bed-time was planned for 9.30pm.
In a classic ten-year-old about face, he declared: “Okay. I’m going to do all of that except for the Church Service.”
For us, other than strolls to the main pavilion for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a few around the resort using the Bula Club program to track down our son, that day was passed on an outdoor day bed, under a whirring fan, with the occasional tropical bird call interrupting what was otherwise a still, humid, silence.
jean-michel cousteau resort is on the northern tip of Fiji’s second-biggest island Vanua Levu, in a region called Savusavu. It is small, with just 25 bures, and employs around 200 locals from the neighboring settlements (like suburbs) and four traditional villages. For some of the staff, home life is not that different to the way Fijian village life was centu-
ries ago. They observe traditional rules and social order, and practice old customs. They are also as friendly as they are regularly reported to be.
The Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort is owned by Canyon Equity, a small, private equity group based in San Francisco. Among its other four tourism holdings are two Aman resorts and a Four Seasons property, so they understand luxury. But Cousteau is not a chain and general manager Bart Simpson (yes, that’s right, but born in 1972, he can lay claim to being the original) is free to run it as he sees fit. “Happy staff, happy guests” is his mantra and it appears he and the staff share a genuine warmth.
on our second night, dinner was brought to us at the end of a long, timber jetty. Every now and then, to the mild astonishment of the 10-year-old, a patch of the ocean seemed to jump up and we could see the moonlight on the silver bodies of dozens of fish. Our
When connections can be made across oceans and cultures, the universe seems a little less indifferent and life after our chocolate Labrador a little more bearable. And on the flight home, the 10-year-old declared it had been our best Fiji holiday so far.
waiter, ApaKuki (Kuki) Delai, explained they were chasing the baitfish. Kuki is a tall, gentle and athletic 20-something Fijian man, less languid than his colleagues and with a full set of white teeth.
While we sipped on Chilean Chardonnay from Cousteau’s impressive wine list, Kuki told us stories passed down from his ancestors, and that his clan is still the guardian clan of Savusavu’s land and oceans.
As the children sit down to dinner each night, it’s cocktails on the house for the adults who can either make their way to the main bar – where Kelemete (Kele) Kulanikoro mixes a very fine Peach Martini, Pineapple Caipiroska or Mojito – or have cocktails delivered to their bure. The latter would be a missed opportunity because, as a member of the Bati Leka and trained in the use of warrior spears and clubs, Kele also has ancestral stories to tell.
So too does Dominiquo Wainiu,
who runs the dive centre. According to Kuki and Kele, Wainiu, a member of the Herald Clan, is one of the most reliable sources on the history and culture of this area.
on my last morning, i resisted the temptation to return to sleep following the 4.30am cock-a-doodle-do of the resident rooster, and stepped outside to watch the sunrise.
These people, I thought, with their proud histories, important clan stories, and wide smiles welcomed us to their home. When connections can be made across oceans, cultures and time, the universe seems a little less indifferent and life after our chocolate Labrador a little more bearable. And on the flight home, the 10-year-old declared it had been our best Fiji holiday so far.
See more images from this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
Rates start from FJDI$1,980 (about A$1,275) per night and include all meals, non-alcoholic drinks, round-trip ground transportation from Savusavu Airport, WiFi and Bula Kids Club. fijiresort.com
For a faster transit from Nadi International airport to JeanMichel Cousteau Resort, use Island Hoppers. It offers a seamless transfer through customs, air-conditioned comfort with WiFi and complimentary cold drinks in a private lounge, before a short, scenic helicopter flight to Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort. islandhoppersfiji.com
* Just 50 metres from the stunning white sands of Mollymook Beach * Huge rooftop with swimming pool and lounge beds * Rooftop bar and grill
* Only 3 hours from Sydney and 2.5 from Canberra * No airport, no queues, no baggage check-ins and
Adetox retreat in a 16th century Chateau in the south of France?
Yes, please! But this is not a short journey from Australia, it needs to be something unique and special, and it is.
London-based brothers Cornelius and Daniel O’Shaughnessy run the Bodhimaya detox retreat. Daniel is a nutritionist specialising in the emerging discipline of “nutrigenomics”—an approach that looks at how our genes interact with the food choices we make. Cornelius is a “mind and meditation expert” with many years of studying Eastern philosophies. Together the siblings present the perfect balance of yin/yang to restore wellness, and in their expert hands we felt well-taken care of. “Doing a pure juice detox while working nine to five and then going to the gym isn’t good for the body,” says Daniel. We agree: detoxing at a gorgeous retreat
in the hills of Provence is much, much better!
Located in the village of Cotignac, less than an hour from Saint-Tropez, Bodhimaya is an intimate and well-appointed chateau accommodating a maximum of 14 guests. The brothers offer a minimum seven-day bespoke detox; a highly customized experience tailored to each guest’s unique nutritional needs, which have apparently been analysed prior to arrival. This means you may be drinking a bright green juice of kale, cucumber, green apple and melon while the person next to you is enjoying a bright pink
beetroot, watermelon mix with bee pollen on top—all cold-pressed and freshly made. Yum!
The first three days at Bodhimaya consist of juices and prescribed supplements during the day and a bowl of light soup in the evening. I am definitely missing food. It’s not that I’m starving, but somehow the conversation between guests often turns to delicious food and it takes a few days to repel those thoughts.
To kick off the second phase of the detox, smoothies are introduced on day three and nourishing solid foods are gradually brought back in, carefully balanced so each guest gets what their body needs. All meals are free of grain, gluten and sugar.
In between healthy juices and nutritious meals, guests undertake yoga and meditation twice a day, cooking demonstrations, nutritional talks, one-on-one consultations, walks in the
In between healthy juices and nutritious meals, guests enjoy yoga and meditation twice a day.
local village, and even blending your own organic facial serum. But there is always plenty of down time as well, when you can lounge by the pool or have a massage or facial from the spa.
If you are new to meditation, Cornelius’ approach is both simple and down to earth. There is no talk of religion or spirituality (a wise move as we had five solicitors in our group and it didn’t appear any of them was searching for enlightenment). Instead, as Cornelius puts it, meditation is “a way to put space between you and your thoughts”.
An optional extra that I found interesting was the “BodhiGen” genetic analysis. You are sent a DNA test which must be completed (you put a saliva sample in the tube) and sent back to Bodhimaya at least six weeks before the retreat starts. BodhiGen analyses your genetic information drilling down into hundreds of factors. By looking at detoxification, methylation, the endocrine and cardiovascular system, neurotransmitter imbalances and other body functions the Bodhimaya team claims they can get a meaningful picture of your needs and then make choices that work with your genetic expression, instead of against it. Our genes can show if we are susceptible to certain diseases, but our lifestyle, diet, stress and other factors can determine if we develop those diseases. Daniel stresses that understanding our genetics can help us to make more informed choices.
Apart from the juices, there is a lot of information to digest during the week, but there is a thorough aftercare program which includes two further consultations either at the lads’ London clinic or via phone or skype. The seven-day package includes airport transfers, six nights’ accommodation; all meals, drinks, juices, supplements; all of your classes, talks and as many one-to-one consultations with the expert team as needed; and a long-term wellbeing programme.
And beyond the health and wellbeing benefits, the quality of the accommodation and beauty of the chateau and surrounding French countryside make for a lovely relaxing break.
A seven-day retreat staying at Bodhimaya: The South of France Retreat in a Classic Room (double occupancy) starts from A$4,663 per person, single occupancy from A$5,052.BodhiGen Genetic Analysis starts from A$4,273. bodhimaya.com/south-of-france-retreat
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OFFERING EXTRAORDINARY RETREATS THAT SALVE THE BODY, AND ENRICH THE MIND, ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S LEADING SPA RESORTS DOESN’T DISAPPOINT, WRITES Kelly Allen.
This page: Plenty of places to stop and take in the full guest experience.
healthy
At gwinganna, a “lifestyle retreat” set in the lush Tallebudgera Valley on the Gold Coast, we joined 60 guests for the booked out, five-day, Optimal wellness 50 plus package, where 42 of the guests were coming back for more. One guest told us he’d been coming back every year for the past eight years.
Awarded Australia’s Leading Spa Resort in the 2015 World Luxury Spa Awards, Gwinganna celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, and they are obviously doing something very right. We were fortunate enough to stay in one of three new meditation suites–the first of their kind in Australia.
Our standalone cottage, set among the resorts’s organic orchard, exudes equal parts serenity and luxury, with its open plan design and understated colour scheme in greys and whites. Ideal for couples or singles, it has a huge freestanding tub, and several spots to practice meditation including oversized chairs, a thick comfy meditation cushion, and a daybed on the verandah with calming views out to the bush. An iPod is provided loaded with guided meditations, chanting, yoga music and meditation instruction – I used it every day and still didn’t get through it all. Yoga mats are provided as are books on yoga and meditation to help you refine your practice during your retreat.
At Gwinganna, the focus of our retreat package was health for over-50 year olds and included several lectures by respected health experts in the field of “integrative medicine”, which, according to the National Institute of Integrative Medicine “combines conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary medicine, therapies and lifestyle interventions for the treatment and prevention of disease.”
Dr. Ross walker, an integrative cardiologist for 30 years and author of seven books spoke on heart health and had some interesting new views on cholesterol. Dr. Karen Coates, an integrative doctor specialising in women’s health spoke on several topics including epigenetics—a very hot topic. In essence, scientists now believe we have much more control over how our genes express themselves depending on our lifestyle and the food choices we make.
As with all Gwinganna retreats, the first half of the day is Yang oriented, focusing on physical exercise, starting with Qigong on the mountain at 6am. The rest of the morning follows with a choice of walks. Go hardcore with the driveway walk or enjoy a lovely gentle stroll with Gwinganna’s resident botanist and social ecologist, John Palmer. There is also an opportunity to learn everything you have ever wanted to know about organic gardening, from head gardener, Shelley Prior, even how to make Aloe Vera juice. At 8am we are treated to a big beautiful breakfast of fresh fruit, porridge or granola, and a hot dish that might include a mushroom omelette wrapped in a buckwheat crepe. Next is stretch-
ing for 30 minutes followed by a 90-minute fitness, yoga or dance class. At 11am there is morning tea before heading into the morning lecture.
The lectures discuss the latest thinking in personal health, whether it be the importance of vitamin D (get your levels checked is the short advice!), or the role of gut and colon health in well-being. These talks are always a favorite and notebooks are provide to ensure you take home the knowledge you’ve gained.
At 1pm the energy shifts at Gwinganna and 'the dreamtime' begins. This starts with a healthy and filling lunch that might be Teriyaki mahi mahi served with a salad of a dozen type of greens fresh from the organic garden, and roasted vegetables. The meals are all sugar, gluten and dairy free and very hearty. We never heard anyone complain of being hungry. Chef Stacey has a great sense of humour, conveyed during her impromptu cooking demos. Stacey, whose cookbook comes out in late 2016, replayed several of the dishes we had eaten that week, and supplied handouts that included recipes.
After lunch the pace slows right down with free time for nap, a quiet walk, an appointment with one of the practitioners or an indulgent spa treatment.
The Gwinganna spa is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere with 33 treatment rooms that form a circle around a forrest of gum trees. My first treatment, The Aloha Lomi Lomi Ritual was nearly three hours—and like nothing I have ever experienced. My practitioner Paie comes from a family of intuitive healers and is also a registered nurse, massage therapist and holds several other diplomas in bodywork and counseling.
The treatment began with a Hawaiian ritual and intention ceremony followed by a card reading (similar to tarot cards), which brought up lots of emotion, and was followed by a long rhythmic massage incorporating several different techniques, along with crystal healing and Hawaiian chanting. It was one of those experiences that leave you flabbergasted, but feeling light as a feather.
A more traditional but every bit as enjoyable treatment is the three hour Li’tya signature ritual, The Dreaming. This treatment pampers from head to toe with a facial, body wrap, full body massage, scalp massage and foot and hand treatment. The products used incorporate native plant essential oils and desert salts.
Five days of this blissful regimen delivers a revitalized body, a nurtured soul and an elevated mind. No wonder they keep coming back.
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This page: There is a range of spa treatments at the largest spa facility in the Southern Hemisphere.
Page: Serene cottage accommodation.
At Gwinganna, the focus is body, soul and mind, and guests are in the capable hands of experts with deep knowledge and experience in their field.Opposite
RELAXED AND INTIMATE, THE BOATSHED ON WAIHEKE ISLAND LEAVES Belinda Craigie WANTING MORE.
Stepping
Zealand’s Waiheke Island doesn’t feel like entering a hotel, but rather like visiting an old friend – it’s comfortable, relaxed and inexplicably familiar. The décor is light, fresh and, as one might expect given the name, nautical in theme. Fresh bouquets of flowers are scattered around the room and surfaces are covered with books of every size and topic – from a history of gay rights in New Zealand, to a coffee table book of interior design inspiration from around the world.
We’ve arrived at the property, which is perched on a hilltop overlooking Little Oneroa Bay, for an overnight stay and truthfully, I’m already dreading leaving. The December morning sunshine streams through the open plan sitting area, which looks out to the bays and the ocean beyond. Feeling suitably at home, we recline on outdoor deck chairs and are soon served a morning tea platter of thick, sweet bread with various jams, complemented with fresh berries, tea and coffee. Our host Sharon advises that this welcome platter typically has more of a wine and cheese theme, but morning tea seems more fitting at this hour (although the wine offer still stands).
A popular Kiwi holiday spot, Waiheke Island is just a short trip from Auckland by ferry or helicopter and while the island plays host to a selection of luxury properties, The Boatshed is undoubtedly one of the more intimate options. It’s been a family owned operation for 14 years, I’m told by owner Jonathan Scott. The land The Boatshed sits on has been in his family for 35 years and used to house the archetypal Kiwi family bach (small holiday home), a less glamorous version of what stands today. Jonathan’s father David Scott – a now US-based designer –helped build the property and still plays a tangible part in keeping it fresh and lively. Every time he visits, he makes a small amendment. Be it covering decora-
tive cushions with a new fabric he’s carried over with him from the US or adding a new nautical trinket, they are personalised touches that serve to maintain the boutique property’s home-away-from-home vibe.
Jonathan himself isn’t a stranger to luxury hospitality, having worked at The Dorchester hotel in London and also servicing private yachts, an experience he says is comparable to how The Boatshed functions – that is, small groups of people receiving high quality, attentive and personalised service. The property is largely self-sufficient, with all water recycled onsite and an extensive organic garden (arguably the property’s shining feature), which grows an assortment of produce that eventually finds its way onto guests’ plates.
Later, after sampling canapés in the lounge, we peruse the very garden our appetizers came from with a glass of Waiheke wine and wander up to the hilltop gazebo to catch the beginnings of a beautiful sunset. Private dining in the gazebo is an option for guests but for dinner, we retreat to a candlelit table in the main lodge – a cosy affair despite its communal setting. The Boatshed is a small property with only five suites and two bungalows, and most guests who stay here are couples wanting to get away for the weekend and spend some quality time with one another. Tables in the guest-only restaurant are positioned so you feel like you’re in an intimate restaurant with your partner, and Chef Adam Rickett (formerly of the renowned Matterhorn restaurant in Wellington) can customise your meals if desired.
Rickett’s cuisine is exceptional. First up is an entrée of prawns with coconut milk and flaxseed crackers. Next is a 45day aged rib eye served with asparagus and Parmesan, iceberg lettuce with brioche crumbs and balsamic shallots. The flavours are robust and undeniably fresh, and we have to remind ourselves to save room for dessert – a flourless chocolate
“... after sampling canapés in the lounge, we peruse the very garden our appetizers came from with a glass of Waiheke wine and wander up to the hilltop gazebo to catch the beginnings of a beautiful sunset.”
cake with white chocolate ganache and mascarpone. Feeling full, we retreat to bed, but not before glimpsing a marriage proposal that has subtly unfolded at the next table. Such is the intimacy of The Boatshed.
Breakfast the next morning is a veritable assortment of blended juices, gourmet cereals and freshly baked breads. We order both the sweet and savoury hot breakfast options and share a plate of salmon eggs benedict, along with rhubarb French toast – fuel that keeps us going while we visit nearby art galleries in Oneroa, followed by lunch and a wine tasting at Cable Bay Vineyard. I decide that on my next visit, I’ll linger a little longer to explore the bays by boat, wine and dine my way around a few more of Waiheke’s prized wineries, and discover more of its natural delights.
Travel from October 1 - 8 2016 | Price $5000 AUD PP
Room rates at The Boatshed start at NZ$685 (about A$613) during low season, including gourmet breakfast and on-island transfers. The Boatshed can arrange a 10-minute helicopter (from NZ$1,050) or 20-minute light aircraft transfer (from NZ$285 per person) from Auckland Airport. Alternatively, transfers from the airport via car then ferry or private boat charter can also be arranged. boatshed.co.nz
The writer flew with Air New Zealand from Sydney to Auckland. For our review of Air New Zealand’s recently refurbished Sydney Airport lounge, see page 107. airnewzealand.com.au
With Local acclaimed Chef Melina Puntoriero as your guide, discover the real Italy in the hidden valleys, crystalline seasides and dazzlingly white limestone cliffs, rich in history and of course food and wine that is spectaular.
Indulge in the local cuisine, simple and yet profound with inspirational flavours from Michelin Chefs, local trattoria’s and secret street food Matriach’s plus experience the magic of making your own Burrata Cheese.
Sail in the exquisite crystal waters of the Adriatic and soak up the sun, in your boutique luxury accommodations as we live 8 wonderful days of unique cultural and gastronomic adventures.
A UNIQUE BLEND OF OLD-WORLD CHARM AND CONTEMPORARY CHIC PUTS PENINSULA HOTELS ON LUXURY’S CUTTING-EDGE, WRITES
Let’s talk tech for a moment. It’s not usually the first subject that comes to mind when discussing five-star hotels, of course. Mostly, we prefer to focus on those sink-into beds, those full-size bathtubs, those rooms with a view – all of which Peninsula Hotels has in abundance.
What they also have, however, is technology – the sort of seamless, no-instruction-manualrequired tech that is so simple, you barely notice it. With Peninsula’s tablet technology – currently being rolled out across the entire 10-hotel portfolio – one device runs the whole show. Want to switch on the TV, order room service, draw the curtains? Reach for the tablet, programmed in 11 different languages to accommodate the Peninsula’s international clientele.
The linked technology takes care of all the little details, too. If you are watching TV when
the phone rings, the TV volume will automatically lower. If the phone rings in the middle of the night, the night light will come on. This clever system was created by the hotel’s research and technology department, the only such department belonging to a major luxury hotel group.
And that’s the Peninsula difference. This is a company that goes a step further. Yes, Peninsula’s properties are beautiful, their staff attentive: but it is the little extras that set Peninsula Hotels apart.
Take the Peninsula fleet. The very first hotel in the portfolio - The Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong, launched in 1928 by two Iraqi brothers, Ellis and Elly Kadoorie – has long been known for its famous fleet of Rolls Royces, painted in the hotel’s signature colour, Peninsula green.
Today, every Peninsula offers its own version of stylish transportation, available for an airport pick-up or simply to go shopping or sightseeing. In some cities, chauffeur-driven Minis are on standby; in Shanghai, a motor yacht is on call. In Hong Kong, Manila and Bangkok, the hotel even has its own helipad for those who like to get their stay off to a flying start.
Peninsula’s origins may be in Asia – their second property was opened in Manila, with other hotels following in Bangkok, Shanghai and Beijing – but the company is now a global player, with properties in many of the great world cities. New York, Los Angeles and Paris
“Yes, Peninsula’s properties are beautiful, their staff attentive: but it is the little extras that set Peninsula Hotels apart.”PENINSULA NEW YORK PENINSULA CHICAGO PENINSULA HONG KONG
all have a Peninsula of their own; London is coming up.
The company, which still has the Kadoorie family as majority shareholders, always secures the best address in town. In New York, the hotel fronts onto Fifth Avenue; the new London property will be perched on Hyde Park Corner. The Peninsula Paris has an enviable location on Avenue Kléber, which rejoices in astonishing views right across the city of light. Make the most of it by nabbing a seat in the rooftop restaurant or, if your wallet can stand the strain, book into one of the rooftop suites, each with its own terrace.
Peninsula’s rooms and suites are designed for those who love holing up in style. Interiors are elegantly understated, and include thoughtful in-room amenities. (Our favourite: the nail polish-dryer. How did we ever live without one?). WiFi is complimentary and in the more
modern hotels, so are phone calls to anywhere in the world.
If exploring the city is a priority, Peninsula can help here too. The Peninsula Academy offers a series of carefully curated activities to showcase the culture of each city in which it operates.
In Hong Kong, for instance, you might choose to explore the local comics and animation culture, meeting a local artist and trying your hand at your own comic creation. Alternatively, you might sign up for a caviar master class, or perhaps a picnic in one of Hong Kong’s green spaces, which includes a drawing lesson to help you capture a lasting reminder of your day. In Paris, you can choose between activities such as a private tour of Versailles, or a day trip to Champagne, complete with the opportunity to sample a range of vintages.
The Peninsula likes to delight guests in oth-
er ways, too. One of its most innovative schemes is the partnership between the Peninsula Hong Kong and Britain’s Royal Academy. The aim is to showcase artwork in and around the hotel – but we’re not talking landscapes and still lifes.
The first artwork, shown last year, was a piece by sculptor Richard Wilson. Called Hang On A Minute Lads… I’ve Got A Great Idea, the sculpture consisted of a six-ton (almost 7,000kg) bus teetering from the hotel’s seventh floor sun terrace. Programmed to rock up to 12 degrees at random intervals, guests were variously thrilled and alarmed by the unexpected sight. This year belongs to Conrad Shawcross, whose offering – combining sculpture, robotics and music – will sit on the cutting edge: just where Peninsula Hotels like to be.
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It’s the drive down a steep road en route when I begin to feel it the most. With each descending metre down the rock-framed path towards the valley floor in this vast UNESCO world-heritage protected Blue Mountains national park, I smile at the increasing reality that the stresses of the city have no place here. Instructed to leave our car at the main gate, we’re picked up in a One&Only khaki jeep for the drive to reception, bumping slowly over the stones and flowing rivulet of Carne Creek, which is the property’s own still spring with fresh, clear water; and passing the resort’s stables.
Check-in takes place comfortably in the main lodge with a glass of bubbles on the sofas in the bar area. I can’t resist a wander out onto the deck where the fresh, rural air breathes new life into this weary city gal at year’s end, and I gain an elevated view of the 7,000 acre property, its 36 heritage suites; three x two-bedroom Wolgan suites; and one x three-bedroom Wolgan suite; plus the swimming pool that has arguably one of the most striking backdrops for a pool in Australia. The city feels very far behind indeed.
With a restrained colour palette, the carbon-neutral resort exudes the homely vibe and aesthetic of a sophisticated lodge – high ceilings with exposed timber beams, enormous sandstone fireplaces, velvet and leather studded armchairs, timber floorboards, oversized rugs and subtle placement of both Australiana memorabilia and recycled materials. Don’t miss the imposing Wolgan clock, designed locally in Lithgow from a single piece of 600-year-old Red Box root, felled 400 years ago, and weighing an almighty 300 kilograms. There’s plenty to see at the main homestead, but I’m keen to checkout my room for the night.
Entering the one-bedroom heritage villa, passing the two mountain bikes on the patio for complimentary guest use, I am instantly in love with the 2 x 7 metre indoor heated lap pool, a feature of all the property’s villas. Sophie, the guest services manager provides a tour of the room and its facilities. A sky view shower with a glass ceiling is designed to
This page: Each villa features a beautiful 2 x 7 metre private plunge pool surrounded by nature. Meanwhile throw rugs, exposed timber beams, four-poster, king-sized beds and fireplaces are featured throughout the villas.
Opposite page: The daily Wolgan Signature Wildlife Drive will have you knowing the difference between a wallaroo and kangaroo; do not miss the opportunity to indulge in a spa treatment – a highlight of this rural retreat.
make the most of the wildlife that flies ahead and with the Wolgan area home to 153 species of birds (more than all of New Zealand), I’m accompanied by a bird on the other side of the glass during my showers. An outdoor patio area is fully enclosed with mesh to keep mosquitos and presumably the abundant wildlife at a respectable distance; a bathtub is set below windows that can open to the elements; a double-sided fireplace can be enjoyed from either the enormous four-poster,
king-sized bed or in the living area. Sophie, leaving the best to last, throws open the double-doors to the walk-in-robe and dressing table with theatrical aplomb. Rooms in the resort are currently undergoing a progressive refurbishment (or refresh) with all rooms due to be completed by December 2016.
In the late afternoon, I head out on the Wolgan Signature Wildlife Drive which runs daily. Our expert guide shares his passion for the region, getting us up
Rates in 2016 start from A$2,050 per evening twin-share. The property is 190km from Sydney or a three-hour drive. One&Only can arrange a private chauffeur car service from a Sydney CBD or airport location. Rates start from A$695 one-way for up to four passengers. Helicopter transfers with Sydney Helitours from Sydney airport start from A$770 per person, oneway, taking 45 minutes.
close to plenty of kangaroos, wallaroos, wallabies and even the usually nocturnal wombats. He explains, over sundowners, that forests would have once dominated the valley floor in this national park which is roughly three times the size of Sydney. We pass other resort guests who are making the most of the seven-kilometre bike trail. Other experiences for guests include horse trail rides, bird watching, hiking, stargazing tours and picnics at lookouts. As the resort is very welcoming to families, there’s also a range of Wolgan Rangers Children’s Activities.
Up at the dining room, we enjoy a window seat and I admire the native flowers in vases as we survey the menu. In keeping with the resort’s policy to be as sustainable as possible, produce is sourced from within a 160km radius – as long as the standard passes the One&Only quality test. The food was fresh and of high standard, though some dishes on the menu could do with a little less fuss and deconstruction. The wine list has a pleasing dose of New South Wales wines from Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Orange; along with wines from other Australian states and a solid selection of imported wines. Our sommelier is a fabulous host and enjoyed the opportunity to match wines to our tastes, beyond those suggested alongside each dish on the menu.
While the entire resort feels like a tranquil escape, One&Only Spa is where I really lose myself. An architectural masterpiece, the waiting room before your treatment is so aesthetically pleasing, with its giant wooden chandelier, that it’s almost a disappointment when you’re collected for your treatment (almost). A Mountain Aromatherapy massage using premium Australian skincare range Sodashi and overlooking the bush, with massage pressure to suit my tastes, took care of the last of the computer neck tension that was refusing to budge, allowing me to finish my valley stay with a sense of calm and on a highly-scented note of lemon myrtle, letting me take a little piece of the bush back to the big smoke.
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“ A Mountain Aromatherapy massage using premium Australian skincare range Sodashi and overlooking the bush, with massage pressure to suit my tastes, took care of the last of the computer neck tension that was refusing to budge ... ”
The Nam Hai brings together the country’s premier lifestyle resort with two of the finest courses in Asia – The Montgomerie Links, designed by Ryder Cup legend, Colin Montgomerie and Danang Golf Course from the hand of former world champion Greg Norman. Apart from admiring the serene view of the white sand beaches of Danang from your private villa, make the most of your stay and play a pair of world-class seaside golf courses located mere minutes away from the resort.
PRACTISE YOUR SWING AS PART OF AN UNFORGETTABLE RESORT EXPERIENCE. TEE-OFF IN STYLE
OFFER STARTS FROM US$570.
Conditions apply.
For bookings or enquiries, please call our Reservation Team at +84 510 394 0000 or email at reservations@thenamhai.com
THE ANCHORAGE IS A COOL, SOPHISTICATED AND SERENE BASE FROM WHICH TO EXPLORE THE NEW SOUTH WALES NORTH COAST, WRITES Kelly Allen.
Port stephens, 2.5 hours north of sydney, is a natural paradise, its beautiful coastline boasting sheltered bays and wide sandy beaches. The Anchorage occupies one of the waterway’s prettiest locations on the headland at Corlette. Nestled in the bush of the headland yet opening out to vistas across the bay, this resort offers a sense of sanctuary. This family-friendly property has 80 rooms but the entire complex is only
two stories high, so the feel is quaint and understated. We had a split-level loft style room with the bedroom and ensuite upstairs and the lounge room and balcony on ground level. The décor has hints of coastal style, such as plantation shutters, without overdoing it. The gentle sea breeze and the views out over the marina and beyond are calming and are the real stars of the show. And there’s always the complimentary in room WIFI to distract us.
In terms of onsite activities, The
Anchorage offers an outdoor heated swimming pool, complimentary use of kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, and spa treatments at Spa Lucca. We enjoyed a relaxation massage at the onsite Spa Lucca straight after check in, which definitely helped erase the memory of the tire puncture we experienced on the motorway up from Sydney. There are several spa packages on offer and German skin care line Babor is the brand used. There is a relaxation room with a steam and spa tub to use when your treatment is finished.
All that Port Stephens has to offer starts a stone’s throw from The Anchorage with a protected swimming beach at Corlette. The resort is just 10 minutes from Nelson Bay’s fine dining and café culture. The area offers great opportunities for dolphin and whale watching, great surf beaches and bushwalking. Golf, tennis and other sporting activities are all also in easy reach of the resort.
Breakfast is offered both indoors and out. There were several families inside and the noise level was fairly high, so we opted for al fresco. There is a buffet with hot choices and a cold cereal station; eggs can be made to order. The service comes with a country smile and
a friendliness that we lament is often missing in the big city rush. Brimming with local knowledge, staff at The Anchorage were ready with suggestions on the best beaches and what we can see and do in the area.
The food focus is to prefer local fresh produce, and to ensure Anchorage’s dining venues are leading Port Stephens’ growing culinary reputation. Dinner for us at the Galley Kitchen starts with smoked kangaroo, turnip salad and plum chutney followed by orecchiette pasta, wood ear mushrooms, peas, aged Parmesan, truffle oil and garlic bread crumbs. We washed it down with the famous local brew, Murrays Whale Ale.
l STAY HERE
Standard rate for the one-bedroom loft suites is $530 per night twin share, although check the website for promotions and packages before booking. anchorageportstephens.com.au
The gentle sea breeze and the views out over the marina and beyond are the real stars of the show.
IT’S JUST A QUICK TRIP FROM THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF SYDNEY BUT, AS Katrina Holden DISCOVERS,
The beating sounds of cicadas almost drum a song as I make my way along the path to the country-estate style pool. A large Eastern Water Dragon brings me to a temporary halt – his long striped tail, mohawk tuft and rounded black eyes have drawn the attention of guests in surrounding villas who look on from the comfort of their private deck daybeds. The dragon, not perturbed by the attention, darts his tongue with leaves crushing beneath his belly. This is the Bouddi National Park on the New South Wales Central Coast and a stay at Bells at Killcare without an appearance from the local wildlife would have left me feeling most unwelcomed.
The quaint coastal township of Killcare is just a short zip up the highway out of Sydney. From the moment you arrive at the loosely pebble-stoned path, the coastal-meets-country aesthetic begins to soothe. Enormous Grecian stone urns flank either side of the entrance steps to the original manor house. Inside, the reception area’s walls are papered in bold, nautical navy blue-and-white thick stripes. The words, ‘Relax, Unwind, Enjoy’ hover on the wall above the reception desk, a theme carried throughout the property on scatter cushions – though one barely needs a reminder in this stylish yet serene boutique hotel.
The accommodation is a mix of studios, cottages and villas. Inside, the rooms are bright and airy with large, soft and inviting couches, a bed reminding us to “unwind”; and a bathroom with a freestanding egg-shaped tub and generous-sized shampoo, conditioner and body wash of beautifully
fragrant Bouddi product, made on site. Privacy on the decks has been thoughtfully considered, with rattan chairs and a dining table with candleholders and an over-sized daybed. During our stay we savour a reclusive moment with a bottle of champagne on the deck,
listening to the symphony of sounds from the Australian bush.
The current owners have run the property since 2006, securing the contribution of hatted-chef Stefano Manfredi and restaurateur Julie Manfredi Hughes to turn this into a culinary dine-and-stay destination, best suited to those seeking a sophisticated yet simple getaway. With the hotel’s kitchen garden and a strong vision to create a high-quality regional restaurant, the dining experience is undoubtedly one of Bells’ highlights. Breakfast was so delectable, I’d recommend settling in for a long and leisurely morning with the newspaper, espresso coffee and the à la carte breakfast overlooking the lawns – and save snooze time for later by the pool on your Adirondack chair and striped towel.
The kitchen staff source eggs from hens on the property and make honey in-house from on-site beehives. The chefs under the direction of Manfredi
strive to create as much on site as possible; so the pastries, breads, granola, bircher muesli, banana bread, jams, relishes and fruit compotes are all courtesy of the kitchen chefs. I can’t go past a freshly baked pain au chocolate, oozing warm chocolate from its buttery dough; followed by a plated breakfast of eggs, smoked bacon, roasted tomato, roast mushroom, wilted spinach and the best gluten-free bread I’ve ever tasted.
During the day, we could opt to explore any of the seven beaches in the Bouddi National Park using the Bouddi Walks map in our room but my activities consist of afternoon reading, a refreshing Negroni served to me by the pool and a dip in the rectangular pool surrounded by grass and a towering hedge wall of pine trees. A group plays petanque on the lawn as the curveshaped window awnings flap in the gentle breeze (striped blue-and-white, of course).
I don’t leave without a visit to Bells
Day Spa for a little pampering. Arriving earlier than scheduled, I’m handed a glass of prosecco to enjoy while I wait – now thankful for my lost sense of time in my state of Bells bliss. I’m having the one-hour Signature Kodo massage that incorporates traditional Aboriginal techniques. After choosing from a selection of native aromatic oils, I lie back in the darkened room. “It’s going to smell like a bushfire in here, but you’re perfectly safe,” my therapist whispers, beginning the indigenous flora-smoking ritual. Before long I drift into an otherworldly state of relaxation so deep there could well have been a small fire and I wouldn’t have noticed. I’m gently woken from my light slumber at session’s end – and I’m saved by the Bell.
Rates at Bells at Killcare start from A$370 per room. bellsatkillcare.com.au
“Breakfast was so delectable, I’d recommend settling in for a long and leisurely morning with the newspaper, espresso coffee and the à la carte breakfast overlooking the lawns.”KATRINA HOLDEN
We usually check the local weather before we land somewhere. When you’re on holiday, you really want the “Weather Gods” to cooperate, so it was a bit disconcerting to see rain, especially when it’s the entire week’s forecast. Such was the case for our week in Byron Bay, and it wasn’t just a passing shower, it was looking pretty heavy the entire time.
Luckily for us, our plans included a stay at The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa, situated right in the middle of beautiful, lush Australian rainforest. If it’s going to be raining, the rainforest is the place to be. Located on the temperate NSW Mid North Coast, just five kilometres south of Byron Bay’s bustling town centre, this eco-friendly resort is a welcome escape from the summer crowds and is only 10 minutes’ stroll on the rainforest boardwalk through to Tallow Beach, itself a stunning stretch of golden sand. The beach is fabulous for long walks and people watching: the beautiful people gather here; young couples with their bare-bottomed toddlers, dogs catch frisbees while teens tackle the surf.
The winner of numerous awards, The Byron entered TripAdvisor’s Hall of Fame in 2015 after earning the site’s Certificate of Excellence for consistently high visitor reviews five years in a row. Upon arrival it becomes immediately obvious why: the award-winning design beautifully embraces the environment. The resort boasts a beautiful infinity pool and spacious tennis courts, but because
of the weather, we're probably not going to be spending much time at either. We would have to be satisfied with The Byron’s renowned spa or after finding my centre at the daily complimentary yoga classes. Maybe later we’d pop in to town on the free resort shuttle.
Suites at The Byron are embedded in clusters throughout the rainforest, connected by eco-friendly above-ground boardwalks. Our Deluxe Spa Suite is in a secluded corner and we decide to take the boardwalk through the rainforest instead of a buggy as it is just as incredible in the pouring rain. The suite is large with lots of timber and large windows looking out through the bush. There are two screened in outdoor areas with comfortable chairs and a large bathroom with a freestanding spa tub. The kitchenette has every -
thing you need including a full sized fridge and even a dishwasher.
After talking to the girls in the spa I decide to book one of their signature treatments: the two-hour “Flannel Flower Relax”. This involves a full body exfoliation followed by a slathering of heavy body cream after which you are wrapped in a cocoon of warmth. As you float in and out of consciousness, you are given a facial with lots of massage, topped off with a divine scalp massage. My therapist’s name is Noriko and she is brilliant. I have to say it is the best spa treatment I have ever had (and I have had a fair few).
The next morning’s yoga class taught by Tara runs for about 75 minutes and is suitable for all levels. The class is held on the covered verandah, so the rain doesn’t interfere and
“Suites at The Byron are embedded in clusters throughout the rainforest, connected by ecofriendly above-ground boardwalks.”
while there are lots of participants, there is plenty of room to spread out. It’s a great way to start the morning and I feel less guilty when I indulge at breakfast shortly after.
There are plenty of options for breakfast including a ginger macadamia sourdough bread that becomes an instant favourite. Along with hot choices like eggs, bacon and sausage, there are several gluten-free options and healthy choices such as chia seed pudding, fresh fruit, dried nuts and seeds and a delicious bircher muesli.
Dinner at The Restaurant under the guidance of chef Gavin Hughes is not to be missed. Gavin is a big fan of the local Byron market and he uses regional produce whenever possible. From the zucchini flowers stuffed with skordalia, chili, rocket and almonds to the Milly Hill roast lamb with quinoa, wasabi peas, radish and tamarind eggplant chutney, every bite was wonderful.
While our visit to The Byron may not have been blessed with sunshine, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed reconnecting with nature in the rainforest. Add the yoga, being pampered in the spa, and the consumption of simply great food, maybe those weather Gods know what’s best after all.
Rates start from A$560 per night per room for a Standard Suite to A$650 for a Deluxe Spa Suite. thebyronatbyron.com.au
You can view this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
AS DARKNESS FALLS AND ULU RU IS
From its stunning Rive Gauche outlook over Lake Geneva, to its modest “tradies” entrance right on rue du Rhône (Geneva’s famous luxury retail boulevard), Swissotel Métropole offers a quintessential Helvetian luxury experience to the discerning traveller.
Located right in the town centre, within easy reach of Geneva’s central business district and fascinating Old Town,
Swissotel Métropole occupies a beautiful heritage neo-classical building built in 1854. Historically one of city’s original Grand Hotels, the Swissotel Métropole exudes an old-world warmth and charm, and delights with its grand lobby, high ceilings, intricate staircases, woodpanelled hallways, and sumptuous rooms and suites.
We enjoyed our stay in a Signature Room Lakeside, which features views that can also be had from the 280-square-metre Presidential Suite over Lake Geneva and the Jardin Anglais (English Garden). The recently refurbished rooms are comfortable and have been upgraded with modern technology. Bathrooms are enclosed in glass, lending an open-air feel. Doors lead out to small balconies to let in the views and fresh lakeside air.
Breakfast buffet-style is
offered with à la carte options, warm fresh bread, a great selection of cheeses and aged meats and one of the best hot chocolates in a town that has raised the beverage into an artform.
Indeed, one is never far from a chocolate fix throughout the Swissotel Métropole, including access to irresistible Swiss chocolate fountains. The hotel is also an avid participant at the annual Christmas challenge where Geneva’s local five-star hotels show off their best chocolate creations.
The hotel’s Gusto restaurant has also recently benefited from a revamp and serves modern Italian cuisine, offering dishes like Italian red chicory and foie gras risotto, with wonderful patisseries such as the Limoncello cream profiteroles. In warmer months, dine alfresco on the restaurant’s terrace or head to the rooftop 5 Lounge to taste the tapas-style menu, or chill out with cocktails into the evening with views out over the Lac Leman (Lake Geneva), Jardin Anglais (English Garden) and the iconic Jet d’Eau fountain.
Swissotel Métropole doesn’t have a dedicated spa facility, however in-room massage treatments can be arranged on request using Swissotel’s Purovel amenities brand. Service at Swissotel Métropole is meticulous and attentive and be sure to make use of the concierge staff’s impressive local knowledge, they are always eager to assist in any way they can.
Standard daily rates for a Signature Room Lakeside start from CHF470 (about A$638).
swissotel.com/hotels/Geneva
SIGNATURE ROOM LAKESIDE
“One of Geneva’s original Grand Hotels, the Swissotel Métropole exudes an old-world warmth and charm…”
For an indelible luxury travel experience, touch down in Geneva, take a stunningly scenic two-hour drive along Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), over the mountain pass to Gstaad, check in to Le Grand Bellevue and let human nature take its course.
Upon entering the lobby of this 102-year-old original
Swiss chalet, one can sense right away the comfort and warmth, with the fireplace the focus, the redecoration has a cosy feel without being ostentatious. Reopened in 2013 after a spare-no-expense refurbishment that merges a beautiful balance of décors old and new, Le Grand Bellevue is an interior decorator's delight.
The only Relais & Châteaux hotel in Sydney, Jonah’s at Whale Beach is one of Australia’s most stunning ocean retreats. Overlooking the Pacific, Jonah’s is just a 50-minute drive from the CBD or a 20-minute flight by seaplane from Rose Bay.
Dine at Jonah’s award-winning restaurant and enjoy the superb Contemporary Australian menu created by executive chef Logan Campbell. Using the finest Australian seafood and local produce, the menu is matched with a magnificent wine list of more than 1,500 different wines from around the globe, with a cellar of over 5,000 bottles.
For the ultimate experience, stay overnight in one of the 11 stylish Ocean Retreat rooms with unparalleled 180-degree sea views.
For bookings, call (02) 9974 5599 or visit jonahs.com.au
Jonah’s Restaurant & Boutique Hotel
69 Bynya Road
Whale Beach NSW 2107
Additions in the redesign include a spa, a cigar lounge, an 18-seat premium movie theatrette and a restaurant dedicated to fine dining. The town of Gstaad matches everyone’s mental image of what a Swiss village should look like: intimate and quaint with plenty of shops ranging from haut couture to the local green grocer. Oh, and of course, those views.
Leonards, the in-house Michelin-starred restaurant, is presided over by Chef Urs Gschwend. It redoubles the luxury to have a world-class culinary experience just downstairs. Casual yet elegant, Leonards uses the best local
produce. For a quick and healthy option, try sashimi and Japanese noodles at the sushi bar. Punctuate the day with morning café or afternoon tea by the log fire in the sumptuous lounge.
If you are looking for an authentic Swiss experience, Le Petite Chalet is a charming little log cottage located on the property that seats just 20 diners for authentic fondue and raclette and other local specialties. In winter après ski, this is a magical way to end the day.
Breakfast offerings take in both buffet and à la carte. Choose from anything your metabolism can handle: pancakes or French toast, warm tasty
porridge or the gamut of egg variations. Don’t forget to savour the smoked salmon shipped fresh from Scotland. Local cheese selections are superb, and the service is just as you would expect – impeccable.
Le Grande Spa is a major draw card at the resort, sprawling over 3,000 square metres it’s like a candy shop for the body and soul, with so many different experiences on offer such as an aromatic sauna, Turkish bath, indoor pool and Jacuzzi, plus a Himalayan salt room and ice cave.
Book a massage utilising organic Bamford products or try one of the many skincare treatments including IPL, Bio
Ask about meeting a local farmer or taking a spin in the resort’s Bentley. And don’t forget to check out the dedicated hot chocolate menu in the lounge and drink it in the hotel's hanging birdcage chairs.
With just 57 rooms including nine suites, Le Grand Bellevue is expansive but exclusive. All rooms are spacious, with tasteful décor and lavish furnishings however, take note, this hotel books out months in advance, especially in high season.
Standard rates for a Deluxe Chic Room start from CHF750 (about A$1,015). bellevue-gstaad.ch
“The town of Gstaad matches everyone’s mental image of what a Swiss village should look like: intimate and quaint...”INTERESTING ARCHITECTURE IN THE BAR LUXE LIGHTING IN THE LOBBY POLISHED INTERIORS IN THE TOWER SUITE
Just outside of the windows of the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva is the Jet d’ Eau fountain, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Positioned directly across Lake Geneva, a perfectly unobstructed view can be found from a step through the balcony doors of Kempinski’s Lake View room. Within, the decor is clean and modern, varying in colour and style.
The Grand Hotel is only a short stroll from the middle of Geneva’s bustling shopping area, Rue Du Rhone Street and Market Street Confederation. However, within the property’s grounds of this five-star hotel is
its own lively complex of upscale shops, boutiques and exclusive restaurants. Among these are gourmet restaurants Il Vero, Le Grill and Tsé Yang. With cuisine ranging from Italian to Chinese, these restaurants offer a dining experience with a backdrop over the magical French Alps.
Grand Hotel is on a mission to create its own culinary trademark – to perfect their signature dish, which is a twist on a Geneva classic: Perch fillets Meunière style. In the mornings, there is a very expansive international buffet breakfast with à la carte options available – our tip is to get there early as it can get busy later in the morning.
For those who want the fun to continue even after dinner is over and the sun has set, there are several options on the grounds of the hotel without the need to leave the property. Home to two of the city’s most popular venues, FloorTwo Bar and Java Club, Geneva nightlife shows up on the front doorstep of the Grand Hotel as locals converge
for the DJs, dance floor, lounges and, of course, the drinks.
For the daytime, there is Le Spa by Resense and fitness centre. The spa offers services such as the steam and soap massage, manicures and pedicures, facials and wraps. For those who don’t want to fall behind in their fitness while on holiday, the fitness centre, managed by Olympian Cédric Grand, offers the latest models of gym equipment and the largest private indoor pool in Geneva.
Since 2010, there has been an environmental-themed offer at Grand Hotel Geneva called the GREEN Package which allows guests to choose a luxury room while simultaneously helping to protect the environment. For each package booked, one Kempinski tree is planted in the Amazonas area in Brazil, by the hotel’s partner, Association Aquaverde, to help counteract the guest’s carbon footprint. Standard daily rates for a Superior Double Room start from CHF442.50 (about A$599). kempinski.com
“Home to two of the city’s most popular venues, FloorTwo Bar and Java Club, Geneva nightlife shows up on the front doorstep of the Grand Hotel as locals converge for the DJs, dance floor, lounges and, of course, the drinks.”LE GRILL RESTAURANT
Built in 2001 as a part of the National Exhibition, Hotel Palafitte Neuchatel is unlike any other property in Switzerland. As the first and only overwater-Bungalow resort in all of Europe, there is a total of 40 pavilions, 24 of which are designed to hover over Lake Neuchatel on stilts and 16 of which sit on the water’s edge. The Lake Pavilions have direct access to the lake through a small ladder from their private terrace and the Lakeshore Pavilions are only a short path away. Each pavilion is tastefully decorated and carefully designed to architecturally enhance the view of the lake
from any point in the room. For instance, it features removable bathroom walls to keep the entirety of the pavilion open, if so desired.
Overall, Hotel Palafitte Neuchatel creates a relaxing and cocooning environment where one can wake up to the sight of the distant and majestic Appalachian Mountains and the sound of the waves splashing beneath the floorboards along with avantgarde technology features.
The hotel is located in the town of Neuchâtel-Monruz in the northwest corner of Switzerland, just outside of the Neuchatel. Bicycles are offered for guest use
so one can take the short and beautiful ride into the town’s quaint centre, full of picturesque streetscapes, charming farmer’s markets and a plethora of shops and restaurants to saunter about. Also, the ride into the town is a treat within itself, for the quiet streets pass a number of beautiful collegial and historic buildings.
The breakfast buffet was held in the dining room, flooded with the bright and cheerful morning light, where we had an assortment of fresh and tasty items and a view out and over the lake where the mountains framed them on the other side.
La Table is the hotel’s main dining venue, located beside the
lake and totally encased in large French windows which open to the breathtaking nature that surrounds the hotel, creating a dining experience for the guest like no other. Chef David Sauvignet favours the use of local market produce and the menu changes with the seasons. In addition to La Table Hotel Pallafitte Neuchatel is also home to Le Terrasse, where small snacks and drinks are served on the tranquil terrace, and La Bar, which is the perfect venue for a casual morning coffee or afternoon drink.
Room rates at Hotel Palafitte start at CHF590 (about A$798). palafitte.ch
“Hotel Palafitte Neuchatel creates a relaxing and cocooning environment where one can wake up to the sight of the majestic Appalachian Mountains”VIEWS OF THE LAKE FROM ALL ANGLES PAVILLION LACUSTRE
NECKER ISLAND
British Virgin Islands
KASBAH TAMADOT
Morocco
MOSKITO ISLAND
British Virgin Islands
ULUSABA
South Africa
MAHALI MZURI
Kenya
MONT ROCHELLE
South Africa
THE ROOF GARDENS
United Kingdom
THE LODGE
Switzerland
NECKER BELLE
British Virgin Islands
An easy hour’s drive from Bern in the west and Lucerne to the east, Interlaken is one of Switzerland’s most popular tourist destinations. The historic old town was founded in the 12th century and sits on the Aare River surrounded by the Bernese Alps, themselves dominated by the Jungfrau, which at 4,158 metres is one of Europe’s highest summits. The 156-year-old Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel dates back to the rapid rise of tourism in the area which opened up when the Swiss Railway System was built.
This famous five-star hotel with a colourful history is centrally located in Interlaken with superb views of the busy avenue out front and the Jungfrau massif beyond. It’s a stunning old building with high ceilings, glass atriums and has maintained a real old world grace and beauty about it.
Superior Double Rooms have a view of scenic Mount Harder or the village of Interlaken. Suites are spacious and comfortable with lots of wood and classic European décor.
It is a singular and unforgettable experience of
sitting out on the balcony with a glass of wine, drinking in views of Jungfrau massif and watching the parasailers glide down like butterflies from the mountains above. Further afield, one unmissable experience is the Jungfrau mountain train which winds its way up impossibly into the Alps with views that are literally breathtaking.
Interlaken is a spa town and the Victoria Jungfrau offers two spa facilities which each offer an enervating experience but
“It is a singular and unforgettable experience of sitting out on the balcony with a glass of wine, drinking in views of Jungfrau massif ...”GARY ALLEN ELEGANT FURNISHINGS JUNGFRAU MASSIF JUNGFRAU MOUNTAIN TRAIN
from divergent traditions. The Espa Spa offers more than 30 holistic treatments “inspired by oriental therapeutic methods and complemented with selected western techniques”. At the Sensai Select Spa, the approach is steeped in traditional Japanese rituals “to restore your skin’s natural abilities and achieve its full beauty potential”. All these claims were confirmed as we undertook several sublime treatments in serene, elegant, and beautiful settings.
Make time to fully experience the spa and other health facilities. The massive pool and indoor exercise area features a huge indoor pool room with jaw-dropping architecture, water features and plenty of opportunity to relax in the warm waters. Stretch out on lounges or make use of the indoor tennis courts or the exercise room, replete with all the latest innovations and machines for a great workout.
Breakfast was served in the
main dining room with a large buffet and à la carte options. Plenty to choose from with the typical mainstays of Swiss hotel breakfasts: a buffet of cheese, eggs, cured meats, freshsqueezed juices, fresh breads and croissants. You might like to consider breakfast in the town on weekends as the dining rooms can get very crowded.
Quaranta Uno is the hotel’s Italian restaurant and is very authentic with plenty of options for all tastes. The pastas such
as spaghetti with garlic and king prawns and the papardelle ragout should not be missed. For the main, the veal chop is amazing and the grilled sirloin is unforgettable. Save room for to-die-for tiramisu. The wine list is extensive and the sommelier is very knowledgeable and can get you that great bottle you are looking for.
Standard rates for a Superior Double Room start from CHF442.50 (about A$599).
victoria-jungfrau.ch/de
Five-star service, amenities and dining is what we expect; what we seek is that something extra that goes beyond the merely exceptional. At Hotel Villa Honegg that something extra is an extraordinary, unforgettable –almost unfindable – location.
Villa Honegg is one of those hotels that challenges your SatNav, but once you arrive, you really arrive. Perched on the Bürgenstock 914 metres above sea level in the hills above Lake Lucerne, this boutique hotel
offers breathtaking views down to the lake, framed above by an amphitheatre of mountain peaks. It pushes right up to a national park where one can experience incredible walks and bike rides through dense forest, across glorious Alpine meadows or to the famous Cliff Path and Hammetschwand Lift.
Built in the Art Nouveaustyle in 1905 and reopened after a complete refurbishment in 2011, Villa Honegg recalls a bygone era of “slow” travel and the Grand Tour. With vistas
everywhere, it’s quiet and calm, light and peaceful. The holder of 14 Gault-Millau points, Villa Honegg’s menus make the most of ingredients that are either grown on the premises or sourced locally. Cheeses, meats and other produce, if it doesn’t come from the hotel farm then it’s sourced from local suppliers. Seasonal, fresh, delicious.
All meals are served in the dining room but when the weather permits you can dine out on the terrace and know the meaning of divine. Breakfast
is à la carte and inclusive in the room rate. Service is attentive and quick to respond to whatever the heart desires, and any heart that makes the journey must not leave without savouring the honey that’s made on the premises.
Rooms at Villa Honegg embrace you in a cocoon of luxury. The attention to detail is manifest: natural materials and superb finishings are the hallmark of the decor, which combine to foster a sense of well-being. Rooms come with
free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and Nespresso machines. Suites add living areas and designer toiletries.
The spa is a major drawcard with its heated outdoor stainless steel pool that, surprise, affords more amazing views of the lake and mountains. After a good soaking, lounge chairs on the grass are provided with fur-lined blankets to wrap you up. It’s an amazing experience to sit and just relax with those views. There are also treatment rooms for massages, facials
and anything else you desire. If you need to work off some indulgence, a fully equipped gym is available, with a steam room, sauna and a small cold plunge. Facilities are fastidiously clean, with fresh towels and staff always at hand.
Take a hike in the foothills behind the hotel, explore the manicured gardens and the organic farm, drink in the fresh mountain air while lounging on fur blankets after a swim in the heated pool, end the day over a long magnificent meal. While
elegance is the watchword at Villa Honegg, there is also wow factor which mere words fail to capture.
The downside? The secret is out and on weekends when day-trippers are welcome things can get quite crowded. Best to plan day trips to surrounding areas on weekends and save your return for the late afternoon when the hotel is returned to the guests again.
Standard rates for a Classic Room with lake view start from CHF540 (about A$730). villa-honegg.ch
Giardino Mountain St. Moritz, previously a girls' boarding school, is now a casually luxurious mountain lodge located in Champfèr, just outside St. Moritz. The lodge is crafted from natural stone and wood and uses elegant fabrics to subtly complement the breathtaking views of the surrounding Engadine Mountains.
The walls and floor of our room were covered in beautiful blonde timber, giving the space a warm mountain feeling. The oversized freestanding tub was a welcome sight at the end of a full day of hiking and shopping.
For the best rooms, ask for the Mountain Suite – a 60-squaremetre space with lake views and a fireplace.
Giardino Mountain served one of the best breakfasts that we encountered in Switzerland, including local cured meats and cheeses, large bowls of fruits, nuts and seeds, homemade muesli, porridge, eggs, incredible smoky bacon, handmade artisanal breads and a beautiful tea station featuring a large assortment of high quality loose teas. I could have happily had the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The dinner options were equally as spectacular, with three restaurants to choose from: two-star Michelin restaurant Ecco, Restaurant Guardalej, and a traditional Engadine restaurant, Stüva. We chose to eat at Stüva, which specialises in regional Bündner cuisine using local ingredients. The meals were the most memorable of our trip.
Stüva is decked out in warm wood panelling, exuding a cosy alpine vibe. Chefs Rolf Fliegauf and Markus Rose amazed us with their horseradish cream soup with beetroot and smoked trout, homemade capuns with strips of raw ham and mountain cheese from Grisons, and a deer stew with mushroom dumplings and cognac sauce.
The hotel featured a 2,000-square-metre Dipiù Spa with a large sauna, indoor pool and Jacuzzi, Aveda hair salon, and eight treatment rooms that use Giardino’s own line of spa skin care products called Dipiù. The spa’s signature treatments include the use of merlot wine, grape seeds, olive and almond oils and chestnut honey.
The hotel is just a short stroll from the lake and surrounding walking trails. For a different adventure, there is a stable next door to the hotel that offers horseback riding. If you’re interested in learning more about local liqueurs, make sure to visit the bar and chat with the enthusiastic staff.
Standard rates for a Double Room Large start from CHF485 (about A$655). giardino-mountain.ch
Perched on the shores of Lake Maggiore is the Giardino Ascona, a beautiful Mediterranean-style hotel dressed in earthy shades of terracotta. The surrounding gardens and secluded location (just a short distance along the lake from the charming town of Ascona) make the hotel feel as if it were on a private estate.
Outside of our ground level room was a large terrace surrounded by gardens. It was lovely to keep the doors open and enjoy the fresh air complemented
by the scent of fruit trees. We also lounged in the relaxing privacy of our sunbeds.
We particularly enjoyed the complimentary pillow and tea service: upon request, a warm pillow filled with grape seed, pine needles or hay was delivered to our room, along with an herbal tea of our choice and a warm amaretto biscuit.
The culinary highlight was undoubtedly chef Rolf Fliegauf’s two-Michelin-star Ristorante Ecco, which delivered excellent aromatic cuisine. Our standout dishes included the Atlantic sole with lemon hollandaise, marinated duck liver, and Breton red mullet with fennel. At Restaurant Aphrodite, guests are spoiled with Mediterranean specialties such as local pikeperch, lamb tagine, homemade pasta and tiramisu.
The hotel aims to provide a relaxing experience for its guests, so much so that it has the nickname ‘the soul retreat.’ Those
who fancy cruising around Lake Maggiore on a top-performance luxury yacht can book a day on the exclusive Design-Yacht Frauscher 1017-GT through concierge. Golf enthusiasts can play on the meticulously kept 18-hole course in Ascona, which has beautiful views of the lake and the surrounding mountains. Guests at Giardino Ascona can pick up a voucher for the Golf Club Losone and the Golf Club Partiziale Ascona at reception.
The hotel has an indoor pool, with designs reminiscent of a Roman bath temple, an outdoor pool, children’s pool, sauna and a generously sized fitness room. Guests also have access to custommade bicycles; some are suited for mountain biking while others are perfect for leisurely rides along the lakeside or ventures into local neighbourhoods.
Standard rates for a Double Room start from CHF466.43 (about A$630).giardino.ch
Once a fishing village, the town of Ascona, settled on the shores of Lake Maggiore, is now an artist’s hub with winding arcades, boutique-lined piazzas and plentiful galleries that make it a pleasure to explore. Nestled in the centre of the old town, Eden Roc Ascona has incredible views of the mountains, lake, and surrounding village, and is the perfect base from which to explore Ascona.
Our room has two balconies and large floor-to-ceiling windows that give us a stunning view across the garden and swimming pool to the lake. The large property is actually a group of three resorts, all with light and airy rooms with interiors designed by Carlo Rampazzi.
We start the day off with smoked salmon, fresh baked pastries and local cheeses selected from the large buffet, in a bright sunny room overlooking the lake. An à la carte menu is also available.
There are a multitude of things to do and see in the area.
Lake Maggiore is known for its islands – Isole di Brissagio, covered in botanic gardens, filled with local and regional flora,
while the three Borromeo islands house the Borromeo family’s magnificent residence. It’s home to a number of priceless artworks, detailed grottos, extravagant gardens and several rare white peacocks. Check with the concierge to book a luxury boat charter and spend a day island hopping, or book a lesson with the resort’s watersports school to experiment with motorboats, sailing and water skiing. The
hotel also provides bikes suited to exploring Ascona, or venturing into the mountains. There are two 18-hole golf courses in the immediate vicinity. If you’re staying a while, it’s worth visiting the nearby valleys of Ticino. Valle Maggia is particularly beautiful, with the gorge of Ponte Brolla, the mountain church in Mogno, and the museum in Cevio providing a good dose of local culture and sightseeing.
There are four restaurants at Eden Roc Ascona serving contemporary Mediterranean cuisine. We chose to dine at the Marina restaurant, a casual yet contemporary glassed-in room that offers indoor and outdoor seating. Some of the highlights included the amazing Caesar salad, tomato, buffalo mozzarella and rocket salad, fillet of local pikeperch from Lake Maggiore, and fresh homemade pastas.
To unwind after a long day of adventuring, visit the Eden Roc Spa. The large 2,000-squaremetre spa is a bit difficult to navigate, as it has several different areas each with their own entrance. It houses seven treatment rooms, an indoor and outdoor pool, an outdoor panoramic pool, a hydro pool with whirlpool recliners, various saunas and steam baths, a fitness room and a hair salon. They use
Sensai, Clarins, Dermalogica, OPI and La Biosthetique spa products.
For the best room in the house, book the Grand Suite. The 110-square-metre room faces south with a direct view over the lake, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, spacious living room and a large balcony.
Rates start at CHF1,500 (approximately A$2,030) per night. edenroc.ch/en
“...book a luxury boat charter and spend a day island hopping...”
Verbier is worldrenowned as a skiing destination, but as a summer and non-skiing destination, it’s no less an outdoor paradise.
At the apex of accommodation in this exclusive resort is The Lodge, Sir Richard Branson’s ninebedroom chalet accommodating just 18 guests. The Lodge is perfectly located for the slopes, but the fresh Alpine air with the warm sun makes for ideal conditions for summer fun. Apart from world-class hiking and mountain-biking, outdoor types can opt for paragliding, mountain biking, rock climbing, even whitewater rafting.
At The Lodge itself guests can take advantage of the ninemetre indoor heated pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, steam room, gym and fully equipped party room, not to mention two bars and plenty of cosy corners for curling up with a book. There is a spa available and it’s a minimal but ever stylish affair. Book a massage or a facial. The Lodge is designed to feel like a family home and guests are welcome to help themselves to drinks at any time.
Intimate yet roomy, The
Lodge’s bedrooms would qualify as suites anywhere else with the smallest spread across three rooms. A bunkroom which can sleep up to six kids means that in summer, this is a wonderful family-friendly alternative to fighting for umbrella space on a Mediterranean beach.
The Lodge can accommodate both a group holiday or a private escape. Join the communal dining table or eat in your room, it's up to you. Dinners are relaxed and casual. Apéritifs and canapés
are enjoyed in the lounge area, before seating for dinner. The chef announces his creations for the meal, with vegan or vegetarian options ordered ahead of time. Wines have been selected and glasses are refilled as the night rolls on. Again, if you want to eat in your room, no problem, it's arranged to your convenience but most guests stay on to share tales of the day’s adventures, and can continue into another bottle of wine or after dinner drinks and cheese plates.
The property was added to Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition stable of luxury retreats in 2007, and conforms to the brand’s template of amazing locations, incredible style and amenity, and superlative service.
Believe the hype: – the staff really are a standout. From the moment you are greeted at the door with champagne, the personal attention makes one feel so at home, you’ll never want to go home! Even Pebbles, the manager’s mountain dog,
gets into the act, escorting families on mountain hikes, old school. No chance of getting lost as Pebbles comes with a GPS collar so lodge staff always know where you are. Clever, practical and fun.
Room rates include breakfast, light lunch and dinner and all drinks, including a top quality wine list and house champagne. Standard rates for a Large Bedoom (3 rooms) start from CHF920.00 (about A$1,243).
virginlimitededition.com
“From the moment you are greeted at the door with champagne, the personal attention makes one feel so at home, you’ll never want to go home!”
Brown’s Hotel in London has unveiled its re-designed Kipling Suite, decorated in a jungle theme in tribute to its namesake Rudyard Kipling, who wrote The Jungle Book at the hotel. The four-room suite overlooks Mayfair’s Albemarle Street and, at 90 square metres, is now the largest in the hotel after being combined with the Albemarle Suite.
Decorated with wallpaper and fabrics by Lewis & Wood, furniture by Julian Chichester, and British artworks and antiques, the suite’s sitting room has been updated with new timber flooring and has a framed, hand-written letter
from Rudyard Kipling, penned at the hotel. The 16sqm bathroom has been finished in Arabescato white-veined marble with a separate double shower and bathtub. Suite amenities have been specially created by Spiezia Organics for The Kipling Suite and include a candle, body balm, bath oil and bath salts. The amenities are available for in-room spa treatments.
Guests staying in the Kipling Suite can expect in-suite check in, one-way airport transfer, concierge services, two half-hour spa treatments, a bottle of Ruinart champagne on arrival, unpacking and packing services, as well as a personalised experience of their choice.
Some of the options include a tour of Peter Harrington Rare Books, a Bloody Mary masterclass or a personal shopping session with champagne at Paul Smith boutique.
The Kipling Suite is the first of the hotel’s Forte Suites to be revealed by Rocco Forte Hotels as part of its new suite guest benefit programme, Rocco Forte Suite Experience, which is aimed at providing guests with tailored experiences not always available to the public.
PHOEBE STENNINGRates start at GBP6,210 (approximately A$11,793) per night for the one-bedroom suite. roccofortehotels.com
Suite: Palace Sea-View Suite
Size: 70-100sqm
Price: Rates start at €2,800 (about A$4,200) per night.
Website: fourseasons.com/capferrat
Review by: Gary Allen
Classic French Riviera luxury at its best, you know you’re somewhere special when you walk through the front doors. From its opening in 1908, this famous hotel has always been a hotspot for celebrities, political dignitaries, and artists including Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor, to name a few. The hotel earned France’s official Palace Designation, one of only 16 five-star French properties that have the prestigious accolade. Situated in a charming seaside village, the hotel had an extensive refurbishment in 2009 and has added a new residence wing, spa, and indoor pool. There is an Olympic-size pool with private cabanas that look over the Mediterranean.
With beautiful sunny weather, we decided to eat breakfast on the
large patio. The extensive buffet under the shade of the trees with the sea in the backdrop was a lovely start to the day. You’re more or less guaranteed a wonderful meal when you wake up in France. The pastries, coffee, cheeses, eggs and even the butter were all delicious. There was a full hot breakfast menu with the best eggs Benedict I have ever had and service to match.
Fine dining in Le Cap with Michelin-starred chef Didier Anies is a gastronomic treat. The seasonal menu incorporates ingredients from local markets with the freshest fish, seafood and meats. Signatory main dishes included a divine beef carpaccio with mushrooms, parmesan and octopus in a vinegar dressing. Veal loin with creamy polenta was also outstanding, as was the fillet of sea bass. Save room for dessert as the team makes ice
cream in-house, which included our favourite – lavender. The Salon des Collections holds a list of over 600 wines from top French and international vineyards.
Le Spa at Grand-Hôtel du CapFerrat offers a range of facial and body treatments by Bellafontaine and Carita. Take a stroll in the spa garden between treatments and take in the Mediterranean views.
Everything in this hotel was wow!
Nothing whatsoever.
The Villa Rose-Pierre sits right next door to the hotel. With a rooftop terrace, full team of staff, sea-view balconies in all bedrooms and more. You have all the amenities of the five-star palace hotel in your own French Riviera villa.
The St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat walking path passes directly in front of the hotel and is a must-do. The walk is about nine kilometres along the ocean with numerous places to stop for a refreshing swim or just take in the views. Ask the hotel to pack you a bottle of wine and some cheeses and watch the sunset sitting on any of the secluded spots along the path.
Swimming instructor Pierre Gruneberg started teaching at the pool in 1951 when he was just 19 years old and is still doing so. Charlie Chaplin’s children learned how to swim from this living legend so don’t miss out on at least meeting him.
Suite: Two-bedroom deluxe suite
Size: 113sqm
Price: Rates start at £1,700 (about A$3,230) per night. Breakfast included.
Website: theritzlondon.com
Review by: Gary Allen
More of an historical landmark than a hotel, this year marks The Ritz’s 110th anniversary. First opening its doors in 1906, this hotel oozes luxury and opulence. Located in the heart of London on Piccadilly with views of Green Park, the hotel is just a short stroll from Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. London’s theatres and galleries are also minutes away. It’s easy to see why many guests continue to come back to the hotel.
Breakfast is served at The Ritz Restaurant, which is
elegantly styled with silk drapes and chandeliers. The buffet overflows with delicacies such as Scottish smoked salmon, organic porridge, fresh berries and homemade pastries and bread. The service is impeccable, a simple glance in the waiter’s direction and he will be on his way.
Executive chef, John Williams MBE, aims to give guests the best in British cuisine. The Ritz Restaurant offers a tasteful dinner menu serving culinary pleasures like native lobster with spiced carrot and lemon verbena
and tournedos of beef flavoured with horseradish and red wine. The Rivoli Bar has a variety of dishes and cocktails for a more casual affair.
The Ritz Salon exclusively uses Elemis signature body and facial treatments, providing a sanctuary from the busy streets of London.
We had an elegantly furnished two-bedroom suite with a large sitting room and marble fireplaces. The suite was styled in the Louis XVI house style, with plush carpet, ornate mouldings, antique furnishings and views of central London.
In this land of luxury there was nothing to fault.
Choose from one the two suites located in William Kent House, the 18th Century Mansion adjoined to The Ritz. The Royal Suite is split over two levels with a grand drawing room, private dining room and sizeable bedroom. The penthouse of the hotel, the Prince of Wales Suite, is the epitome of luxury overlooking Green Park. Prices start from £4,500 (about A$8,370) per night.
The Ritz is one of the only hotels to have its own casino and it was equally as stunning as the rest of the hotel. Enjoy a game of poker while sipping on one of the many cocktails from The Ritz Club’s exclusive bar.
PRESIDENTIAL SUITE WITH VIEWS OF WELLINGTON HARBOUR
PRESIDENTIAL MASTER BEDROOM
Suite: Presidential Suite
Size: 130sqm
Price: NZ$2,500 (about A$2,295) per night.
Website: intercontinental.com/Wellington
Review by: Belinda
CraigieThe hotel is in central Wellington, within easy walking distance to shopping areas and footsteps from a waterfront fine dining and entertainment precinct. It’s one of just a handful of luxury offerings in New Zealand’s capital and both the Presidential Suite (on level nine) and the Club Lounge (level seven) has fabulous views of Wellington harbour. The Presidential Suite is expansive, with a separate interconnecting room available for extra guests. It was named New Zealand’s Leading Hotel Suite in the 2015 World Travel Awards.
Club InterContinental guests have access to the Club Lounge, serving a host of buffet breakfast options. During a recent refurbishment of the hotel, a kitchen was added to the Club Lounge, so guests can order fresh eggs and omelettes for breakfast. I like my eggs scrambled and they were scrumptious with a croissant. My inner coffee connoisseur was satisfied by a strong flat white, which was up to the standard of some of my favourite cafes in the city.
Fine dining with an arty twist, Chameleon Restaurant is available on the ground floor. In-room
dining is also available. I was told the Chameleon menu is designed to emphasise the main course. Sides can be ordered separately or treat your tastebuds to multiple main meals and create a makeshift degustation experience. I decided on a seafood-themed culinary affair and sampled oysters from Waiheke Island and Marlborough; NZ scallops, which were fresh and tasty; and groper in a miso broth. Wine pairings included a glass of Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc with my oysters. The following night’s in-room dining was a lovely way to unwind privately in our suite. I went with a lighter option – the prawn laksa – with a glass of GH Mumm champagne. The suite’s dining table sits eight for those who may wish to entertain friends or other guests.
Spa InterContinental has just opened at the hotel and offers massage and beauty treatments using Sothys spa products.
I loved the suite’s spacious and luxurious bathroom. I tweeted about how much I admired my bathtub and shortly after, a glass of champagne was delivered to my room to complement a late afternoon, relaxing soak.
The Presidential Suite is the top suite in the hotel.
Nothing – all my expectations were met in terms of service and comfort. It was an enjoyable stay and I would stay there again
The hotel recently acquired a 2015 Bentley Flying Spur, which is used for chauffeuring guests to and from the airport and touring around town. If you’re a food and wine fan, take a chauffeured day trip to the nearby wine region of Martinborough.
The Primus is a beautifully renovated heritage building in the heart of the city. Originally the office of The Sydney Water Board, the 1939 Art Deco building took two years to be restored and included bringing 12 Italian craftsmen to Sydney who had worked on St. Peter’s Basilica. The Art Deco theme continues inside, with bold colours and oversized marble ensuites. You feel you are worlds’ away from central Sydney, especially when lounging by the rooftop pool.
The hotel’s restaurant, The Wilmont, offers both buffet and à la carte breakfast options. Waking up to the morning paper and a spread of freshly made juice and homemade sourdough toast with jam was heaven. If you’re looking for something more
Suite: Superior Suite
Square metre size: 61sqm
Starting price per night and in which currency: Rates start at A$1,010 per night. Website: primushotelsydney.com
Review by: Kelly Allen
substantial, no problem – eggs, bacon, beans, sausage, fruit, and pastries were all available and the service was very good.
Located in the grand lobby, The Wilmont restaurant is run by Korean chef, Ryan Hong. The tasting menu with matching wines is a great option for trying an assortment of dishes including slow cooked abalone and Blue Mountain Wagyu flank, Morton Bay Bugs, and chocolate
Frangelico for dessert. The wine list is impressive with choices for all tastes.
There is no spa at the hotel.
The lobby has eight spectacular scagliola columns that frame the original glass block skylights, which flood the lobby with natural sunlight. This luxurious use of space isn’t often seen in today’s architecture.
A spa in the hotel would be a great asset to get away from the hustle and bustle of central Sydney.
The Presidential Suite is located on the hotel’s top floor. Spacious and contemporary, the suite has a combined living and formal dining area with impressive city views. There is also a separate bedroom with ensuite, walk-in wardrobe and modern butler kitchen.
Take time to explore historic artefacts; from the old safe under the lobby, to the original water bubblers dotted throughout. There are several information boards that are very interesting and have great photos from the 1930s and 1940s.
KING CLUB DELUXE EASTERN HARBOUR SUITE
CLUB LOUNGE
CLUB SUNRISE
Suite: King Club Deluxe Harbour Suite
Size: 70sqm
Price: Starting price From A$650 per night, plus Club Intercontinental access Website: icsydney.com.au
Review by: Gary Allen
With its location a block from Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House, across the road from the Royal Botanic Gardens, and in the centre of Australia’s financial and business district, the Intercontinental is an easy choice for the business and luxury traveller. Built on the bones of the stately 19th century Treasury Building, the Intercontinental Sydney is a marquee five star hotel that beautifully marries old world charm with a hip modern décor.
Buffet breakfast is upstairs in the club lounge, which offers incredible views indoor or outdoor to match the great range of options for eating. Traditional cooked breakfast include eggs and omelettes cooked how you like them. Great coffee, pastries, fresh fruit, cereals – the standard fivestar selection.
The InterContinental chain is not particularly well known for their food, but the Sydney “InterCon” could change all that. Café Opera’s buffet selection has plenty of quality options including all the fresh oysters and seafood you can eat. If buffets don’t appeal 117 dining is the fine dining alternative. Recently renovated
with an entirely new menu, the tasting menu with wine was one of the best meals we’ve had in Sydney. Every dish seemed better than the last as F&B manager Robert Knight expertly guided us through food and wine like a gourmand’s sherpa. An amazing gastronomic experience that should not be missed.
Spa services are available but the place to unwind is with cocktailin-hand on the Supper Club terrace on Level 31, as you drink in views across the world’s most beautiful harbour city.
117 dining is the true highlight of this hotel. With its recent reopening, it’s one of the best meals
in Sydney and Robert Knight knows how to enhance the already fabulous food and wine. The degustation paired with wines is matchless.
The check in area is small and can get chaotic when large groups are checking in/out.
The InterContinental says its huge Australia Suite (245 square metres) is Sydney’s largest, and from level 29 offers “panoramic harbour views from all rooms” an open‐air terrace, dining room with grand piano, fully equipped kitchen and servery, a walk in wardrobe… even a spa bath with harbour views!
Club InterContinental access is good value-for-money. For a minimum daily rate of $165 two guests can access a range of benefits including deluxe buffet breakfast, evening drinks and canapés; as well as a wide section of all-day refreshments, pressing of one suit or garment, and a private meeting room for up to two hours.
THIS ISSUE : DESIGN HOTEL IN JAPAN / CHEF'S GUIDE TO RAJASTHAN, INDIA / GLOBAL KITCHEN – RECIPES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST CELEBRITY TRAVELLER : KATE WINSLET ON HER TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS / EPICUREAN TRAVELS WITH THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF FINE FOOD AND DRINK CREATIVE TRAVELLER : AUSTRALIAN DESIGNER COLLETTE DINNIGAN
private island refuge in the South Pacific, Laucala unites dramatic rainforest-laced landscapes and white sandy beaches with unparalleled levels of luxury and privacy. Set upon 3,500 exclusive acres on its own island in the archipelago of Fiji, Laucala Island brings a new meaning to the term “all-inclusive resort.”
No expense has been spared at the special tropical hideaway, where 25 Fijian-styled luxurious villas are set amid coconut plantations, beside deserted beaches and atop the island’s volcanic mountains, overlooking fertile coral reefs and endless jungle.
Experience a variety of activities; diving in a unique underwater world, rainforest tours, horseback riding, surfing and golfing on the 18-hole PGA championship course.
www.laucala.com
On the shores of ago bay (also known as the Bay of Pearls) in Japan, nestled in Ise Shima National Park, is the newly-opened Amanemu, a hot spring resort by Aman that embraces classic Japanese decor in the ryokan tradition. Upon entry, guests travel along the windy drive, framed by cherry and maple trees. The interior aesthetic of Amanemu is simple; the Japanese timber walls are lightly adorned with accents of Japanese Art (including works of Japanese Kimono and Obi artisan, Genbei Yamaguchi and traditional Kumiko artwork developed in the Asuka
Era); each suite has floor-to-ceiling windows with textile and timber sliding shutters; and the furniture is custom-made from white oak and neutral fabrics.
Designed by Kerry Hill Architects, the exterior low-slung tiled roofs are complemented with dark-stained walls, inspired by Japanese Minka Buildings. Each suite and a selection of villas include their own onsen (hot spring), imitating traditional Japanese bathing retreats.
Amamenu works to translate omotenashi, the warmth and spirit of Japanese hospitality, to its guests by keeping to a number of
traditional practices. This includes having an okami, a female manager whose job is to tend carefully to guests and assure that all aspects of the retreat are up to quality.
The resort’s amenities include a yoga studio with an outdoor deck that overlooks a garden and a restaurant that draws on the Japanese izakaya style of sharing.
ELAINE ANDERSONAMANEMU
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Room rates start from JPY109,836 (about A$1,373) per night. aman.com/resorts/amanemu
Located in Jodhpur, the Bhati Tea Stall is very popular with locals who stop by for a glass of masala chai. It’s as much about the atmosphere as it is about the tea, a direct conduit into everyday life.
Paliwal Kachori owner, Sutho, is highly regarded as the best kachori master in Udaipur and I have to agree. Kachori is poori (deep-fried Indian bread) stuffed with dal and Sutho’s onion masala kachoris, served with tangy mint chutney, are the best.
On the street, food is mostly fried, and there is always abundance, whether you’re after samosas, kachoris, pooris, aloo tikka or sweet jalebis. Drivers are often the most reliable source of information as they eat at these places every day. A few of my favourites include Johri Bazaar in Jaipur, the Clock Tower Bazaar in Jodhpur, Bhatia Bazaar in Jaisalmer and in Udaipur, the City Palace Road bazaar.
Indulging in a glass of lassi is one of life’s essential pleasures in India. When in Jaipur, I head straight to Lassiwala and in Jodhpur, you’ll find me at the Shri Mishrilal Hotel Lassi Shop. Go the whole hog and enjoy with a thick layer of cream on the top. It’s pure heaven.
This is fast food at its best. I adore the masala onion and potato kachoris (pyaz ki kachori) at Rawat Misthan Bhandar in Jaipur. The long glass counter is packed with assorted sweet and savoury pastries.
Tucked away on a side street in Jaipur is Ayran Niwas, a modest hotel frequented by local families and solo travellers. Lunch is served at precisely 12.30pm each day and the food is nourishing, authentic and cheap as chips.
Manvar Resort is like a little oasis on the highway halfway between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Lunch is served at a courtyard table under a tree with an array of handi pots filled with local delicacies. Timeless charm and country hospitality characterises this resort and makes it a popular choice for travellers.
Rajasthan is home to many luxurious tented campsites and the best home cooking can be found at Chhatra Sagar in Nimaj village, about 90 minutes from Jodhpur. Every meal is a feast and flavours are distinctive and memorable. Alternatively, a thali dinner around a campfire at The Serai, near Jaisalmer, is hard to beat.
For refined dining that showcases the best of Rajasthani regional cuisine, try luxury Relais & Chateaux hotel Mihir Garh; Survana Mahal, the palatial dining room at Jaipur’s Taj Rambagh Palace; a private rooftop dinner at The Lake Palace in Udaipur; or a sophisticated thali (selection of dishes) served on handmade silver platters at RAAS Devigarh on the outskirts of Udaipur. Wherever you go, make sure you try Laal Maas, the signature curry of Rajasthan.
Deservedly, Janta Sweet Home is Jodhpur’s most famous sweet shop. I come for the malai ghevar, a fine sugar pastry case filled with crushed nuts and reduced cream, a specialty of the monsoon season. Sweets are made to reflect the season so the offering changes throughout the year.
CHRISTINE ON TOUR
Christine’s next Epicurious Travel tour to India, Tasting India with Christine Manfield: North India and Beyond will run from 5-19 November 2016. Priced at A$18,550, single supplement A$4,877 Contact: Epicurious Travel, Ph: 03 9486 5409; mobile: 0408 700 577; email: @epicurioustravel.com.au
Read this story at luxurytravelmag.com.au
A PERSONAL GUIDE TO INDIA & BHUTAN BY CHRISTINE MANSFIELD. AVAILABLE NOW IN ALL GOOD BOOKSTORES AND ONLINE (PENGUIN BOOKS) A$39.99.
TAJ RAMBAGH PALACE
SUTHO,THE KACHORI MASTER
SHRI MISHRILAL HOTEL LASSI SHOP
MALTESE-AUSTRALIAN CHEF Shane Delia , OF HATTED RESTAURANT MAHA IN MELBOURNE, EXPLORES MIDDLE EASTERN FLAVOURS IN HIS NEW COOKBOOK SPICE JOURNEY. FROM THE BOOK HE PRESENTS HERE FOUR RECIPES WHICH SHOWCASE THE DIVERSITY OF THE REGION.
serves: six
30 minutes preparation time, 2 hours cooking time
gremolata
One baguette
2 tbsp ghee (or clarified butter), melted 80g pine nuts, toasted 100g sultanas (golden raisins)
GUEST SOMMELIERFor me, no one cooked this dish, called Stuffat talfenek in Maltese, better than my nannu Nenu. I grew up with him making me this dish for Sunday lunches at his house. His influence on my life and my cooking has been the foundation I have built my world on. So when I was travelling in Gozo and met Joe at Ta Mena and he said he was going to cook me Fenek, I was a bit worried. No way his version could be better then Nannu’s! To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much, but that’s where it all changed. The first mouthful I tasted was amazing – sweet, spice tones, thick sauce and tender juicy rabbit. I was blown away. But even though it was beautiful, you can’t get me to say it was better than Nannu’s. I can say, though, that the next time I go to Gozo I’ll be knocking on Joe’s door and expecting a bowl of that wonderful rabbit stew.
the ingredients
One whole farmed white rabbit (about 800g)
Amanda is behind the awardwinning wine list of one of Australia’s best restaurants, Quay. She achieved her Court of Master Sommeliers Certification in 2009 and is completing a Wine and Spirit Education Trust diploma at the Sydney Wine Academy. She has her sights set on the prestigious Master of Wine exam, a qualification that only five sommeliers in Australia hold.
60ml olive oil
Two cinnamon sticks
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
Two brown onions, diced
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp salt flakes
1 tsp malt vinegar
3 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée)
750ml dry red wine
Small handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, leaves picked Zest of two lemons
the preparation
Break the rabbit into large chunks or ask your butcher to do this for you. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Add the rabbit pieces and cook for a few minutes on each side until evenly browned. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the spices, onion, sugar, salt and malt vinegar to the dish and cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened. Add the tomato paste and stir through, then return the rabbit to the dish, add the wine and cook for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Add enough water to cover the rabbit, place a lid on top, and simmer for about 90 minutes or until the meat comes away from the bone. Remove the rabbit from the dish, gently pull the meat away from the bones and discard the bones.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
To make the sultana gremolata, put the baguette in a food processor and blend into a coarse crumb. Transfer the crumb onto a baking tray and pour over the ghee, coating evenly. Cook for eight minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and, while still
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Yarra Valley / Pyrenees. RRP A$22.
Rabbit is a lean meat so you could get away with having a pinot noir but why not take advantage of the plethora of good rosés we now have at our disposal. The dark days of Aussie rosé are well and truly behind us. Today’s rosés are often dry, savoury with a touch of sweet spice. A basic rule of thumb that works more often than it doesn’t is that the paler the rosé, the drier it will be. Take a gamble next time you’re in the wine aisle.
hot, mix through the pine nuts, sultanas, parsley and lemon zest. Divide the rabbit between six serving bowls and top with the sauce. Drizzle over the remaining oil, sprinkle over the sultana gremolata and serve.
2014 DOMINIQUE PORTET ‘FONTAINE’ ROSÉl RECIPES AND IMAGES FROM SPICE JOURNEY BY SHANE DELIA. AVAILABLE NOW IN ALL GOOD BOOKSTORES AND ONLINE (MURDOCH BOOKS) A$49.99. l WINE RECOMMENDATIONS BY OUR AMANDA YALLOP
GRILLED HALOUMI WITH POMEGRANATE AND SUMAC DRESSING / Lebanon
serves: eight
10 minutes preparation time, 5 minutes cooking time
Simplicity and freshness, for me, are the two things any good cuisine is built on. This dish is one you see all throughout Lebanon. I remember driving from Beirut to Sidon and stopping on the side of the road at a simple store where a man with a huge moustache was making fresh cheese sandwiches—one man, a toaster, some labneh, haloumi, a mound of fresh flat bread, spices, olive oil and a few other bits and pieces. He had a line out the door! This man cooked me a toasted sandwich with haloumi and za’atar, drizzled with olive oil and local sea salt. I sat on the kerb out the front of his shop and savoured every mouthful. Simple, fresh and cooked with love. Heaven.
the ingredients
1 tsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
Seeds from one small pomegranate
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp za’atar (or dried thyme)
One cocktail onion, finely diced
1 tsp pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp sumac
A few rosemary sprigs
150ml olive oil
Pinch of salt flakes
300g haloumi cheese, sliced into 1cm-thick portions
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Rias Baixas / Spain. RRP A$40. Albarino is an aromatic white wine with a little bit of body and an almost slippery texture. Ripe citrus and stone fruit with sterling acidity that should sing on the palate with the sweetness of the onion and the earthiness from the pine nuts and pomegranate.
the preparation
Combine all the ingredients, except the haloumi, in a mixing bowl. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Heat a large chargrill pan or frying pan over high heat. Add the haloumi and cook for one minute on each side or until golden. Press the haloumi with a spatula; when there is no resistance the haloumi is cooked. Remove the haloumi from the pan and transfer onto paper towel to drain, then divide among serving plates. Drizzle over the pomegranate and sumac dressing and serve immediately.
BRAISED LAMB WITH SALTBUSH AND ROCKMELON / Turkey
serves: eight
20 minutes preparation time
4 hours, 40 minutes cooking time
This is a dish that you are going to want to cook over and over.
Dead simple and packed full of flavour. For me a slow-roasted lamb shoulder is one of the best meat dishes you can cook—full of flavour, moisture and so satisfying to eat and serve to your friends and family. Long and slow is the way to go with this recipe. All the work is in the preparation of the
the ingredients
One lamb shoulder (about 1.1kg), bone in
One garlic bulb, halved crossways
Two brown onions, roughly chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp red Aleppo pepper (pul biber)
Two large handfuls saltbush (optional)
2–3 litres lamb stock (or another meat stock)
Half a rockmelon
85g raisins
235g pine nuts, toasted
Handful coriander, leaves picked and chopped
Handful mint, leaves picked and chopped
Zest of one lemon
the preparation
meat and then it’s just a matter of putting it in the oven and letting it go to work. If you can’t get the saltbush don’t worry. It adds real mineral earth saltiness to the dish, but you can make do without it. The real surprise in this dish is the caramelised rockmelon. The sweetness in the dish is a real knockout especially with the introduction of fresh herbs, Aleppo pepper and lemon juice.
Place the lamb in a large, widebased saucepan over high heat and cook, turning occasionally to brown, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, exposed sides down, onion and spices and continue to cook for five minutes until the lamb is evenly sealed and the onion is caramelised. Add the saltbush, if using, and enough stock to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and braise for three to four hours or until the meat falls off the bone. Remove the bone from the lamb and discard. Set the meat aside and keep warm. Increase the heat to high and continue to cook the braising liquid for about 20 minutes until reduced by half. Remove about 125 millilitres (half a cup) of the sauce and set aside. Return the lamb to the pan. Meanwhile, remove the skin from the melon, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into 2cm pieces. Place the melon in a frying pan
over high heat and caramelise for a few minutes, tossing to cook on all sides (see note). Add the raisins, pine nuts, coriander, mint and lemon zest. Mix until combined and add the reserved sauce to help bind the rockmelon and garnishes together. Serve the lamb with the melon salad.
[notes] 1. Saltbush is an edible shrub found in dry inland Australia. It has a pleasant salty flavour. It is available from specialty food suppliers.
2. The pan has to be really hot to caramelise the melon, otherwise it will stew in its juices.
SAFFRON ROASTED PEACHES WITH SAFFRON FAIRY FLOSS / Iran
serves: four
25 minutes preparation time, 35 minutes cooking time
I’d always thought of saffron as one of the most feminine, gentle and prestigious spices in the Middle Eastern kitchen. I remember softly walking through the saffron fields in Yazd, being so careful not to step on any of the little saffron flower bulbs, watching old men and women crouched over, with hands that were as worn and cracked as the dry earth of the Iranian desert, seeing the love and dedication they put into picking every strand of saffron by hand. The experience will stay with me forever and makes me appreciate this beautiful product even more.
the ingredients
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BEKKERS GRENACHE
McLaren Vale / South Australia. RRP A$80.
Bright red and purple fruits, florals, fine tannin and a moderate body. McLaren Vale is often associated with Shiraz yet it is the Grenache from this area that makes my heart beat faster. Bekkers is a premium example from the upper echelon of Australian Grenache.
Four peaches
Pinch of saffron threads
One vanilla bean, split and scraped
One cinnamon stick
Two bay leaves, torn
150g caster (superfine) sugar
200ml saffron water
150g saffron fairy floss (pashmak)
the preparation
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Place the peaches in a baking dish and season with the saffron, vanilla, cinnamon
and bay leaf. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and pour over the saffron water. Roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the peaches feel soft and cooked through when pierced with a sharp knife. Place the peaches on four serving plates. Drizzle over the pan juices, add some saffron fairy floss and serve.
[notes] You can cut the peaches in half, if you like, or use another stone fruit. Saffron fairy floss is available from specialist Middle Eastern grocery shops.
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CRAWFORD RIVER ‘NEKTAR’
SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON BLEND Henty / NSW. RRP A$40 (375ml).
Arguably one of Australia’s finest sweet white wines. The classic rule with sweet food and wine matches is to ensure the wine is sweeter than the dish. There is no need to serve a heavy sweet wine – ripe stone fruit often tastes best with a fresh, clean-style ‘sticky’.
Two luxury lodges, both Relais & Chateaux properties, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers and the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, are hosting several events as part of the 2016 Food, Wine, Golf & Design Weekend Event Series. Highlights include the Moët & Chandon Ladies Gold Classic, the four-course Dom Pérignon dinner and a culinary weekend hosted by Neil Perry of the Rockpool group. The calendar of events will take place from 29 April – 24 October. kauricliffs.com/events; capekidnappers.com/events
Belmond has announced a partnership with Australian chef and restaurateur, Luke Mangan. He will be hosting journeys from Singapore to Bangkok on board the luxury Eastern & Oriental Express. Mangan will serve meals on board in partnership with chef Yanis Martineau and a Singaporebased team. In Singapore, guests can join Luke for a tour of the food market before departing on the three-day journey. There are 82 guest spots available on each journey, the first taking place on 28 October. The Singapore – Bangkok journey is priced from A$3,243 per person, twin share. belmond.com
The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel on Santa Monica Boulevard has recently relaunched its restaurant The Belvedere. Executive chef David Codney has created a Mediterranean-influenced menu that uses local produce and wild-caught seafood. Guests can take advantage of the large outdoor dining space, which embodies the hotel’s French-country aesthetic. The restaurant also features a multi-million dollar art collection that includes works by Yayoi Kusama, Robert Indiana, Alex Katz and Sean Scully. beverlyhills.peninsula.com
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The family-owned Best’s Great Western has released its premium Thomson Family Shiraz 2014 – a flagship wine only released in the best years. Fruit is sourced from the winery’s shiraz vines planted in 1867. The fruit for the wine is handharvested and hand-plunged and has been rated by Langton’s with an ‘Outstanding’ classification. Available through Best’s Wines at the cellar door. RRP: $200 per bottle. bestswines.com
Aqua Expeditions, operators of small luxury river cruises on the Mekong and Amazon Rivers, is hosting culinarythemed tours in 2016 with its executive chefs David Thompson and Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. Both chefs will provide insight into the details behind creating luxury small cruise experiences, visiting food markets with passengers and hosting master classes. Prices for the three, four and seven-night expeditions start from US$3,660 (about A$4,809) on the Aqua Mekong; and US$3,330 (about A$4,376) on the Aqua Amazon per person, twin share. aquaexpeditions.com
Lake House may be known for its destination dining, but curious foodies who want to get a little closer to those artful plates will love what’s in store at the Cooking School for 2016. They’ve programmed an inspirting suite of cooking classes, chef/producer workshops and seasonal masterclasses with some of the country’s most revered chefs. Seasonal masterclasses feature dream chef line-
ups, including Shane Delia from Maha, Peter Gunn from Attica and David Moyle from Franklin conjuring the tastes of summer, bookending the year with chefs Mat Lindsay from Ester, Ryan Squires from Esquire and Frank Camorra from Movida who will demonstrate a sun-kissed menu to bid the year farewell. Don’t miss the swiss Italian Fiesta, a deliciously fun, three-hour demonstration with
Rosa Mitchell and Johnny Di Francesco from 400 Gradi (yes, the one who won the World’s Best Pizza award in 2014 for his margherita) or, for the sweet fiends among us, hear dessert king, Adriano Zumbo, in conversation with Melissa Leong (Fooderati) as part of the Words in Winter Festival. Classes start at A$140 per person. lakehouse.com.au
VOMO Island Resort in Fiji has renovated its main kitchen and expanded its Rocks Bar with dinner service, under the direction of chef Erwin Joven who is bringing a new level of fine dining to the South Pacific. Chef Joven has worked hard to create variety for guests at this all-inclusive, private island and also cater to the growing gluten and dairy free dietary needs of guests. The resort now has a state-ofthe-art kitchen in the main house at Reef Restaurant with a daily changing à la carte menu; plus a new open-air show kitchen at the adults-only Rocks Bar. Chef Joven brings influence to the cuisine from his Filipino and Asian heritage, as well as formal training in Napa Valley. vomofiji.com
We spoke with Yvonne Verstandig, Director of Melbourne's Executive Edge Travel + Events about what luxury travellers are seeking from their holidays.
Yvonne is an expert in experiential travel – immersive experiences for travellers that enable authentic connection to a local region through its people and culture. Here, we discuss together the mindset of a luxury traveller.
They seek out experiences:
“It’s not just about the lavish hotel stays – clients want experiences. That’s where my focus is, on experiential travel.” This growing trend sees travellers desiring more from their trip. “So even for people staying in a city,” explains Yvonne, “they still want to have unique experiences and a bespoke itinerary created for them.”
They combine luxury travel with cultural immersion: “It’s totally possible to combine a
culturally immersive experience with luxury,” says Yvonne. Destinations such as Bhutan in the Himalayas featuring Aman and COMO hotels provide fivestar luxury retreats by night then by day you can hike to temples and monasteries with a private guide meeting local farmers en route.
“When I stayed at Rohet Garh in rural Jodhpur, Rajasthan India, we walked the streets where local children played and one family even invited us to a
wedding that day. Then after visiting a Bishnoi tribe with no electricity, we returned to the opulence and comfort of our heritage palace. They are open to ideas and going beyond the text-book: For the luxury traveller, there’s a distinction between racing and touring through a place, ticking off everything from a must do list – and really taking one’s time.
“A text-book experience for many is going to see Angkor Wat in Cambodia at sunrise – but
you’re there with everyone else. I’ll suggest to my clients why don’t we do it slightly differently – visit at sunset and instead spend the morning visiting one of the many orphanages or giving offerings to the local monks and receive blessings in return. Travelling is more, in my mind, about really feeling a destination and immersing yourself in a local community, getting involved and going beyond. You can go to Nizwa in Oman and see the old citadel. Sure, you might tick it off your bucket list, but if you visit on a Friday you can experience the Nizwa goat market and feel like you’re stepping back into biblical times.”
They take advantage of the benefits of booking with a specialist agent: Any style of travel, regardless of budget, involves plans sometimes going wrong – cancelled or delayed flights, political or weather storms, to name a few. “For the luxury traveller there’s general expectations of wanting their hand held and having accessibility to us all the time. I’ve had calls at 3am because somebody’s flight was cancelled. My personal clients have my mobile number. That’s the service – to be available 24/7. Between the three partners at Executive Edge and our Corporate Manager, we personally attend to our phones after hours. Some companies outsource that service but we do it ourselves.
No request is too small or too large: Customer preferences can vary widely among luxury travellers. Yvonne says that while typically her clients want to be met at the air bridge and shuffled
through immigration quickly, beyond that there are different requests.
One of my luxury clients isn’t an intrepid traveller wanting to veer off and prefers I book every spa and restaurant during the trip. I also have clients who only want to stay at a luxury brand five-star hotel with a huge gym and all the equipment. Then there are clients who still want to travel first class but stay in a hidden boutique gem.”
Others desire the family holiday of a lifetime and would only trust their travel advisor to design the perfect itinerary using a multitude of on-the-
ground resources
Yvonne recalls a recent challenging (but rewarding) trip she organised for a client to Africa. It was a multigenerational three-week journey including 22 people –grandparents, their four adult children and the grandchildren ranging from 1-21 years old.
“After a year of planning, it was the trip of a lifetime with unforgettable memories for all three generations."
They may research but they don’t rely on the internet alone: The internet can be an important source of inspiration and practical advice for travel planning. Though
Established 15 years ago, Executive Edge is a privately owned boutique travel agency based in Melbourne delivering bespoke services for the cultured leisure traveller. Yvonne Verstandig is one of three Executive Edge directors and leads the leisure team with a focus on high-end experiential adventure travel and super-luxe travel. Phone: 03 9519 7777 executiveedge.com.au
when it comes to actually booking the trip, many people at the luxury travel end prefer to book with a reliable and trustworthy luxury specialist agent.
“People ask me if I find the internet to be a problem, but it's not. The internet can be a great resource for general information but when it comes to creating bespoke itineraries, there is no comparison to a luxury travel designer’s service. Our team have travelled to every corner of the globe, so between us we can provide personalised advice. Then we go a step further – we curate experiential travel itineraries using local specialists via our connections on the ground. We know our clients' travel needs best and they rely on that knowledge and our insider perspective. Our clients also benefit from of all our exclusive hotel memberships and the Virtuoso network which brings added amenities and upgrades, which you cannot receive via the internet.
They seek out deeper layers: Experiential travel at the luxury end may not always be about going somewhere entirely new to tourism or an exotic destination – it can also be about looking at favourite locations through different layers.
“People are wanting to go deeper and see more of a country. One of my favourite cycling companies, Butterfield & Robinson’s motto is “slow down to see the world” which exemplifies what I’m talking about. Instead of simply seeing the sights of the Netherlands, you can cycle through tulip fields on two wheels and meet locals along the way."
“People are wanting to go deeper and see more of a country. A lot more people are steering away from the one-place destination holiday.”
CELEBRATED FASHION DESIGNER COLLETTE DINNIGAN MADE HER FIRST FORAY INTO INTERIOR DESIGN IN 2015 WITH THE REFURBISHMENT OF TWO PENTHOUSE SUITES AT THE LUXURIOUS COASTAL GETAWAY BANNISTERS BY THE SEA IN MOLLYMOOK, NSW. Belinda Craigie SPOKE TO DINNIGAN ABOUT THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS HER CURRENT EXTENDED BREAK IN ITALY WITH HER FAMILY.
You have travelled from a very young age – having spent the early years of your life sailing from South Africa to relocate in New Zealand with your family. What influences have the travels of your childhood had on how you live, and travel, today?
I was about eight or nine years of age… I think travel is so good for children, my children…they learn different languages, different
manners, even though it gives you a real sense of independence, it kind of also gives you a different discipline to learn, too. There are so many different things that go with the requirements of travel; you have to have that discipline that goes with it. I think that’s great and it also gives you a sense of independence and curiosity, which I think is so important.
Do you think that would be something you’d replicate with your own family? Well, in a way we are because we’re in Italy. [My daughter] Estella’s going to school here [in Rome], it’s a whole new adventure for us all. It takes us all out of our comfort zones and we all learn different things – there’s good and bad with everything but so far it’s been a great experience.
What’s your favourite leisure travel destination and what do you love about it? I’d have to say Italy. It’s the place we got married, we’ve had holidays on the Amalfi Coast and it’s always so relaxed. The Mediterranean is fantastic and [Italy’s] such a great country to come for a holiday. You’ve got everything you need – food at a trattoria at a reasonable
price, or you can go to amazing restaurants. It always has been one of my favourites and that’s why we’ve come here to spend some time. We love it.
Do you speak any Italian? Oh we’re learning a little bit! Hopefully we’ll be fluent in a few months.
What has been your most luxurious travel experience to date?
You know, luxury is where there are few people and you get a lot of personal attention. Being able to go on a private plane rather than go through airports with all the paraphernalia that’s required. I think there has been a few times where I’ve been very well treated on boats and planes and things. I don’t think you can have a better luxury than that – not having to deal with all the tape of the airports and all the different transits. I think it’s probably the speed of getting to a place, and then having good quality produce and wine… with less people. It doesn’t really matter where you are.
Have you got a favourite hotel? Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the South of France. I love that – it’s everything you think of as being that old movie star glamour, with all the palm trees, the architecture and the food… especially in summer – I think it’s real luxury. Another hotel I really enjoy too, and think is quite luxurious, is Le Meurice in Paris. I used to stay there all the time when we did our shows. The service is just impeccable, the bar is fantastic and so is the decoration. For a hotel in the centre of the city, it’s one of the best and the concierge is amazing and never forgets.
What sparked your interest in interior design? I’ve always loved renovating my own homes and workspaces and I think it’s something I naturally gravitate towards. I’ve always created my own prints and colour, texture and fabric is so important to me. I feel it’s just a natural extension of the fashion side.
How did your collaboration with Bannisters by the Sea, transforming two of its penthouse suites, eventuate? Peter Cosgrove who owns the hotel – I always used to
say to him ‘you should do this and you should do that, nothing’s very feminine’ etcetera, etcetera, and he said ‘for goodness’ sake, I’m sick of hearing about it, please can you do them for me?’ and I said ‘of course I will’. I wanted to create something that was very relaxed and luxurious with a very coastallifestyle feel – and also something that wasn’t replicated everywhere else you went. It was very much about individuality and good quality. We used good materials like Carrara marble in the bathrooms and good Perrin & Rowe taps and
floorboards and fabrics. As long as they’re treated properly they will last the test of time.
What was your favourite aspect of the Bannisters project? Were there any challenges? Oh yes, lots of challenges as always. Working from the city to the country and, as I just worked with the draftsman, it was planning the space and size myself – rather than just changing the walls it was changing the actual layout of the rooms. So I think that’s probably a bit beyond doing just interior design.
Making sure – being on the coast – that everything would last a fair amount of time, so it was all brass and had proper finishes, because the seawater and wind destroy things very quickly if you don’t use good quality products and make sure that everything’s marine grade. Apart from that, I think interiors are always a challenge and I think it’s a lot harder to renovate than it is to rebuild because everything has to match and work in like a jigsaw puzzle. For me, I still loved bringing all the colours together and seeing what it looked like as it came along. But it ended up as I imagined it to be so that was quite good! [The suites are] very welcoming and laid out very well. They’re private [and] they’re intimate.
Will we see more hotel interiors projects from you in the future?
Yeah possibly, I hope so. I’m working on a [to be announced] luxury apartment project so that’s for 2017. It’s in [Sydney’s] Surry Hills so it’s exciting and I’ve been working on it for quite a few months. It hasn’t been released yet though so I can’t really talk about it.
“Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the South of France. I love that – it’s everything you think of as being that old movie star glamour – I think it’s real luxury.”BANNISTERS BY THE SEA HOTEL DU CAP-EDEN-ROC
What have been some of the best hotels you’ve ever stayed in? Amilla Fushi (a luxury resort in the Maldives) worked its magic on us all. If my children weren’t gliding alongside my husband and myself on one of our daily dives with sharks and manta rays, they were tearing around the new, off-thecharts-amazing tennis courts under the watchful eye of the local coach.
There was always a willing band of male staff members ready to kick a football around with my son, who’s a little on the shy side and was really made to feel part of a team – it became a bit of a ritual, as he’d race out of the door at five o’clock to join his friends like a newcomer welcomed by local villagers.
Where do you like to holiday in your own time? When I have to get away, I enjoy being anywhere that’s far flung and distant. I need to explore nature, to be outside, even if it is the windswept highlands of Scotland; as long as I can be far away and it’s not too hot!
I’ve been mountain climbing in Iceland, parasailing in New Zealand and dog sledding in the Arctic, but haven’t been to many beach resorts. So I’m not really used to being waited on, or being expected to relax!
What are your bucket list destinations? I love travel, I love adventure; I’m always wanting to go somewhere new. I’ve always wanted to go to the Fjords in Norway and I so far haven’t been – so that’s definitely on my bucket list.
Also, when I was shooting The Reader we shot a lot in Czech Republic and it’s a spectacularly beautiful place. The Reader was a pivotal moment not just in my career but just in terms of adventure and the experience was very unique. There are some beautiful areas of the Czech Republic that I would happily go back to.
What’s the most remote destination you’d ever think of travelling to? I’m not remotely against people going into space, but I don’t want to go there. Nope. I’m quite happy down here. Being in an aeroplane is challenging enough.
What’s your favourite destination? A really meaningful place to me is Cornwall, on the west coast of England. It’s a very beautiful place, not many people know about it, not many people in England particularly go there. It’s just stunning and I’ve had lots of great family holidays there since I was a baby, so that holds a special place for me.
My heart has always been in England, even when
I was living in America. But whenever I’m back in Manhattan there are certain smells, the fresh coffee and bagels in the morning that make me go ‘Aaah, New York’.
What were the best and worst things about filming in Australia for The Dressmaker?
I’ve trundled along since having children and had some great roles and experiences, but I haven’t really been able to go to far-flung places, such as Australia, and make a film for 10 weeks. The logistics of my life just haven’t made that possible. Everyone loves an adventure and I knew this would be just that. Going for a wee was quite hard - actually just getting to the loo which was often miles away! It was actually pretty intense... It’s hot in Australia, it’s extremely hot!
Do you enjoy trying the local cuisine on holiday? Just recently, my husband and I, courtesy of the lovely Michael Fassbender, enjoyed a weekend in County Kerry and it was great, we had a great time. We drank a lot of Guinness, we ate a lot of bread that had treacle in it – some kind of amazing bread. I even ended up taking a loaf of it home from where we were staying. It was so
good – and made with lots and lots of butter!
Have you ever been on a cruise since appearing in Titanic? Well, I haven’t gone on a cruise in a boat the size of Titanic at 882½-feet-long! I did take a holiday to Alaska that was entirely in a boat with 16 people.
Honestly, I actually now get onto boats and say, ‘No jokes, OK? No jokes. Can we just move on from that? And if you have any jokes, let’s just get them out of the way right now. Thank you. Anyone? Jokes, jokes? OK, moving on.’
“ BEFORE I KNOW IT, I’M STANDING KNEE DEEP IN AN ESTUARY HAVING FRESH OYSTERS AND LOCAL SPARKLING FOR BREAKFAST.”