Winq Magazine 08 09 2016 - Vladi Private Islands

LUXURY LIFESTYLE FOR GAY MEN

made in amsterdam + london + new york

LUXURY LIFESTYLE FOR GAY MEN

people + travel + style + Business + homes + fitness + culture

AUGUST.SEPTEMBER.2016

people + travel + style + Business + homes + fitness + culture

AUGUST.SEPTEMBER.2016

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llen

THE chat-show queen on how her running joke became movie reality, and why she’ll not be joking about donald trump as a result...

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winq.com 25/07/2016 14:09

LUXURY LIFESTYLE FOR GAY MEN

made in amsterdam + london + new york

LUXURY LIFESTYLE FOR GAY MEN

people + travel + style + Business + homes + fitness + culture

AUGUST.SEPTEMBER.2016 001_Winq_Cover.indd 1

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people + travel + style + Business + homes + fitness + culture

ichael

AUGUST.SEPTEMBER.2016

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the man who built a $1BN fashion empire second time around talks democratic fashion, the husband at his right hand and a world gone casual

ors UK £6 USA $15.99 can $15.99 aus $12.99 nz $14.99 jpn ¥1850

08 9 772054 805016

winq.com 25/07/2016 14:08

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6

of the best

PRIVATE ISLAND ESCAPES

Drop anchor and prepare for the ultimate getaway as we explore some of the best secluded island retreats across the Seven Seas text > m arkus bidaux

MoSKITO ISLAND, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS Virgin’s celebrity-drenched Necker Island may be the world’s most famous private island, but head honcho Mr Branson has a second private island just two miles away in the turquoise waters of the British Virgin Islands. Moskito Island is 125 acres and features the three-villa Branson Estate that can accommodate 22 guests in 11 bedrooms. Headland House features a pool that snakes from the master suite to the main entrance, while the Beach Villa is positioned just above the sandy beach and features raised wooden walkways that lead to the Mangrove Villa. They all have their own character, full of elegant furnishings and featuring infinity pools. Apart from spa treatments and motorised watersports, everything is included such as two flood-lit tennis courts, bicycles to explore the island on, and a DJ to soundtrack one night of your stay. The chefs can prepare their trademark dishes or create a bespoke menu for you and your guests. And thankfully the island’s name has nothing to do with pesky flying insects!

From $47,300/night WWW.VIRGINLIMITEDEDITION.COM/MOSKITO-ISLAND

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NORTH ISLAND, SEYCHELLES

With just 11 guest villas on North Island you will have the space and privacy to enjoy the ultimate barefoot luxury. Each villa has been thoughtfully designed with artisan furniture chosen to give the space an organic feel. Just outside the doors, white sands gently slope into turquoise waters. You can enjoy candle-lit dining at the Island Piazza with the sound of the rolling waves in the distance. The food is inspired by the flavours of the Seychelles and the chef will be on hand to take any special requests from guests. You can enjoy sunrises on Spa Hill and in the evening sip cocktails on West Beach as you watch the sky slowly fill with stars. There’s a full menu of spa treatments to help you unwind and a gym equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. You could hit the ocean on sea-kayaks and long-boards or take a dive with the island’s PADI-certified scuba-diving centre and, if you’re lucky, you may come across some turtles, which are known to lay their eggs on the beaches.

From €3,050/person per night WWW.NORTH-ISLAND.COM

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six of the best

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SPITBANK FORT, UK

Spitbank Fort is one of three forts built off the coast of Portsmouth to defend against Napoleon’s advances in the 1800s, taking 15 years to complete.

The forts were also used in WWI and WWII and then left derelict for decades. Now the 50-metre-wide circular fort has had a multi-million-pound refurbishment, turning it into a luxury private island (minus the sand). Upon arrival you can enjoy Champagne under the brick-arched ceilings of the Victory Bar, and then explore the fort from the depths of its swanky wine cave to the top of its working lighthouse. Dinner, appropriately enough, is

served in the Officer’s Mess with views out to Portsmouth Harbour. After dining you can venture to the roof terrace and relax in the hot tub and sauna or enjoy roasting marshmallows on the fire pit. A night’s sleep in one of the nine beautifully-furnished suites promises to be equal parts peaceful and lavish as each is beautiful beautifully furnished in a mix of luxury and history.. Genuine period artefacts and Victorian ironwork, ork, red bricks, arched windows ws and door doors make Spitbank Fort the most quintes quintessentially-British ly-British island escape imaginable.

From £599 £599/night night for a room or £4,500/night £4,500 night for the whole fort WWW.SOLENTFORTS.COM SOLENTFORTS

AMALFI ISLAND, ITALY Within a cluster of islands facing Capri there is one shaped distinctively like a dolphin. Amalfi Island was once a fortification dating back to Roman times, but was transformed into a private getaway by famous architect Le Corbusier in the 1920s and was later owned by ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, who had planned to turn the island into a ballet school. Sadly, Nureyev died of AIDS before fulfilling his dream, but he did leave his mark by redecorating the villas with 19th-century tiles from Seville.

Today, an Italian hotelier owns the island and much of Nureyev’s beautiful furnishings are still in use. The six bedrooms of the house can accommodate 12 guests who will enjoy being looked after by the island’s staff as they prepare meals using vegetables grown on the island. Rental also includes use of a yacht and access to watersport facillities. With the waters as clear as crystal you’ll be swimming around like a dolphin in no time.

From €220,000/week WWW.VLADI-PRIVATE-ISLANDS.DE

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MELODY KEY, USA

There are 42 Florida Keys’ islands which can be reached via some hundred miles of highway, raised above the water. But there are hundreds more that can only be reached by boat. Among them is Melody Key, one of the few outer-edge islands with accommodation. This private tropical getaway is still less than a mile by boat off the coast of Summerland Key yet it’s completely off the grid.

A sophisticated solar panel system, backup generator and desalination system keep things running (and give full green credentials). The island has three acres of land above sea level and a timber property featuring three-bedroom suites, each with their own balconies. There are plenty of spaces to entertain including the gourmet kitchen with panoramic views or the rooftop observation deck, providing the perfect vantage point to watch the sun set and rise. The island is self-catering, but you can hire a chef to come out and prepare some gourmet feasts if you wish. Enjoy the heated pool and Jacuzzi, take to the ocean paddling among the mangroves or sail with the captain to the coral reef on his 14-ft catamaran. Melody Key might just unlock the perfect island holiday.

From $1,375/night plus taxes for a minimum of six nights WWW.MELODYKEY.COM

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SONG SAA PRIVATE ISLAND, CAMBODIA

Just off the coast of backpacker’s heaven Sihanoukville in Cambodia’s Gulf of Thailand resides a little eco-paradise. Nestled within the Koh Rong Archipelago, the Song Saa Private Island hotel is made up of two tiny islands connected by a footbridge, which stands over Cambodia’s first marine reserve, created by the hotel’s owners. It’s teeming with turtles, seahorses and tropical fish and wherever possible the hotel uses sustainable practices to maintain a healthy relationship with the environment. There are thatched-roof stone and timber villas available either over water or on the edge of the jungle canopy, dotted along the coast. Four-poster beds promise relaxing nights and indoor and outdoor showers, sunken baths and A–esop toiletries will keep you fresh. Each villa has ocean views and personal plunge pools. At the over-water, open-sided Vista Restaurant you can dine on traditional Cambodian dishes, produced using modern Western techniques, as you enjoy the gentle ocean breeze. The spa embraces Buddhist traditions and focuses its treatments on stillness, healing and blessings. Ifyou can pull yourself away from the infinity pool there are watersports, scuba-diving, rainforest encounters and Buddhist ceremonies to enjoy.

From £636/night WWW.SONGSAA.COM

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