New Jetsetters Magazine Issue 16

For The New Breed Of Luxury Traveler

Rediscovering Venice's Iconic Gritti Palace

Inside Hollywood’s Dynamic Duo - Two Of Hollywood’s Classic Hideaways

The Science Of Dreams: Inside Air Canada’s New Dreamliner Exploring The Business “Suite” Life At Cap ClassJuluca Cabin

Looking For A Once In A Lifetime Getaway? Don't Miss This! www.newjetsetters.com

September 2015

Experience Landmark Hospitality

www.shangri-la.com

Canada - Mainland China - Fiji - France - Hong Kong - India - Indonesia - Japan - Malaysia - Mauritius -Mongolia - Myan

nmar - Philippines - Qatar - Maldives - Singapore -Sri Lanka - Oman - Taiwan- Thailand -Turkey - United Arab Emirates - United Kingdom

New Jetsetters GLOSS Magazine

GLOSS Features In This Issue

10 Serenity Now: The Sanctuary At Camelback Sprawling in minimalist splendour, the long, lean silhouette of the Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain looks like a location from a 1960’s James Bond movie.

Tucked into the base of Camelback Mountain, with sweeping views of the barren, nut-brown slopes of Praying Monk Mountain and Mummy Mountain on the Northern Slopes, this is a place to enchant your soul and inspire your senses.

18 In The Shadow Of The Mountain: Canyon Suites With only 40 Suites and 20 amazing rooms that nestle cosily at the base of Camelback Mountain, this is a fabulous “hotel within a hotel” boutique experience that is rarely experienced in North America. After entering the driveway that leads into the enormous Phoenician complex, you immediately feel just that little bit extra-special as you turn left into a circular driveway and pull up inside the charming portico entrance of the Canyon Suites.

27 Welcome To Our Hotel California: The Beverly Hills Hotel I wander, a 21st Century Alice in Wonderland. The path ahead of me winds through a labyrinth of carefully landscaped grounds bordered by gently bruised camellias, shy roses, and psychedelic azaleas. I follow the curve of the carefully tended path, stopping to admire small, secret gardens of herbs sprinkled amongst the flowers and bushes – Oregano and Mint, Chives and Rosemary.

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The Science Of Dreams: Air Canada’s Dreamliner

Redefining An Icon: The Gritti Palace

I was deep in anticipatory thought, perusing a menu that could have floated off the table of a five-star restaurant in Paris. Pepper-Crusted Ahi Tuna with a Marinated Prawn on a Fennel-Dill Salad with a Yellow Pepper Sauce. A salad of mixed greens with grape tomatoes, Parmesan and a Balsamic Vinaigrette. I paused for a moment to look out the huge (yes, HUGE) window at my side to confirm my location. Yes, I was actually sitting on the tarmac at Vancouver International Airport. In a plane.

Venice. One simply has to say the name aloud and anyone within earshot will suddenly have a faraway look in their eyes, and perhaps sigh softly. In their heads, unbidden, are visions of a stripedshirt gondolier balancing upon his black lacquered water chariot, serenading dreamy-eyed couples past softly crumbling, pastel palazzos. Perhaps he is singing. Perhaps the only sound is the haunting strains of Santa Lucia echoing from a flower-laden terrazza.

New Jetsetters GLOSS Magazine

38 Shanghai Calling: Two Pudong Classics The Huangpu River, which divides the bustling city of Shanghai between East and West, is known as “Mother River”.

It winds its way in a languorous fashion, undulating with the currents like a long, golden-green tail from a Chinese Dragon Dance, a sparkling backdrop for the thousands of vessels that ply the length of this 71 mile long and 1/4 mile wide waterway. It’s on the Pudong side that we discover two classic, uniquely different 5 star hotels

66 Bel-Air, Take Me There I’ve Been Waiting To Meet You…

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Making Cruising Great Again Viking Cruises

A True Turkish Delight - Four Seasons Hotel At Sultanahmet

Just about every avid traveler has heard of “Viking River” Cruise Line; commercials show long, sleek riverboats floating serenely down some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways, past breathtaking cities and towns.

Elegant passengers sip wine on deck, admiring views and planning which escorted tour they will take. Viking guests are a loyal, enthusiastic group, enamoured with Viking’s appealing itineraries, excellent food and beverages, and friendly service.

Whirling Dervishes. Mystical mosques with turrets piercing the sky. Translucent shades of rose and gold gilding the sapphire Bosphorus at sunset. The haunting wails of Muslims at prayer echoing off pale pastel walls. Smiles from gentle faces in store fronts.

Kaleidoscopic colours of Iznik ceramics, silver filigree jewels, gold-knit fabrics, intricately carved wood and delicately woven Turkish Rugs. Istanbul is, simply put, magical.

A smiling bellman greets you as you step out of your Executive Sedan. The fabulous luggage containing all the wonderful items you simply couldn’t leave behind and have chosen to bring along with you to paradise is suddenly gone. Pouff! Disappeared. Magic.

Another staff waits to greet you, escorting you over a postcard perfect wooden bridge that crosses a babbling brook. Birds sing above you, their melody carrying on a light, warm breeze.

Bright blossoms from bougainvillea scatter on the wind, living confetti. You catch sight of long-necked swans gliding across the silvery mirror of a small lake.

15 Defining Today’s Luxury Traveler Luxury travel is not always about spending money on the “best of the best”. It means different things to different people. For example, younger travellers are concerned less with opulence and pampering, and more with authenticity and “truly local experiences”

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In Conversation With: Chef Beau Macmillan

From the much-lauded “Restaurant Le Gaiac” at Hotel Le Toiny on St. Barth, widely recognized as one of the top gourmet restaurants in the Caribbean.

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Perceptions

This and That

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The Four Seasons Lanai Is Reborn

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How To Spend 24 Hours In Dubai

Wi-Fi For Travellers in 2016

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The Authentic Istanbul Experience with Istanbulite

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Air Canada Flies High with Chef Hawksworth

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“Somewhere” Inside the Chateau Marmont

New Jetsetters Mobile

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Meeting the Ghosts of Legendary Venice With Walks of Italy

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Amazing Amalfi : Five Fab Hotels Not To Miss!

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Living History At The Fairmont Peace Hotel

Get The Scoop

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From The Editor

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Jumeirah’s Burj Al Arab Introduces Gold iPads

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The Traveller’s Holy Grail: The Robotic Suitcase is Here

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Tahitian Style Luxury Arrives In Jamaica

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Travel Experiences Aston Martin Style

The Thompson Hotel Arrives In Seattle

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New Jetsetters Gloss Produced and Published By Clever Penguin Media Vancouver, Canada Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization of the publisher. This magazine contains general and specific information, but does not constitute expert advice.

The publisher and authors do not accept any liability whatsoever in respect to any action taken by readers in reliance on the recommendations set out in this magazine.

Without limiting the effect of the previous provision, newjetsetters.com is not liable to you for any indirect, consequential, punitive, or special damages.

Editor In Chief and Publisher - Deborah Thompson Associate Publisher - Steve Thompson Newjetsetters.com and New Jetsetters GLOSS Magazine offer a great platform for luxury brands to connect with a highly engaged, global audience from countries such as the USA, Canada, Europe and Asia to mention just a few. We also interact daily with over 30,000 active followers through our social media platforms. These include: Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. We are currently rated in the top 10 percent of “Influencers” on Klout.

Editorial Coverage : We take our Brand relationships very seriously. If you invite New Jetsetters to experience your product or service and we deem it will be of interest to our readership, we will share the experience with our audience in the form of a Feature Article (Perspectives), or as a Highlight Article (Gloss) on newjetsetters.com. These articles are published with accompanying HD photography, and for the Gloss articles, a short NJS produced HD Video that is embedded into the article and is also featured on New Jetsetters YouTube channel. All articles include multiple links and include full social media promotion. Chosen luxury content will be featured in our New Jetsetters GLOSS Magazine, published quarterly and hosted on ISSUU. Press Trips: Please note that New Jetsetters seldom do group press trips. As the ” Press” line continues to blur between bloggers, journalists and “Travel Influencers”, our focus is on the personal luxury travel experience and, in most cases, group events do not fall into this category. If you represent a client who would consider a private press trip, do feel free to contact us.

Live Social Media Coverage: New Jetsetters include live Social Media coverage of all hosted events and stays on all of our six social media platforms, in real time and include pre-and post-promotion. Currently this service is included at no charge.

Editorial Assistant - Ann Bond / Jeremy Halpern Art Director - Amber Cruse Issue Contributors - Deborah Thompson / S. Thompson Robyn Webb

Online contributors - Eric Renko / Cristian Martinus Johanna Read

Website Management - Bluehost Social Media Project Development inspire@newjetsetters.com

Technology - Apple Computers / Dell / Nikon / Canon Canada ….........

Brand Contributions - Air Canada / The Dorchester Hotel Collection / Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts/ Viking Ocean Cruises / Walks Of Italy / Istanbulite / Shangri - La Hotels and Resorts / The Canyon Suites at the Phoenician / The Gritti Palace / Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort / ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market / The Beverly Hills Hotel / Hotel Bel-Air ….........

New Jetsetters was founded as a labour of love to provide resources to those we consider “The New Breed of Luxury Traveler”. As publishers of New Jetsetters Gloss Magazine we have been travelling and writing about unique and luxury travel for over twenty years. We are not travel agents, nor are we travel brokers disguised as a review site, and we don’t sell “any” products. Newjetsetters.com is completely “advertisement free” and offers you news, features and intimate Reviews called “High Gloss” featuring places we’ve personally visited and encourage you to see.

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Rediscover The Art Of Ocean Cruising Join us as we usher in a new era of ocean cruising by taking the innovative thinking behind our awardwinning river cruises and bringing it to the epic setting of the sea

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From The Editor FOR THE NEW BREED OF LUXURY TRAVELER

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On The Cover

For those of us who dedicate our lives to exploring this beautiful planet, traveling to destinations far and wide and hoping to inspire others to do the same, there is quite a large elephant in the room these days. We may not want to look at it, or even acknowledge it is there, but its presence lurks in the the corners of our minds and in the spaces between the sentences we write. So let’s take away some of its power by addressing it. Terrorism.

Rearing its Medusa-like head, this poisonous venom is spreading into many parts of the world that have long been key destinations for travellers. Where to go, and whether one should even go there at all, has now become the overwhelming factor that we all consider very carefully before purchasing that ticket to fly.

That being said, those of us who cherish the freedom to explore new cultures and see natural, historic and cultural treasures around the world also need to stand steadfast by this liberty. If we all stop travelling for fear of what may happen, it stands to reason that the terrorists will have pretty much won. And that would be tragic.

We stand ready to continue our inspirational travel messages in this issue, one of our largest editions of New Jetsetters Gloss. From our reviews of the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel and sister property Hotel Bel-Air in California, we take you inside the Business Class and Option Plus cabins on the Air Canada Dreamliner, Boeing's newest (787) aircraft destination Shanghai, China!

As we explore the magnificent skyline of Pudong we’ll treat you to an intimate look inside two of China’s most luxurious properties, the Mandarin Oriental Pudong, overlooking the bustling Huangpu River, to a gorgeous suite at the Shangri-La Pudong with the spectacular Pearl Tower front and centre.

If Europe is more your style, you’ll love the legendary 16th Century Gritti Palace situated directly on the Canal in romantic Venice; then we invite you to “Meet the Ghosts of Legendary Venice” on a tour with our friends at Walks of Italy. We are also particularly proud to present our professional review of the incredible Four Seasons Sultanahmet in Istanbul, Turkey, as we weighed our safety risks against our desire to see the incredible highlights of Istanbul with one of Turkeys best personal tour guides, “Istanbulite”. One of the most exciting features in this edition of Gloss Magazine is not even a “destination”, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience sailing the Mediterranean Sea in an incredible Explorer’s Suite on Viking Ocean Cruise Lines first Ocean Liner, the “Viking Star”.

A stay at the Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain in Arizona gave us the opportunity to conduct a fabulous one-on-one interview with famed Iron Chef America winner Beau Macmillan; if you’re a foodie you won’t want to miss this one! We also explore the gorgeous cactus gardens and amazing suites of The Canyon Suites at the Phoenician, an experience we highly recommend!

We hope you’ll enjoy each and every feature in this jam-packed Issue - and remember travel often and travel well!

Deborah Thompson

Iconic St. Mark’s Square, Venice

They say you only live once, perhaps twice depending on your point of view, so if you’re looking for that special getaway, paradise found, or a once-in-a-lifetime experience to blow the budget, check out our #SPLURGEWORTHY selections throughout the magazine.

Once In A Life Time Paradise Found A Special Getaway

Sprawling

in minimalist splendour, the long, lean silhouette of the Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain looks like a location from a 1960’s James Bond movie. Tucked into the base of Camelback Mountain with sweeping views of the barren, nutbrown slopes of Praying Monk Mountain and Mummy Mountain on the Northern Slopes, this is a place to enchant your soul and inspire your senses.

With a great combination of fabulous service, snazzy, modernist suites and a restaurant/bar on the property serving up gastronomic fare fit for any serious foodie, The Sanctuary still attracts some of the top celebrities in the world, as it has from the very beginning. Beyonce and Jay Z had their honeymoon here. Britney Spears, Usher, Gene Hackman and even Fleetwood Mac have come to indulge in the serenity and relaxed vibe at this 52-acre retreat.

They follow in the footsteps of some of Hollywood’s most revered celebrities who were originally attracted to the property after famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright protégé “Hiram Hudson Benedict” put his finishing touches on what was then the “Paradise Valley Racquet Club” in the 1950’s. Fast forward to 1967 when Tennis entrepreneur John Gardiner visited the Racquet Club and was so enchanted by the striking views that he purchased the property and renamed it “John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch”.

By Deborah Thompson

When the Hollywood fascination for the sport eventually waned, Gardiner changed the focus of the resort, but the breathtaking location, relaxed vibe and incredible sunsets had cemented its enviable reputation as “the place to be” in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Sanctuary’s “Elements Restaurant and Jade Bar”, located in what was once the clubhouse, still boasts the original wooden slats (if only they could talk!) and today has it’s very own luminary, “Food Network” celebrity and Iron Chef champion Beau MacMillan himself. The charismatic Chef Beau loves connecting with people almost as much as he loves to create his signature, lip-smacking dishes.

Sanctuary Spa has been listed as a FourStar Spa for four consecutive years in the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide.

The Gardens At The Sanctuary At Camelback Mountain

Y TH OR ay W aw GE Get UR ial PL pec #S A S

And thus it started. Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, Dinah Shore and Doris Day became regular guests and close friends of Gardiner’s, helping to grow its reputation and attract a-listers from around the world. By the 1970’s, some of Hollywood’s most luminary stars, from Clint Eastwood, Liza Minnelli, Johnny Carson and Bill Cosby to famed jockey Willie Shoemaker and basketball champion Wilt Chamberlain were flocking to the Tennis Ranch to perfect their backhands and sip evening cocktails with the glitterati.

Chef Beau specializes in classic, delicious SouthWestern dishes combined with a savvy twist of Asian ingredients and flavours, resulting in a unique East meets West fusion that brings out the “foodie” in all of us.

hummingbirds. The best thing about this patio? A deep soaker tub for bathing au natural beneath the blue sky by day or the starry skies by night.

We loved strolling around the charming network of pathways crisscrossing the 53 acres at The Sanctuary (when we were not in danger of melting, that is) working up our appetites for what we knew would be an incredible dinner at the simply breathtaking Elements Restaurant. The beautiful walkways meander around Mountain Casitas, Spa Casitas, Spa Suites and Camelback Casita’s and Suites, each possessing their own serene appeal.

For those who appreciate the serene beauty of the desert it is quite an enjoyable stroll.

Each evening as the heat of the day would slowly dissipate we would head up the pathway to the Jade Bar, looking forward to relaxing on their cool-misted patio for a delicious cocktail and the chill vibe. One evening we participated in the “Bar Brawl”, a new concept recently launched by the Sanctuary to attract talented mixologists to compete in making the best, most original cocktails.

They had attracted a considerable crowd of appreciative cocktail-lovers, and filming of the “mixoff” was underway, no doubt to air on the Food Network at some point.

Elements Restaurant

Each brawl features DJ entertainment from 811pm, drink specials and small bites, and is sure to draw a crowd.

Our three-night stay at The Sanctuary gave us the opportunity to enjoy the many attributes of the property. We loved how the long, low and lean bones of the structures blended with the stoic beauty of rugged Camelback Mountain, and how landscapers had worked to “bring the desert back to the mountain” by celebrating the gorgeous and varied plant palette that thrives in the arid Sonoran Desert. We especially loved how you could cast your gaze out upon the panorama of Scottsdale and beyond, far out into the Sonoran Desert, where magnificent sunsets and a soulful sense of peace are reflected back upon you.

When we weren’t lounging in our beautiful Spa Suite, or snuggled into our super-comfortable king size bed, we would head to sit outside on one of our two patios.

One was huge and situated on the front of the unit, accessible by either the living room or the bedroom, where we would enjoy a gorgeous sunset each evening.

Our back terrace was quite charming, situated beneath a sweet canopy of trees whose leaves and branches were home to tiny, chirping birds, pretty woodpeckers, floating butterflies and whirring

The Jade Bar

After relaxing with drinks on the Jade Patio we would head inside for an incredible meal in the gorgeous dining room at Elements. Service was faultless, with a perfect blend of professionalism and knowledge mixed with a friendly, relaxed countenance. The best of both worlds and harder to find than one might expect at upscale restaurants.

The extreme heat of the Arizona afternoons meant that a stroll up to the gorgeous infinity-edge pool to cool down in comfort was a must. A short walk past vibrant yellow flowers swaying on the hot desert wind, past incredible cacti of every shape and size and up a few steps would find us in pool paradise. Just appearing on the pool deck would result in staff immediately making their way over to roll out your towels, get you settled and take your drink order, with yummy poolside eats also available. We especially loved the pool at night, and were ecstatic to find out that it was open 24 hours for our enjoyment at any given time.

After the heat of the day had cooled to a comfortable temperature there was nothing more fabulous than slipping into the cool, clear depths of the pool under the canvas of a star-filled night sky. With often nobody else around it was like having your very own enormous pool; the quiet of the night meant chirping crickets and the sound of the furnace wind rattling the palm fronds became a lullaby, sending you into a zen-state perfect for sweet dreams.

Spa Suite

I was also able to indulge in an incredible one hour massage at the beautiful Sanctuary Spa, a fabulous experience which had me feeling loose and limber when I headed back to our suite.

Sanctuary Resort also offers seven private mountainside homes, each offering spacious accommodations and personalized amenities that provide an unforgettable retreat for couples, families and businesses.

Sanctuary Resort, terraced on Camelback Mountain, is conveniently located just 8 miles north of Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport. All in all, this is a place for anyone who really needs a chill-pill and has the urge to just soak in some serene vibes without a lot of glitz and glamour and keep in mind, the thriving metropolis of Scottsdale is just outside the gated driveway, waiting for you to explore.

The Pool At The Sanctuary

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RESERVATIONS @ GEEJAM.COM

Luxury travel is not always about spending money on the “best of the best”. It means different things to different people. For example, younger travellers are concerned less with opulence and pampering, and more with authenticity and “truly local experiences” while the older generation focuses more on “Brand Identification, Loyalty and Trust”. Today there’s even a new generation of luxury traveler called the “Luxury Travel Splurger” and believe me, luxury travel specialist’s know Jamaican Tree Frog they’re out there. We call them “The New Breed of Luxury Traveler” and they are intelligent, curious, passionate and reflect an increasingly conscientious attitude about the impact travel can have on a destination. All this being said, there are a few things that most luxury travelers seem to have in common:

Defining Today’s Luxury Traveler

Time For a drink

Although they can afford to blow their money if they want, real luxury travelers still spend their money wisely. They invest serious time in planning and organizing their vacations, and look for value in terms of the quality and uniqueness of the experience.

The majority of luxury travelers now do their own research, most of it online; they also consult with like-minded individuals who will understand the importance of personal tastes and preferences.

Luxury travellers are open-minded and adventurous about their accommodation choices. While “Brand Loyalty” is still one of the most important factors in their decision making, they tend to be more flexible depending on their destination of choice. Small boutique hotels and private accommodations have become more and more popular.

Continued on page 91 Frenchman’s Cove

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Jumeirah’s Burj Al Arab Introduces Gold iPads!

The Thompson Arrives In Seattle !

A new kid on the block arrived on June 1 when “Thompson Seattle” opens its doors, introducing an exciting new option for visitors to the downtown Seattle hotel scene.

The first Pacific Northwest property from Thompson Hotels, the 158-room hotel stands at the corner of 1st Avenue and Stewart Street close to Pike Place Market. The property will have 158 guest rooms and will also include 10 suites, a signature restaurant, and rooftop bar and lounge.

The Huxley Wallace Restaurant Group is behind the hotel’s food and beverage scene which includes their signature restaurant, Scout, a 75-seat eatery with sidewalk and courtyard access that will offer a menu based heavily on regional ingredients. The restaurant joins the hot trend of featuring a “Chefs Table” which will seat up to 18 guests and showcase “hyper-local ingredients through edgy, highly-curated, multicourse tasting menus”.

New Jetsetters -For The New Breed Of Luxury Traveler Now entering its fifth year, “ILTM Americas” is one of six yearly luxury travel events put on by the prestigious “International Luxury Travel Market” and is the leading venue for the luxury travel industry in the Americas region. The event introduces buyers from USA, Canada and Mexico to an unrivalled collection of international luxe travel brands Our participation at ILTM Asia in Shanghai last year introduced us to some of the very best; we look forward to attending this September in the stunning Riviera Maya, Mexico!

Seriously? Yes! The gold iPads, designed specifically for Burj Al Arab and engraved with the hotel’s logo, will be offered to every guest upon check-in. The guests will then be able to use the gold iPad as a ‘virtual concierge’ and – at the touch of a button – access the extensive selection of hotel services such as the Guest Services Directory, detailed descriptions of Burj Al Arab’s restaurant options and spa menu, as well as private dining, butler and housekeeping services. Unfortunately you must leave the “Golden Apple” behind when you leave. But fear not, the 24-carat gold iPad is now also available for purchase at Burj Al Arab’s boutique, alongside other cutting-edge technology products such as the gold iPad mini and the gold iPhone 6S.

The Traveller’s Holy Grail – The Robotic Suitcase is Here!

NUA Robotics – a small start-up company out of Israel – has released their exciting and innovative “Smart Suitcase” and recently unveiled it at the Consumer’s Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Imagine walking hands-free through long passages of airport terminals with your luggage following you obediently like a little lamb? Well, it’s going to happen, and sooner than you might think. NUA is hoping to begin marketing this trippy high-tech luggage within the next year. So how does it work?

Tahitian Style Luxury Arrives In Jamaica Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica will take on a decidedly Tahitian look starting November 15th. A first-of-its-kind for any Caribbean island, Sandals is adding five stunning over-the-water villas to its private offshore island. We believe these luxury over-the-water getaways are about to considerably “raise the luxury bar” in the high end all-inclusive game.

A built-in camera sensor watches your every move and stays obediently within sight of you (as long as you are on a flat surface). Connected to your Smart Phone via bluetooth technology, it is so smart it will be able to avoid obstacles using computer vision, sensor networks and robotics, and will foil attempts to steal it with an anti-theft alarm. Something else that’s very exciting about this is that it will allow you to charge all your electronic devices because it has a back-up battery incorporated into it .

The breathtaking interiors of the Sandals Royal Caribbean villas will boast approximately 1,600 square feet of space, with a large walk in shower and indoor soaking tub. Lucky guests will be able to fully embrace the ‘over-the-water’ setting, with glass floors that will allow a crystal clear view of the marine life below – even lit up for night viewing. The service of a professional butler will ensure guests never have to lift a finger and can instead spend precious vacation time enjoying the exquisite scenery and relaxing ambiance. Each of the suites will feature a private outdoor infinity pool, a Jacuzzi tub and shower and, best of all, a hammock for two hanging over the water just steps away from a sundeck leading straight into the ocean.

Combine this with Sandals “Living Unlimited” All Inclusive program, and guests are set for a week or more of true Caribbean romance. The resort’s private island is the setting for these fantastic new suites, located just minutes away from the shore and the main resort. The island itself features an authentic Thai restaurant and casual beachfront grill, a pool with a whirlpool and swim-up bar, and a secluded private beach.

“At the main resort guests can enjoy 5 additional restaurants offering an array of gourmet culinary experiences, along with six pools.

Don’t forget your personalized butler service! Sandals butlers are trained in accordance to the exacting standards of the Guild of Professional Butlers who provide consummate professionals to serve nobility and celebrities. Your personal butler will, of course, handle every detail of your vacation with unobtrusive grace

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The Canyon Suites At The Phoenician With only 40 Suites and 20 amazing rooms tucked cosily into the base of Camelback Mountain, this is a fabulous “hotel within a hotel� boutique experience that is rarely experienced in North America.

By Deborah Thompson

By Deborah Thompson

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We recently had our minds blown by a stay at the Canyon Suites at the Phoenician in Scottsdale Arizona.

To fully appreciate how hard it really is to blow the minds of a New Jetsetter, you really must have a look-through of the hotels and resorts we’ve stayed at over the past twenty years. Though the last thing I want to imply is that I’m being snobby, impressing us these days isn’t always easy. Ever since we made our first trip to Thailand and stayed at what is arguably one of the best hotels in the world, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, we’ve had a yardstick against which we’ve measured every subsequent luxury hotel experience. And though it seems sad to say, our personal observations have left us feeling that, as a rule, the North American luxury property version of “Five Star” really just can’t compete with Asian standards.

The Canyon Suites Entrance

The Canyon Suites Lobby

One Bedroom Suite

SO WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT IT

After entering the driveway that leads into the enormous Phoenician complex, you immediately feel just that little bit extra-special as you turn left into a circular driveway and pull up under the charming portico entrance of the Canyon Suites. It is a little hard to describe a place that is intimate and warm, yet also cool and spacious at the same time, yet the Canyon Suites are somehow able to be all of these things at once. This property truly deserves its Forbes Five-Star/AAA Five Diamond distinction.

The beauty of staying at a “hotel within a hotel” has resonated with New Jetsetters for years.

Why? Because one is still able to take advantage of the somewhat appealing amenities offered by a grand property (many restaurants to choose from, bars, shops, etc.) but you are able to enjoy the more discriminating “boutique service” where staff are actually able to greet you by name and often commit your preferences to memory because they have less guests to look after. There are also less people at the pool, and they are able to offer small group activities that a large hotel would not be able to, such as the wine-tasting's in the lobby every evening (charmingly called the “Hour of Joy”).

What also makes this a wonderful experience is some of the other services offered to guests.

These include:

Visit newjetsetters.com for our video feature

* A Chauffeured Infiniti Car Service – available to deliver guests to all on-property amenities (especially when it really is just too hot to walk one block!), it also will take you to the trail head on Camelback Mountain or to nearby Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall.

UNIQUE & OVER THE TOP SERVICE

We were able to experience their commitment to “taking dedicated service with an exceptional attention to detail to unparalleled heights� as we were greeted by not one, not two, but three staff waiting to greet us by name. Handsomely attired bell-men opened car doors with a flourish and a warm smile, car keys and luggage disappeared, and our very own Canyon Ambassador became our personal guide and concierge for the stay.

We were ushered into the expansive, breathtaking lobby, complete with gleaming marble floors, immense sparkling chandeliers, a stunning fountain that tinkled softly in the background, and immense armoires that had been filled with good books left behind from past guests. Our smiling Ambassador offered us tall, cool Canyon Ice Tea, absolutely delicious (and a little addictive!) as we completed check-in details before showing us the way to our absolutely gorgeous suite.

Daily Wine Tasting

View From The Canyon Suite Lobby

We were shown around the lobby (and where to find more of the delicious ice-tea, available all day and all night!). In the suite we found a gorgeous welcome amenity, and our ambassador took us through the suite to familiarize us. We were very pleased with our home-away-from-home for the next four nights!

Nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain, the Forbes Five-Star/AAA Five Diamond Canyon Suites is an exclusive 60-room boutique hotel

The Phoenician Cactus Garden

UNIQUE ROOM We were honoured to have an absolutely gorgeous, desert-light filled One Bedroom Canyon Suite with a fabulous view of Camelback Mountain and the serene pool area as our private retreat. At 1,200 square feet, we were able to truly relax and enjoy the tranquil surroundings. Floor to ceiling windows allowed us to drink in the view of palm-trees bending in the hot winds blowing down the mountainside, stoic cacti standing like sentries up the rugged side of Camelback and the soothing turquoise blues of the cool blue pool. An enormous L-shaped living room/formal dining room invited us to sit and relax; a well-thought out area at the very back was an office with a large desk, complete with ample plug-ins for computers, phones, cameras, ipad and ipods!

Continued on page 86

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24 Hours In Dubai Dubai sits on a golden, sandy coastline in the Arabian Gulf, where the warm azure waves of the sea meet the desert. It’s a high-rise oasis, some say a pleasure-dome, surrounded by sand dunes. It’s also one of the most fashionable cities on the planet thanks to its overwhelming desire to satisfy scores of very wealthy, very discerning vacationers. They say “Discover All that is Possible in Dubai” and they mean it. From high-end fashion to old world charm, from city lights and towering monoliths, to the sun and sand of the desert, it’s all waiting for you to explore. But what can you possibly do in 24 hours in Dubai? You’ll be surprised.

Good Morining DuBai

One of the great adventures when you visit Dubai is to journey out into the desert and learn about the ancient Bedouin culture that predates all the glitz and glamour of modern Dubai. A number of companies offer morning, afternoon and evening trips, but we recommend you arrange an early morning guided safari and get a great start to the day. Platinum Heritage Luxury Tours and Safaris is considered one of the best. Your professional guide will lead you out into the desert on an early morning drive in a legendary Mercedes G-Wagon while you spot exotic local wildlife. Then you will arrive at an exclusive camp, where you will have the opportunity to learn local recipes handed down from generation to generation before enjoying a scrumptious breakfast. If you’re up to it, a camel ride is a must! Keep in mind that a portion of your fee is contributed to local conservation efforts. You'll be back in the big city in time for lunch.

Two For Tea

There are many wonderful choices for lunch in Dubai including the “Reflets by Pierre Gagnaire” on Al Rebat Street or, if you like Lebanese food, Al Nafoorah at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. But just for a change of pace, we recommend the Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar at the Grosvenor House hotel. The luxurious Grosvenor House Dubai, with it’s two iconic 45 storey towers will give you an excellent example of how many of Dubai’s top properties define luxury, and the Siddharta Lounge, with it’s casual yet stylish indoor and outdoor dining will put you in an excellent frame of mind for the rest of your busy day.

After lunch, visit the Deira district and the world famous bazaars. Don’t forget the “Gold Souk” – a market consisting of over 300 retailers trading almost exclusively in precious gold, silver and jewellery! A stop at the Dubai Museum is a great opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of Dubai’s history and culture; from there, board an Abra (a traditional wooden boat) for a private ride across the Dubai waterway and take in some amazing skyline views of the city. If there is time, stop by the former home of the Maktoum family, the “Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House” to have a look at the historic photos of the city.

Dubai is synonymous with shopping, there is simply nothing that you cannot buy. From gold to electronics, designer labels to luxury items, the emirate is packed with huge shopping malls built side-by-side with older souks, where small shop owners sell everything from spices to…

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EVERYTHING YOU DREAMED OF. Welcome to a new flying experience onboard Air Canada’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane.

787 ROUTES Air Canada is pleased to offer a growing list of select flights and routes served by our fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

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I wander, a 21st Century Alice in Wonderland.

The path ahead of me winds through a labyrinth of carefully landscaped grounds bordered by gently bruised camellias, shy roses, psychedelic azaleas and rhododendrons. I hold my breath as I follow the curve of the carefully tended path, stopping to admire small, secret gardens of herbs sprinkled amongst the flowers and bushes – Oregano and Mint, Chives and Rosemary.

SO WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT IT Famously known for being the historic playground for Hollywood’s rich and famous since it’s birth in 1912, the Beverly Hills Hotel was the first major building project in Beverly Hills, notably establishing itself a full two years before the city itself was even incorporated.

This is a hotel that just feels special and chances are, even if this is your very first time at this property, you will strangely enough feel like you are “home”. You will always feel welcome on the property, with all staff exceedingly well trained to look after every guest’s wants and needs.

Warm smiles and genuinely caring greetings are at every turn; doors opened before you can touch the handle, and needs addressed often before you can say them out loud. The location, while close enough to Rodeo Drive for even the most manic shopaholic, is nonetheless undeniably tranquil and private. Nestled on 12 acres of lushly landscaped grounds, guests can stroll past the bungalows and imagine what these pastel-pink walls have seen and heard over the years. This hotel provides the perfect combination for world-weary sophisticates who want to feel like they are “away from it all” when really they are “anything but”.

UNIQUE AND OVER THE TOP SERVICE Choose to arrive by the Beverly Hills Hotel car service and you will be scooped up at the airport and lovingly delivered to the red-carpeted entrance in no time. The sedan door will be opened before you even have time to reach for the handle yourself and you will be greeted by name and warmly escorted to the front desk. Your luggage is whisked away with the tip of a hat, and will magically reappear in your room either before or shortly after you arrive there yourself. After a friendly check-in at the front desk (though we must say we prefer private in-room check-in) we were accompanied down the elegant banana-leaf patterned hallways to our suite, somewhat of a necessity as the layout of the hotel can make it a little challenging to find your “home” for the first day or two!

Iconic Bungalow 5

UNIQUE ROOM

The Beverly Hills Hotel Polo Lounge

We were lucky to be able to experience two different room categories. I liked the layout of our first room, a “Superior Guestroom”. The recent refresh done on the hotel has left them feeling new and luxurious. I loved the huge, walk-in closet, the large bedroom with ample windows to let in that glorious California sunshine, and the spacious, marble-clad bathroom with soaker tub and a separate water closet, which I always appreciate.

The room refresh included installing 42” Bang and Olufsen TVs for those who don’t want to leave reality too far behind.

Our second room was a Superior Guestroom with Balcony, and that outdoor space really made a difference for us. Similar in look to our first room, it felt much larger because of the floor to ceiling doors opening to the ample balcony, big enough for comfortable lounging with a bottle of champagne. This was a perfect spot for us to sit and watch the comings and goings of the many staff belonging to the jaw dropping $58 million dollar estate across the street from the hotel.

The bathroom was once again quite delightful, stacked with thick, thirsty (soft!) towels, bathrobes, and of course the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel amenities to enjoy in your soaker tub.

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NOTABLE SPA The 1,916 sq. foot “Spa by La Prairie” is an Internationally recognized luxury brand whose heavenly crafted body treatments have been delighting the most demanding Dorchester Property guests around the world for years.

Since February of 2004 they have been permanent residents at the Beverly Hills Hotel to offer their signature White Caviar and Cellular Swiss Ice Crystal facials and nurturing body massages to privileged guests.

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The shop door closed quietly behind us, instantly quieting the bustle and confusion of the vibrant tourist core of Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district. It took a moment for my eyes to focus, but when they did, I gasped in delight. Eda, our guide, was already introducing me to the smiling owner of “Iznik Classics”, but I have to admit that I was having a hard time tearing my eyes away from the stunning display.

Private Infinity Pool

The Authentic Istanbul Experience with “Istanbulite�

By Deborah Thompson

Colourful plates, tiles and panels covered the walls, delicately painted jugs, vases, bowls and trays balanced upon every surface, a kaleidoscope of colour. Moments later I was being educated, in the most pleasant way, to the historic legacy one of Turkey’s most important art forms, “Iznik” Ceramics.

If not for having a private tour guide, so connected to her neighbourhood and its people, so eager to show us the best of her city, we would never have found this tiny, incredibly beautiful little shop.

As a tourist, how would you most like to experience a strange, new city? For today’s traveler, many of the most vibrant cities on our “bucket lists” can feel downright scary as terrorists spread their poison, intent on choking off the stream of tourist dollars – the very lifeblood of these destinations. And although we have sophisticated tools on our mobile devices, clever Apps with detailed maps, language translators, current exchange rates and what to wear for tomorrow’s weather, navigating your way through an unfamiliar city is never an easy feat to begin with, (even without the threat of terrorism hanging over us).

Let’s go back to thinking about what would make you feel better exploring a strange neighbourhood.

Perhaps having a friend who lived there? Someone you know would look after you and keep you as safe as possible? A friend who knew the city like the back of their hand, who knew the neighbourhoods and would take you to their favourite “local” haunts? And . . . wouldn’t it would be extra-fabulous if that friend happened to be an expert on the history, culture and traditions of their city? I would bet my favourite walking shoes that the answer to all these questions is a big “Yes!” When you get right down to it, luxury travel doesn’t always have to mean staying at the most expensive Five Star hotel and being chauffeured around in a limo. Luxury can be found in the ability to leave your worries behind as you explore, in actually having the company of a local “friend” to show you around, with your personal safety at the forefront. That’s why many of our luxury travel experiences involve the company of a local, professional guide. With the power of the Internet and Social Media at our fingertips, finding a travel guide is easy to arrange, affordable and convenient. Just remember, though, it’s important to do your research; take recommendations only from trusted sources, and make sure the company you choose is a good fit for you. Should you choose well, you will come away with a positive, memorable experience, and oftentimes a new friend as well!

Such was our recent experience with Ms. Eda Sökmen, owner of Istanbulite in Istanbul, Turkey.

As we were planning our short two-day stay in Istanbul at the end of a Viking Cruise adventure, we realized that if we wanted to see the most important highlights of Istanbul compressed in a thorough yet enjoyable manner, we would be best served working with a local guide. And… since I would rather eat a bowl full of nails than follow at the end of a huge group of tourists led by a weary, sign-toting travel guide, we took to Social Media for suggestions as to who might best match our travel style: “Bespoke, Personal, Private, Reliable”.

That’s when we found Istanbulite, whose Twitter account and excellent website assured us this was the company we would like to connect with.

We especially loved the choice of tours presented – from “I Only Have a Day in Istanbul” (perfect for those with time constraints like us) to “I Only Have a Weekend/Three Days/Four Days/ Five Days” itineraries, to the “Perfect Contemporary Art Day” or “Jewish Heritage Tour”. Right from the moment we expressed our interest in touring with Istanbulite (before leaving for Europe), Founder Ms. Eda Sökmen was prompt and professional with her response, answering all our questions via email, instilling confidence in her brand. It seemed Istanbulite would be perfect for our very brief time in a city with so much to see and do.

Eda met us in the posh lobby of our hotel, the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, for our abbreviated “I Only Have One Day” afternoon walking tour which would include The Blue Mosque, The Aya Sophia, the Underground Cisterns and a walkabout of the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Eda indicated she would be happy to suggest places of interest as we walked around, and we could let her know if we wanted to stop for a snack or some shopping along the way. I liked this thoughtful touch; often on tours, especially group tours, you can feel disappointed if you see a beautiful item in a shop window, but the tour cannot be stopped – or you are starving or dying of thirst but know you can’t suggest sitting down for a cup of tea and some refreshments unless it is on THEIR schedule.

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Street Life In Istanbul

The Hagia Sophia

The Basilica Cistern

The Four Seasons Sultanahmet

Eda Sรถkmen owner of Bespoke Istanbulite.com

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mayakoba.com

divine and right From its inception, Mayakoba was conceived as a resort development like no other. The design was to follow the contours of the existing geography . . . to enhance, not replace, the natural environment . . . Architects were joined by biologists, geologists and engineers to map out a way to find separate but connected locations for the planned development. The result was a Master Planned retreat which now welcomes visitors and residents from the four corners of the Earth to a triumph of conservation.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba | Rosewood Mayakoba | Fairmont Mayakoba | Andaz Mayakoba | El Camaleon golf course | The OHL Classic at Mayakoba

I was deep in anticipatory thought, perusing a menu that could have floated off the table of a five-star restaurant in Paris. Pepper-Crusted Ahi Tuna with a Marinated Prawn on a Fennel-Dill Salad with a Yellow Pepper Sauce, a salad of mixed greens with grape tomatoes, Parmesan and a Balsamic Vinaigrette. I paused for a moment to look out the huge (yes, HUGE) window at my side to confirm my location. Yes, I was actually sitting on the tarmac at Vancouver International Airport. In a plane.

By Deborah Thompson

I felt a little addled, I have to admit. A moment later I accepted a glass of Champagne Drappier, Carte d’Or Brut from Reims, France, proffered with a lovely smile and an inquiry as to whether there was anything else I needed at the moment. This did nothing to reassure me that this was not some dream, and that I was actually on an aircraft.

I looked around again, this time inside. Yes, there were passengers and they were stowing their luggage. Very “plane-like” behavior. But again, how could this be? A high, vaulted ceiling soared overhead. Ambient mood lighting in soothing shades of cerulean blue and ever-so-subtle violet made me feel almost like I could be outdoors. The Business Class cabin was big and airy and shall I say, rather breathtaking. Vertical sidewalls made

the overhead bins very large and easy to open.

Strange. I decided a good, long sip of the Champagne was in order. I always think much more clearly when sipping a cold glass of lovely bubbly.

Okay, where was I again? Oh yes, the menu. I was imagining the Lion’s Head Pork with Siu Choy and Carrots. My tastebuds start to tingle, just a little.

But wait – Chicken Breast with Maple Thyme Chili Glaze, Sweet Potato Mash, Mushroom Medley…

I’ve always had a weakness for mashed sweet potatoes. I have to say I’ve never had the opportunity to sample them on a plane – well really, I mean… who HAS? I paused to readjust my seat with the electronic controller, and found exactly the perfect degree of recline. I longed to try reclining the seat into the 80” fully flat bed immediately, but thought the Flight Attendant might

787 Dreamliner Cockpit

not appreciate me doing this before we even left the ground, so satisfied myself with readjusting my pillow and turned back once again to the mouth-watering dinner offerings. A Roasted Atlantic Salmon in Pinot Grigio Sauce, and Barley Risotto? Perhaps. Oh…. a grilled Alberta AAA Tenderloin with Truffle and Porcini Sauce, Gratineed Potatoes, Carrots and Fine Green Beans sounded quite divine. Definitely a quandary.

The stress was really getting to me. Time for another sip (alright then – two). It was then, as the tiny bubbles tickled my nostrils that I caught sight of five little words way down at the bottom of the menu.

“Tuxedo Cake with Chocolate Buttercream”. Oh, Dear God! Maybe I should just have three or four pieces of cake and skip the meat and potatoes? No! I couldn’t do that (or could I). What would everyone think (who cares)! And look what else . . . crackers with oka, camembert and medium cheddar cheese served with sweet, seedless grapes – accompanied by a glass of full-bodied Red from Languedoc, France.

Superb. Then I caught sight of one of my favorite comfort dishes – Hot Noodle Soup with Shrimp or Pork Wonton's. STOP! I pushed the menu out of sight lest I become totally crazed before the plane even got off the ground, and focused on my comfortable little home for the next eleven hours or so. My own personal pod, complete with everything I could want as I soared over landscapes too beautiful to describe, easily viewed through the enormous window beside me. I looked in bemusement at the control panel, and pressed one of the buttons feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland.

What would happen now? Then I realized that the window was actually changing colour, slowly darkening until it was a charcoal grey beyond the glass, yet not completely black. Very cool. My huge, 18” television screen showed our plane sitting in Vancouver, our route to Shanghai described in bright green, arcing over the vast Pacific Ocean, the islands of Hawaii the only spots floating in the bright blue sea.

It was then I realized that we had already rolled back from the gates and were actually taxiing down the runway. I hadn’t even realized the plane engines were alive – no word of a lie.

787 Business Class Pod

“I wasn’t dreaming, nor hallucinating. I was on the Air Canada 787 Dreamliner, a flight from Vancouver, Canada to Shanghai. One Way No Stops…and as close to heaven as you can get without actually having to die to get there.”

Our Dream Flight began at Vancouver International Airport with a fabulous, fast and easy check-in at the Priority Boarding area, a privilege for all Business Class Passengers. Another benefit is the access to the Air Canada Concierges, carefully hand-picked professionals who (besides looking very elegant in their black suits and classic neckties or scarves) are extremely helpful and friendly. We were lucky to have Sherri Borg as our Concierge and I don’t think she stopped smiling the entire time we were with her. Sherri briefed us on how Air Canada Concierges are available to help Business Class travelers with all travel and airport-related matters and even special requests, such as hotel or restaurant reservations, special in-flight meals, upgrades and even baggage handling. They are also there to help ease your panic should your flight plans ever be disrupted – we could have used her assistance a few times in the past!

Dreamliner Executive Business I loved going to the washroom on this plane! Brightly lit, fabulous smelling hand soap, big mirrors with – (get this!) a magnifying mirror embedded into the main mirror! What a glorious, incredible addition! Forget about blindly poking at your eye trying to find that pesky, errant eyelash in a dark, smelly closet with wings. It just makes the whole experience so much better as does the fact that taps and toilet flushing are completely hands-free. No more dreading having to get up and go! Wait, I’m not finished yet. The Dreamliner bathrooms have a big WINDOW in them!

How great is that!

I can’t really say enough about this experience. I absolutely loved my pod. Although I was mostly too excited to sleep, I adored the fact that I could snuggle up inside my 100% cotton duvet, put on my high-end noise-cancelling headphones and dive into some fantastic movies on my 18” high-definition screen (choose from over 600 hours of entertainment).

There was a great selection of movies and games to keep me occupied when I was not eating, drinking or finding reasons to go to the bathroom to check out the view and the magnifying mirror. I managed to watch three really good movies and then turned to the games selection, eventually crashing every single make of race car in every imaginable colour, usually before making it halfway around the racecourse.

Totally fun at 43,000 feet, but this is probably why I couldn’t sleep the entire eleven hours.

Dreamliner Premium Economy We had the opportunity to try out Air Canada Dreamliner’s Premium Economy class on our return to Vancouver. This was an excellent experience that we would choose again. Seats were very comfortable with a luxurious 19.5” width (versus 17.3” in Economy), and a comfy 38” of legroom. It was almost as good as being in Business Class! Although the seats do not recline into a bed, they do have a 7” recline (a good sleep is quite possible). Also, there are only 21 seats in the Premium Economy Cabin, making it feel airy and spacious. The seat pitch — the distance from any point on one seat to the exact same point on the seat in front of it, is a rather luxurious 38” in Premium Economy versus the 31” in economy. It also features an appealing 2-3-2 layout – and once again, because of the large windows, everyone can have a view!

Service was excellent in the Premium Economy Cabin; we enjoyed Priority Boarding at the gate and once on board, were treated fabulously by the flight attendants. Warm towels were periodically handed out to refresh ourselves (I always find this a treat), an amenity kit was provided with items to freshen up, We had a marvellous selection of meals and snacks, all served on china with real cutlery. We also had access to unlimited drinks and alcoholic beverages upon request. How perfectly civilized!

787 Premium Economy Pod

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Shanghai Calling Introducing Two Pudong Classics

The Huangpu River, which divides the bustling city of Shanghai between East and West, is known as “Mother River�. It winds its way in a languorous fashion, undulating with the currents like a long, golden-green tail from a Chinese Dragon Dance, a sparkling backdrop for the thousands of vessels that ply the length of this 71 mile long and 1/4 mile wide waterway. It is on the Pudong side that we discover two classic, uniquely different 5 star hotels.

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Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai

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SO WHAT'S SO GREAT ABOUT IT

Anyone who has done their fair share of travelling and have stayed at a Mandarin Oriental property anywhere in the world will know exactly what is “so great” about it. It is a Mandarin Oriental Hotel! Once one has stayed at a “MO” hotel, the classic hospitality, exemplary service, luxurious surroundings and attention to detail become addictive. We happen to believe that no other country in the world is better at the “art of hospitality” than Asia.

The amazing Mandarin Oriental Pudong staff made us feel welcome and cared-for from the moment we stepped out of our sedan and were escorted into the lobby right up until the moment we stepped back into a waiting Rolls Royce Phantom for the ride to our next hotel.

Gorgeous artwork is a trademark of MO Hotels, as are lavish flower displays and a high staff-to-guest ratio, meaning questions or concerns never remain unanswered and every need is anticipated. The MO Pudong is also located in a very quiet area, far away from the maddening crowds of the downtown hotels, making for a truly peaceful experience (and a killer view of the Huangpu!).

The Mandarin Oriental Lobby

The Riviera Lounge

The QI Bar Patio

UNIQUE OVER THE TOP SERVICE Butler service is a big part of MO Brands worldwide appeal, and they have it down to perfection. Every request is met with graciousness and a smile. We had a few items that needed pressing and one item to be dry-cleaned. Within moments of calling, our Butler had come to pick them up. We found the items hanging, perfectly refreshed, in our closet that evening. How I wish I could have this service at home! It is also a bonus that laundry, pressing and dry cleaning of up to two garments per day is free.

Entering and exiting the hotel was always a pleasure, with plenty of staff always on hand to assist with any questions or an escort to a taxi.

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It is no wonder then, that one of Asia’s premier hospitality brands, the luxurious “Mandarin-Oriental” chose the banks of the vibrant Huangpu River waterway to call home. The silvery eyes of a thousand windows gaze out upon the waters, finding the reflection of their own glory by day, and the psychedelic strobes of millions of glittering lights of the Shanghai Business District by night.

UNIQUE ROOM We were thrilled to call a One Bedroom River Suite our home for the next three nights. It was lovely, very large and as stated above, had the most beautiful view of the Huangpu River from not only the Living Room but also the Bedroom and the Bathroom as well. I loved the huge walk-in closet with distinctly separate his and hers sections, and a fabulous bathroom which divided the vanity and water-closet area from the deep soaker tub and stand-alone rainshower in a separate atrium-like room. I always love a tub with a view; soaking with some bubbles and watching the barges and boats float up and down the Huangpu was extremely relaxing. There was even a TV on the wall by the bathtub but I have to admit I didn’t even turn it on.

A One Bedroom River Suite

Thick, thirsty and plentiful towels are always something I look for in a luxury hotel – not all deliver, but MO Pudong did. I also loved the double sinks in the bathroom, which had a rectangular window between them to watch the boat traffic slowly puttering to and fro on the Huangpu. I also appreciated the discreet, separate water-closet.

Indoor Pool

Our super-comfortable king-size bed had top quality Frette linens and plump feather pillows, although a pillow menu is available if you prefer polyester. It was especially beautiful to look out of the huge windows at night, when Shanghai flaunts its famed futuristic-style “Blade Runner” personality. Brightly lit tourist boats with coloured lights ply the water by the dozens, even as the shadowy shapes of working barges, some not even lit at all, putter about their business.

The Spa At Mandarin Oriental

Surrounded by the gleaming skyscrapers of Lujiazui, Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai exudes five-star luxury

By day it was filled with natural light (I hate dark rooms), and I loved the extra space afforded by having a suite – it gives you that extra breathing room.

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Pudong Shangri-La East Shanghai

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THE PUDONG SHANGRI-LA SO WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT IT Staying in the Pudong Shangri-La, whether the River Wing or the sparkling Grand Tower, means you have the full awesomeness of the Financial District at your feet. Walk in any direction as you exit the revolving lobby door and you’ll be craning your neck (even as you dodge buses, cars, taxi’s and bicycles) to try to see the top of yet one more new-age acropolis .The splendour of Jin Mao Tower is breathtaking, even with the top shrouded by skulking clouds, as is the mind-boggling architectural twists of “Shanghai Tower”. Turn your head and you will see the soaring majesty of the Shanghai World Financial Centre and the Bank of China Tower, and the golden glass citadel of Aurora Tower. Even if you have never had an appreciation for architecture, wandering pretty much anywhere in Shanghai will give you a sore neck and a new appreciation for the design of skyscrapers.

One of the most appealing aspects of the Pudong Shangri-La Grand Tower is the views.

No matter which side of the tower you are on, you will have your mind blown - by night as the glittering electronic panorama comes alive before your eyes and by day as ant-size pedestrians navigate the bumper-to-bumper, endlessly honking swirls of cars and buses below. If you’re lucky enough to have a view of the languorous undulations of “Mother River”, the Huangpu, you will bear witness to the puttering “Nèihé bóchuán”, thousands of river barges that ply the length of this 71 mile long, ¼ mile wide waterway both day and night.

Of course, the most important “Great” part of a Shangri-La property is the unparalleled service lavished upon honoured guests.

River Wing Lobby

Yi Café

UNIQUE AND OVER THE TOP SERVICE An effusive greeting was in store as a number of staff greeted us by name with warm smiles and handshakes.

Guest Relations Officers then took charge, leading us through the flower-filled, sparkling lobby to the elevators. Our luggage had long disappeared in the capable hands of bellboys and we were unencumbered as we were escorted to our suite on the Club Floor for a perfectly flawless (and paperless, may I add) check-in. Our “Grand Tower Horizon Club Premier Suite” was waiting for us! We were overwhelmed by our welcome amenity. General Manager Peter Clarke and his staff had gone to the incredible trouble to replicate the cover of our New Jetsetters Gloss Magazine cover (which showcased the Shangri-La Paris) – all in chocolate. It was done like a picture in a chocolate frame. I could not believe my eyes. We were also treated to gold-leaf covered chocolate balls, a wooden chest filled with fresh macarons in the colours of a rainbow, rose-petal filled silver finger-bowls, and of course, their signature welcome, a traditional Chinese Tea Service.

Hot, humid and sticky days. White-knuckled cab rides. Gorgeous hotels. Incredible restaurants. Amazing food. Terrifying moments of dodging cars and buses on a crosswalk. Sore neck from craning to see the tops of buildings . A Rolls Royce Phantom, silky soft interior, white-gloved chauffeur, soft, sweet music, cool towels and chilled water. I have to admit, although I am not a “car person”, that this is truly a special vehicle. The gleaming wood veneer of each Rolls Royce is famously made “seamlessly, with the wood of one single tree (walnut, elm, malabar or wenge)” and each silky, soft leather seat is crafted to cradle occupants in a particularly luxurious cocoon of comfort. Ahead I can see the mushroom coloured “Pudong Shangri-La River Wing”, the original hotel looking strangely out of place among the shining, futuristic monoliths of the Financial District. Behind it, though, the younger sister “Shangri-La Pudong Grand Tower” easily fits into the glittering glass and metal landscape.

UNIQUE ROOM

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At just over 1,000 sq. ft., the Grand Tower Horizon Club Premier Suite is a truly luxurious suite to call home. We loved the layout, with a gorgeous living room with wall-to-wall windows overlooking the Huangpu River in all its glory from one set of windows, and a stunning “up close and personal” view of the Pearl Tower from another. The executive desk was also in a great position for those times we needed to get some work done, though pulling our eyes away from the unique view of the Pearl Tower could be extremely difficult.

This suite had a natural, pleasing flow to it, with the living room area separated from the bedroom and master bathroom. The powder room located at the entrance to the suite was a nice extra. The bedroom was richly furnished with generous use of polished wood, soothing dark gold walls, golden hued carpet and tangerine throw pillows and accents. The king bed was immense – and immensely comfortable – and the stunning “almost-closeenough-to-touch” view of the Pearl Tower from the comfort of the bed was amazing.

Indoor Swimming Pool

CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La

A huge, marble-clad bathroom featured his and hers sinks, a separate shower stall, separate glassed in water-closet with a bidet, and best of all, a deep soaker tub right beside the floor to ceiling window, affording incredible views of the skyscrapers surrounding you. I loved the cushy bath pillow, a tray to hold the soap and loofah (and my glass of wine) and the plasma TV in the wall at the foot of the tub. I have to admit I found more interest in staring at the grand glass and steel landscape beyond the window than looking at a TV screen. Very importantly, I found the towels and bathrobes luxuriously thick, thirsty and soft. There is NOTHING worse than crusty bathrobes. Cushy slippers and Occitane amenities finished off the perfection.

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Meeting the Ghosts of Legendary Venice With Walks of Italy “It is both a blessing and a curse to have an active imagination. I can read a book and have the characters come to life, quite realistically, inside my head where they will reside like flesh and blood people that I actually know, and either care for or despise.�

By Deborah Thompson

“Most of us do not possess the knowledge of history needed to properly appreciate what we are seeing. Too often, when walking through the physical remnants of a forgotten city or the ruins of a once vibrant community we simply cannot perceive the importance or meaning of what we are seeing. Therefore, the experience becomes, well, mundane. The answer? Enter Walks of Italy!�

Whether this is a blessing or a curse, of course, depends on the experience the character in the book is having at any given moment. If they are sitting down in a flower-filled forest about to indulge in a picnic it is, well, quite a blessing. If they are, however, drowning at the bottom of a lake it’s quite another matter! But what happens when we take our imaginations out of the realm of books to exploring the real world when we travel?

World famous St. Mark’s Square in Venice was bustling and vibrant on this sunny afternoon in early March as we scouted the historic piazza for our “Walks of Italy” guide. Our meeting place had been carefully described to us and we felt secure that we wouldn’t have any problem meeting him and the rest of our small group at the pre-arranged time. We were glad to not be waiting to join one of the humongous tours that were congregating in patchy groups here and there, so large that the tour guides were holding up large signs on big sticks so that participants could see them from the back of the group.

Sure enough, and exactly on time, two professional looking people appeared with name-tags and wide smiles. There were two separate groups heading out from this location. The guide assigned to our small group of ten people was named “Mose”, and introduced himself with a singsong Italian accent in a manner that made him immediately engaging. As he handed out the small Voice Audio Device with earplugs that would make it easy to hear Mose talk even when other noisy groups were around us, he described where he would be taking us.

The next three hours were sheer delight as Mose educated and amazed us with his ability to tell us in detail about the history of the “Chiesa D’Oro” – The “Church of Gold” where we began our tour (skipping the line, of course). From the stunning ground-gold mosaics that glisten even in the dim lighting of the church (which dates back to 12th century, although the buildings were originally begun as early as the 8th century) to the marble, brickwork and detailed statues everywhere you look, seeing the interior of this aweinspiring church is a must-do.

Having access to the immense balcony of the church is incredible; from here you can see the gorgeous Clock Tower that dates from the last decade of the 15th century. Built on the North side of the Piazza “it was placed where the clock would be visible from the waters of the lagoon and give notice to everyone of the wealth and glory of Venice”. As Mose instructed, we all waited and watched for an amazing sight that I would never have known about if not for him. On a terrace at the top of the tower we could see two great bronze figures, hinged at the waist.

Mose had timed our visit to coincide with something very special. On the hour, these figures “strike the hour”, utilizing a mechanism that originally dated back to 1497. One figure is old and the other young, to show the passing of time and, although it was said they represented shepherds (they are wearing sheepskins) or alternatively giants (because of their huge size) they are always known as “the Moors”. It was magical to watch these ancient figures move and strike the golden bell, knowing how many ears had been listening to them announce the passing of time for millenia.

The other awe-inspiring sight at this level of the Church are the beautiful Roman Horses. These immense sculptures are breathtaking, and it was interesting to hear about the history of these horses, which Mose recited with great enthusiasm.

Although the replicas of the original horses which adorn the exterior of the church are themselves incredible, the real horses are just inside, safely shielded from the elements and, of course, from theft!

It seems incredible to think that anything so immense could be stolen, but it is well known that these horses were extremely valuable and were plundered by many conquerors over the years; they were seen as symbols of strength and victory. I touched the leg of one of the horses and shivered, overcome with the reality that I had touched a sculpture that historians widely believe was created in the 2nd or 3rd Century AD, and was once displayed on the Hippodrome of Constantinople, pulling a chariot-racing carriage. Mose pointed out the immense collars on the horses, which were added in 1204 by the Venetians to conceal the fact that their heads had been severed in order to ship the statues from Constantinople to Venice.

Next we entered the Doges Palace, now a museum, where breathtaking paintings adorn walls and ceilings alike, with so much gold on the ceilings that it seemed impossible that it would not cave in. As we explored each level, Mose explained the purpose of each room and fleshed out the daily lives of the ruling elite of Venice. The “Sala del Collegio” was exquisite, and we took a few moments to sit with Mose as he directed our attention to the portraits of all of Venice’s doges, except one, who disgraced himself by attempting a coup d’etat. I could almost see the characters he described as he told stories rather than recited dull paragraphs from the history books.

The legendary Venice tour combines the top two sights of Venice, with a special access visit to St. Mark’s Basilica plus the Doge’s Palace and New Prisons.

Continued on page 96

In Conversation With Chef Beau MacMillan So what’s a “Celebrity Chef” really like?

I’ve done my fair share of interviewing some pretty fabulous Chefs in the last few years, but not one I could truly classify as a “celebrity”. I was very excited, then, to finally meet and speak with a Chef who is a pretty familiar face to foodies around the world.

As a winner of the 2006 Iron Chef America, Chef Beau Macmillan was catapulted headlong into every foodie-fanatic’s fantasy dreamland as he beat out Chef Bobby Flay on national television.

Since then he has been a frequent and very popular guest on The Food Network and a number of food-based cooking shows such as ‘Worst Cooks In America,’ ‘Best Things I Ever Ate,’ and ‘Guy’s Grocery Games” not to mention frequent guest spots on the “NBC Today Show”.

Whether he is comfortable or impressed with his achievements or not, I would say Chef MacMillan is a bona-fide Celebrity Chef.

When I shake his hand in greeting at the Jade Bar at the Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain, I am immediately disarmed and may I add charmed by his soft, South-Western accent, his easy laugh, eyes that actually sparkle with a candid joie-de-vivre, and his contagious smile.

Within five minutes I feel like I am chatting with an old friend that I haven’t seen in years. This is not a Chef who, every now and then, deigns to make an appearance to an adoring crowd and then disappears. No, “Chef Beau Mac” is, by his own account, a humble and sociable spirit, most happy when he can witness guests enjoying his creations and sharing his love of cooking with anyone who shares his passion.

NJS: Chef Beau how do you come by your fascination with Asian-inspired fusion cuisine? We noticed a significant emphasis on the Elements Menu with contemporary Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking methods, flavours and ingredients. How did you develop a menu fusing “Far East” cuisine, typically “delicate” and perfumed, with the more hearty, “in-your-face” flavours of Western Cuisine, cooked with heavy spices and intense grilling, BBQ and roasting techniques?

Chef Beau: When we first opened up the Sanctuary Resort and were developing the philosophy for Elements, I found the whole property itself very “zen-like”, very minimalist. So when we developed the concept for the restaurant, we decided that although we wanted it to be very “farm fresh” “American Fare” focused, we wanted to also feature the intricacies of the more subtle Asian flavours like lemon grass, ginger.

NJS: We are big fans of South-East Asia and of course, Asian food and we were really impressed last night when we dined at Elements. I always love to know how Chef’s get started, where they got their inspiration. Did your interest in cooking begin when you were just a kid?

Chef Beau: Yes, I had a close-knit family that was separated by location. I was raised in Massachusetts, but the heart of my family, my grandparents, aunts and uncles were in Montreal, Quebec.

NJS: So that’s where you get your passion for cooking! The Quebecois are so passionate about everything, and especially their cooking!

Chef Beau: 100 percent! It was the holidays that I looked forward to so much as a kid. Sitting down at this big dining table, passing and sharing these great plates of food. It was my grandmother who was a big inspiration for me. And then, at home, growing up in New England I had such an abundance of fresh food from both the ocean and the land. I started working in restaurants at a young age, where I found the experience just so “Wow! Cooking is so much fun”! I loved the fact that it was timing-based, memorybased and very focused, you know… I just developed this love of cooking.

NJS: Did you spend much time with your grandmother in the kitchen in Montreal?

Chef Beau: I did! Yes, she was always cooking and care taking.

She always made sure everyone was set and ready to go, whether it was the holidays or everyday. A week or so before the holidays she would start getting ready to bake, taking out her cookie tins to store the cookies.

NJS: I’m sure she made the very famous “Tourtieres”!

Chef Beau: Oh my gosh yeah! Now I make them ever Christmas Eve – that tradition has been passed down to my family. I love it. Ultimately I enjoy cooking for people I love, but I love cooking WITH my loved ones even more. I have a 12 year-old boy who is just starting to love getting his hands dirty in the kitchen. I also have a four year old and a two year old. The 12 year old now can actually pick up a knife and roll out some dough and have some fun creating. I mean, it’s one of life’s most sensory pleasures. I love maintaining the traditions.

NJS: Passing that knowledge and passion on to your kids is fabulous. You know except for one Chef I interviewed, all the rest, like you, have found their passion for cooking through their mothers or grandmothers. I just wonder how this is going to change in the future, Chef Beau. You know, it’s not that common anymore, to have the grandmothers or the mothers cooking in the kitchen with the children.

Chef Beau: Yeah, you’re right. It’s like “regionality” in cuisine. Now you can have any produce, any ingredient shipped ANYWHERE, you know? I think that as long as there is room for inspiration, it will be okay, but now as more and more people have the ability to eat out, they cook less at home, and that’s a bummer. Here at the hotel we have been recognizing this. So, with my crew, we’ve been working on things as part of a leadership group for the Sanctuary.

I mean, all the different units at the Sanctuary work cohesively together as a team, that’s true. But now we are trying to commit to find more time to have a “relationship” component worked into the work life so we’re getting together quarterly and it’s just a big family St. Jean Beach meal!

Elements Restaurant At The Sanctuary At Camelback Mt.

NJS:side Chef, I wanted ask you – you’re On the other of Eden Rock, atobeautiful small cove isquite a “Celebrity Chef” home tonow! the posh Beach Club.

HowNikki do you like it? There is no lack of water sports activities at St. Jean Beach, and there are a Chef Beau: (laughter) bit having of a “made-up” word in a sense, few excellent restaurants where That’s noshingaand a you know? meanwine I’veisbeen lucky to be recognized for some of chilled glass ofI Rose “de rigeur”. the things I have done. I’ve actually been with the Sanctuary here for seventeen years!

At Elements at the Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain, Chef Beau is proud of his seasonal menus that focus on fresh, local ingredients and champion sustainable seafoods, premium in-house smoked meats, vegetarian and gluten-free items.

There is even a raw-bar for shellfish and sashimi.

The Jade Bar

NJS: Amazing! I mean, a lot of Chefs move around a lot.

Chef Beau: Big time! But there are a couple of factors as to why I stay here, and it’s ultimately about the incredible “stage” that is the Sanctuary. For me there is something mesmerizing and magnetic about Camelback Mountain and Paradise Valley. I truly love it.

Also, the ownership is amazing. It’s family owned-and-operated, the owner is very hands-on, a team guy, treats his employees like he wants his guests treated. He really sets the bar high. I love the culture, the team, the freedom. As Executive Chef they give me not only a lot of support, but also a lot of freedom. Most people who are artists in a sense fail miserably because they are so constricted – they’re not allowed to have the ability to make mistakes and move on from them and grow. A lot of young chefs have come through my kitchens, been exposed to my culture and gone on to become successful – so there’s a pride thing!

Saline Beach Even though it’s a bit out of the way, Saline is probably one of the best-known beaches in St Barth. With a shallow ocean bottom, Saline provides some excellent swimming when the wind and surf are down. On windier days, however, the surf can get quite rough, and blowing sand can present some issues.

kurobuta pork chop

NJS: When you first started, what was the first tool of your trade

that was important to you.

Chef Beau: Gosh, good question. I think my first (and best) tool was actually something I was born with. My senses, memory skills, and good, natural ability for timing. As a young man I was cooking at a five star French Restaurant for a very talented French Chef who was incredibly impatient and very strong-willed. Back in those days I could cook forty pieces of meat – forty pieces of protein going all at once – with no tickets to refer to! In those days the “tickets” were all on the outside, so our work in the kitchen was all memory based. I could tell you what the temperature was for each of those forty pieces of meat. I’d have them all organized – thirteen filets, twenty veal racks, twenty lamb racks and I could tell you the temps for all of them. I think that was my biggest skill-set.

Continued on page 97

Island creek oysters

A Powerboat Adventure in the Exuma Cays It was a classically gorgeous Bahamas day; cloudless Redefining Ana blazing Icon: sun Thereflecting Gritti off Palace skies and the white, sandy ocean floor, giving the water that incredibly translucent, looking-glass quality that one can only find in the Bahamas.

Venice. One simply has to say the name aloud and anyone within earshot will suddenly have a faraway look in their eyes, and perhaps sigh softly. In their heads, unbidden, is a vision of a striped-shirt gondolier balancing upon his black lacquered water chariot, serenading a dreamy-eyed couple past softly crumbling, pastel palazzos. Perhaps he is singing. Perhaps the only sound is the haunting strains of Santa Lucia echoing from a terrazza, where soft laughter and the clinking of cutlery makes one want to sit in idle contemplation of the beauty of life for an hour, or maybe two. Of course one would be sampling a local dish of Bacala Mantacala (softened, dried cod simmered in a delicious blend of olive oil, garlic and parsley), or perhaps just indulging in Tiramisu and a Cappuccino. Whatever visions fill their heads, it is undoubtedly magical and romantic.

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By Deborah Thompson

Let’s begin with the simple knowledge that one is staying in a real Venetian palace that was originally built in the 1400’s by the noble Pisani family, and later became the residence of one of the most important and influential magistrates of Venice in the 1500’s, Doge Andrea Gritti.

From his lowly beginnings as a grain merchant to a stint as a spy in Istanbul, Gritti was caught sneaking vital, encoded information regarding movements of the Turkish Navy into his letters back home to Venice.

Narrowly escaping execution, Il Doge returned home somewhat of a hero and became a military commander and negotiator before being appointed as Il Doge. What secrets may have been whispered in this amazing palace by Il Doge!

If all this doesn’t impress you, how about the location? Superior to all the other luxury hotels in Venice – even the Danieli or the Cipriani – the setting of the Gritti Palace is simply superb.

Right at the mouth of the Grand Canal, guests on the gorgeous outdoor terrace, or with suites overlooking the canal, are treated to one of the most magical views of the Santa Maria della Salute each evening as the setting sun paints the creamy white church a deep golden hue.

The location is also notable due to its proximity to St. Mark’s Square merely a few minutes stroll

The Gritti Palace underwent a massive $50 million restoration in 2011, and I’m sure many loyal guests shuddered at the thought, envisioning a modern and “soulless” retrofit.

Thankfully, though, under the auspices of “The Luxury Collection”, the priceless bits and pieces that made the Gritti Palace a favourite haven for the rich and famous throughout the years were given very special care and attention to ensure the look and feel of this hotel remained authentic.

The million-dollar Pietro Longhi paintings, ornate Venetian wall sconces, etched glass mirrors and antique objects d’art were catalogued and then sent out to local Venetian craftsmen and artists until the palace was ready to place them back in the same location as before. Crystal chandeliers were taken apart piece by piece and cleaned by Murano’s most gifted artisans. Even the marble Terrazo floors were removed and an enormous waterproof basin constructed beneath the entire Palace to prevent annual floodwaters - rising sometimes as high as five feet - from permeating and damaging the ground floors.

With the palace now empty, a careful redesign was in store to allow for more spacious accommodations befitting a palace (and discerning guests). While most brands would increase the amount of rooms to increase revenue, it is quite impressive that the Gritti actually lowered the amount of rooms.

91 small rooms became 61 larger rooms and 21 breathtaking suites. The renovation resulted in a feeling of familiarity for guests who have made this palace a home-away-from-home for years, and a stunning experience for those of us who walk through those doors for the very first time.

Arrival at the Gritti Palace is a memorable event.

Rays of sunlight bounce off the gleaming mahogany of your personal motor launch, droplets of water sparkling in the spray. Although it’s a little cooler than you might like – March in Venice can be warm and sunny or cool and cloudy (like it is today), you can’t resist the temptation to slide off the cushy leather seats of your interior cabin to join your driver at the helm.

You are leaving the deep sapphire blues and marshy islets of the San Marco Basin behind and you don’t want to miss what is coming next! With a deft turn of the wheel, your driver turns into the Guidecca Canal, the water changing in hues to a palette of turquoise. He slows the engine so you can capture a few photos. The horizon of Venice that was only minutes ago a blurry mix of low-rise buildings and church steeples begins to take on the legendary form of “Il Cuarto Romantico de Venezia” – the Romantic Heart of Italy.

Moments later, the entrance to the Grand Canal itself appears, marked by the incredibly beautiful soaring dome of “Santa Maria della Salute”, a 17th Century Roman Catholic Church, and one of the largest churches in Venice. From your marine viewpoint you can truly marvel at the massive, creamy-white confection that is “The Salute” with ornate pillars and Greco-Roman sculptures adorning the wide, wrap-around stairway. In mere seconds, though, you will be turning your attention to the opposite side of the Grand Canal, where one of the most illustrious and iconic palaces in all of Italy, not to mention Venice, awaits your arrival. As is the case with many of Venice’s famous “Palazzos”, the exterior is deceptively unpretentious, although the beauty of the arched, Gothic windows, Juliette balconies and the broad, flower-trimmed arrival terrace certainly do hint of the sumptuous luxury you will find within.

You may feel a little overwhelmed as you are swept into the lavish interior; all at once the noisy, chaotic world you have been living in disappears. Immense profusion's of flowers spill from golden vases, deep pink roses vie with delicate orchids for your gaze.

View of Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute

The Gritti Palace Epicurean School

Club del Doge Restaurant

The Gritti Palace Lobby

Rich fabrics cascade from windows, adorning walls and furniture with exquisite damask, silk, velvet and brocade, muffling any harsh noises that may reverberate from the gleaming “Terrazzo Veneziano” marble floor. Wall sconces add a golden glow, enveloping guests in a sumptuous cocoon. Somehow you will find yourself sitting at the reception desk in a bit of a daze; you will find it impossible not to drink in your surroundings and feel, just a little bit, like nobility.

Our home for the next few days was one of the most incredible “Patron Suites” at The Gritti Palace, the Peggy Guggenheim Suite, named in honour of the famous Patron of the Arts. A vision of opulent 1930’s Art Deco furnishings, it features unique, antique-mirror valances adorning tall, narrow windows draped with rich Lorenzo Rubelli fabrics, framing rooms that are themselves a work-of art. Comprising a palette of deep platinum and clotted cream, splashes of colour and interest are provided by groups of modern-art paintings and geometrics, including a Miró etching in the living room. The Art Deco theme continues in the clean, straight lines of the sofa and armchairs, animal-print throws, a stunning mirrored cabinet cleverly concealing a stocked mini-bar, and a gorgeous antique Asian writing desk. Should you be able to tear your gaze from the view of the Grand Canal and the Maria Della Salute from your Juliette BySanta Deborah Thompson balcony, a large bookcase is filled with coffee table volumes on modern art.

The bedroom is a breath of serenity, dappled with reflections of light from the Grand Canal.

Tall windows frame a collection of vintage Fornasetti plates. A King bed is outrageously comfortable; the Art Deco theme continues with a leather headboard, two white-leather armchairs and foot stools, and an exquisite framed 1960's Hermès scarf above the bed.

As for the bathroom, the Peggy Guggenheim Suite offers one of the most spectacular bathrooms in the Palace. Sheathed wall-to-wall and top to bottom in stunning Italian “Cremo Tirreno” marble, the star of the room is the grand, deep-soaker bathtub, crowned by an Angelo Dhongia light fixture and superb Dornbracht fixtures. A separate rain-shower is massive with a seating area for those lovely, long hot showers one must indulge in every now and then. His and Hers sinks, a separate water-closet and high-end Aqua di Parma amenities put the finishing touches on this fabulous bathroom.

The Peggy Guggenheim Suite Living Room

The Peggy Guggenheim Suite Living Room

Bottom Bay, Barbados

The Peggy Guggenheim Suite Bedroom

The majestic Gritti Palace is where history and culture are met with renewed Venetian style. A place of exceptional art and elegance.

Visit newjetsetters.com for our video feature Continued on page 99

Laid-Back and Lovely, Hotel L’Esplanade French St. Martin

By Deborah Thompson

Amazing Amalfi : Five Fab Hotels Not To Miss!

For those few of you who haven’t heard of the

Le Sirenuse, Positano

Amalfi Coast, I can best describe it as a magical Italian paradise, perfect for that essential “getaway-from-it-all” escape you’ve been longing for.

Renowned for the picturesque stretch of mountainous coastline that winds along the southern end of the Bay of Naples, the scenic drive meanders through a steep and rocky peninsula that extends towards the beautiful Isle of Capri.

The southern side of the peninsula is dotted with picturesque villages and towns clinging giddily to cliffs. For decades, these fishing villages stacked precariously above the sea have been a major tourist attraction, with a staggering number of intimate Boutique and Luxury Hotels squeezed into the restricted, rocky precipices of the small towns and cliff-sides. New Jetsetters were fortunate to explore the coast by private car recently, and discovered some truly special places to stay. We highly recommend you see these places for yourself!

Positano is blessed with a number of wonderfully unique, luxury hotels, but for us, Le Sirenuse is definitely the most fascinating.

Formerly the summer home of the Neapolitan Sersale family, it became a hotel shortly after the end of the Second World War. Over the years it has grown in both size and prestige, expanding to include a number of public and private terraces, a gorgeous pool and a gourmet restaurant. Rooms are beautifully decorated with cool white-washed walls, antique furniture and hand-made Vietri tiles, and many of them offer terraces with fabulous views over the bay of Positano. If you choose not to stay at Le Sirenuse, you must at least visit for dinner. La Sponda restaurant serves delicious Neapolitan cuisine prepared with local ingredients. At dinner, the sight and sounds of local musicians strolling amongst the glimmer of four hundred candles creates an unforgettable atmosphere.

Monastero Santa Rosa, Conca dei Marini

Monastero Santa Rosa is only about 25 minutes from Positano, but it seems a world away. It’s hard to imagine that the generous grounds, filled with four levels of gardens, lush landscaping, plentiful lounge chairs and canopied daybeds serve just 20 privileged rooms and suites. The property, which started life as a renovated 17th-century monastery, is lavishly replete with top-quality furnishings and set in gloriously scented tiered gardens. Perched dramatically on the edge of a sheer cliff high above the sapphire-blue Bay of Salerno and the quaint fishing village of Conca dei Marini, this is a hotel for the hopelessly romantic. Our favourite feature has to be the heated infinity pool that seems to melt into the azure Amalfi sky, offering an exquisitely unobstructed panorama stretching from Ravello to Positano. Restaurant IL Refettorio offers both formal and alfresco dining and serves the flavours of Campania, proudly served with ingredients from the hotel’s gardens.

Bellevue Syrene, Sorrento

The Bellevue Syrene, with it’s magnificent cliff top position overlooking the Gulf of Naples, opened it’s doors to guests in 1820. Since then it has been welcoming many of the world’s elite citizens, such as Lugwig II of Bavaria and Victor Emmanuel III (and possibly even you). The stunning location, elegant decor and a palpable sense of history make this an extraordinary place to stay. The hotel offers complimentary snacks and drinks in the Club Lounge and elevator access to their very own private beach. Dining options include La Pergola restaurant, perfect for hot summer days, and a winter restaurant “Gli Archi”. A sublime spa with hammam also features a private deck by the sea. For an experience that you will always remember, stay in one of the 8 amazing suites (the Grand Tour Suite – Wow!).

The Amalfi Coast consists of 13 towns spreading across a strip of land kissed by the sun and declared by UNESCO "World Heritage Site":

Villa Cimbrone, Ravello

Il San Pietro di Positano

Talk about a romantic, jaw dropping setting! Villa Cimbrone sits high atop a promontory that offers stunning views of the Mediterranean and the dramatic coastline below, making it the crown jewel of Ravello. The property dates back to the 11th century, but the villa and the gardens were extensively renovated by a British Nobleman, Lord Grimthorpe, in the early 20th century. If your budget permits, check into the romantic Iris (Greta Garbo) Suite or the enticing Camelia Suite complete with a stunning verandah terrace and, of course, a breathtaking view of the Amalfi coast. The old wine cellars with their stone vaults have been carefully restored and contain a valuable collection of wines comprised of hundreds of local, regional, national and international labels. Restaurant ”Il Flauto di Pan” received it’s 1st Michelin Star in 2015.

Carved into the hillside on the southern end, above the Bay of Positano, Il San Pietro di Positano is stunningly beautiful. The rooms and suites are tucked into cliff ledges and boast tiled floors, bright curtains and breathtaking views of the azure Mediterranean through huge picture windows. Numerous terraces offer a prime place to relax and are shaded by straw canopies. You must take the elevator down to the private beach to enjoy a complimentary ride around the bay on the hotel’s launch. Dining at Zass, their Michelin starred restaurant, is outstanding but you must not miss the terrace at Carlino, located on their private beach (a superb spot for people watching!) By the way – Il San Pietro is the only hotel in Positano with direct access to the sea.

New Jetsetters GLOSS 59 Grand Case, St. Martin

Living History At The Fairmont Peace Hotel How could we resist? On a recent visit to Shanghai we were invited to enjoy dinner at the fabulous Cathay Room and take a tour of the iconic “Peace Hotel”. Located front and centre on Shanghai’s main tourist attraction, the 1500 metre long “Bund” river walk, the Peace Hotel has always had an intimate relationship with Shanghai, its presence woven into the very fabric and evolution of Shanghai itself. In recent years, though, the property had fallen on tough times. With the involvement of new owners, the “Fairmont Hotel Group” and the subsequent investment of millions of dollars, it has now risen back up to its former glory and status in this vibrant city, Escorted by hotel management, we began our story in the magnificently restored main lobby. Oh, the stories these walls could tell! The hotel actually began life as “The Cathay Hotel” in 1929; at 12 stories high it was the first high rise in the city and therefore the tallest building! Looking at the towering skyline of Shanghai now, it is almost impossible to imagine. The owner, Victor Sassoon, a wealthy maverick, occupied most of the third floor; an international radio station resided in a portion of the first floor. It was a far different time in Shanghai.

The Fairmont Peace Hotel On The Bund

The hotel was widely known as the luxurious "Number One Mansion in the Far East " due to its prime location along the Bund, and for its grandeur, including the distinctive coppersheathed roof that rises 77 meters above ground, white Italian marble floors, and priceless Lalique glass artwork.

The Jasmine Lounge

In those days the Cathay was the place to go in Shanghai for Jazz music. “The Horse and the Hound” became so popular for its music that it later became know as simply the “Jazz Bar”. Noel Coward completed his famous play “Private Lives” while visiting the hotel shortly after it’s opening.

Playwright George Bernard Shaw was a guest in 1933, and in 1936 Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard visited while promoting their film ” Modern Times”. The Cathay Hotel thrived as a glamorous, international drawing card to Shanghai throughout the 30’s and 40’s…..then war broke out.

After the war, with the founding of the People’s Republic of China in the late 40’s, the building was converted in to an office building. The once grand hotel ballroom became a Saturday night Dance Hall. Eventually, though, even the dance hall disappeared and it remained a lonely government office building. The glamour days seemed lost in the distant past. Then, in 1956 it was reborn and re-christened as “The Peace Hotel”, one of only two hotels permitted to receive foreign envoys. As China began to gradually open its doors, more and more “foreign” visitors came to Shanghai, eventually finding their way to the Peace Hotel.

Unfortunately, while it had maintained it’s historical appeal, its was starting to show signs of wear and tear. Finally it closed it’s doors in 2007.

A Presidential Suite occupies the 10th-floor penthouse where the hotel’s flamboyant creator and former owner, Victor Sassoon, once lived.

New Jetsetters GLOSS 61

The legacy, however, had to live on! New owners, the Jinjiang International Group, set about working with Fairmont Hotels, local historians and art deco specialists to restore and re-imagine the property; after three years of reconstruction and a worldwide quest for artifacts and memorabilia, the property reopened as the Fairmont Peace Hotel. Now the hotel offers a combination of rooms, suites and Nine “Nation Suites” representing countries from all around the world including England, China, America, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, India and Germany. Each opulent suite is meticulously decorated with features wholly representing the individual country.

We stayed awhile at the beautiful Jazz Bar, listening to a toe-tapping set featuring six of the original band members, the oldest of whom is now 95 and the youngest 79, marvelling at the fact that they are all still playing today. We were then taken for a peak inside a few of their modern luxury suites, impressed with the spaciousness and elegant appeal and design. We were taken for a look at the main ballroom as they prepared it for a spectacular private wedding and all I have to say is “Bravo!”. Somehow the Fairmont Peace Hotel has found a new, unique and precious identity, an ability to transport guests back to the glamour of 1920’s and 30’s Shanghai, all the while pampering you with all the luxuries and services a modern, state of the art resort should.

We think congratulations are in order!

As we sat enjoying some first class dining from our intimate table in the Cathay Room overlooking the Bund, we both reflected on what it must have been like to sit and dine there 90 years ago. The Huangpu River that we could see glistening beyond the Bund would not be so brightly lit by tourist boats plying the waters; the glistening lights of Pudong that so define the Shanghai we know today would not be reflecting off the waves. But there was another type of glitz and glamour that made this city shine even back then. We thought of the despair of the war years and the changes the Peace Hotel has witnessed as both Shanghai and China itself have transformed themselves over the years. If you’re heading to Shanghai and want to experience a little “living history”, perhaps dinner and a little jazz at the Fairmont Peace Hotel is the place for you.

In 1992, Peace Hotel was listed as one of the famous hotels of the world by the World Hotel Association. It remains the only hotel in China to have received this recognition.

A WORLD OF SOPHISTICATED BEAUTY

ARMANI Hotel Dubai

Armanihotels.com dubai@armanihotels.com

Wi-Fi For Travellers in 2016

Travel Experiences “Aston Martin” Style!

Travelers’ use of Wi-Fi, and the number of connected devices they bring on trips, has never been higher. On top of this, more consumers than ever before have come to expect free Wi-Fi, thanks to the precedent set by companies like McDonald’s and Starbucks, which offer free access. Yet even as expectations and demand for Wi-Fi is peaking, travel suppliers are struggling to keep up. A complicated range of factors, ranging from infrastructure challenges to internal company debates about how to provide Wi-Fi with minimal impact on the bottom line, are causing customer dissatisfaction and indecision among travel business owners.

It had to happen. Aston Martin has branched out into the luxury

Withmarket so many truly unique luxury properties and travel with a collection of curated experiences they call the of Living”. so“Art many wonderful islands to explore in the

They say there’s a phone app for every occasion and while Instagram has become a clear travel favourite you must check these ones out!

Caribbean howofferings do youstart decide right Aston Martin’s new with awhich specialone “Le is Mans for you. Well can’t tellflown but to weand can show you Experience” which we includes being from the event via helicopter to beat the crowds, five you shouldn't miss.direct access to Aston Martin’s race team, and relaxing at Château de Reignaca when not occupying your prestigious front-row seats. You’ll have the opportunity sample world-class gastronomy and regional

By StevetoThompson wines from the moment you arrive, and spend quality time with Aston Martin hosts as a guest of the glamorous “24 Hours of

By Steve Thompson Le Mans” party and celebrate the heritage of this world-class endurance race in style.

If that’s not enough for you and you happen to have a thing for polo, how about getting into the heart of the action at the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup at Cowdray Park. Viscount Cowdray’s 16,500-acre Estate in the South Downs National Park of West Sussex has been the home of British Polo for more than 100 years. Your first day will include a pre-match talk hosted by an esteemed Polo professional who will share expertise on the game and outline interesting details to look out for as the Gold Cup unfolds. You’ll take in the unique atmosphere from the reserved Grandstand seating area, take in afternoon tea with plenty of opportunities to talk to experts in the field and of course the Heritage Aston Martin experience where you’ll get close to gorgeous cars and gather fascinating nuggets of expertise.

VIP Black. Touted as the “Millionaire’s App”, this exclusive app requires members to verify that they are High Net Worth Individuals with assets or income over £1 million. Once that is established, members will have VIP treatment across a broad range of activities. Users can book private yachts, jets, islands and more through the application, get priority access to unique events and experiences, as well as on-demand concierge service amongst others.

If your preference is to actually get behind the wheel, Aston Martins first ” On Ice” experience in the western hemisphere, could be your cup of tea. Its a unique opportunity to drive a range of Aston Martin models at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground, including the new DB11 – the latest in the illustrious DB bloodline. Hone your driving skills on this purposebuilt ice driving facility under the expert guidance of Aston Martin’s professional instructors. You’ll have the chance to make the most of three nights at the beautifully appointed Millbrook Resort in the rural idyll of Queenstown, where you’ll be welcomed with a drinks reception, one full day of snow and ice driving, a day for optional lifestyle activities, and a gastronomic awards dinner.

If you’re interested, pricing starts at £6,400 per person, based on two sharing for the Le Mans event and NZ$8,995 for the on ice experience in New Zealand. Perhaps it’s time to “Q” the theme music and dig out your tux and bow-tie.

Want to charter a boat for just a day?

GetMyBoat is the app for you. Search for more than 30,000 boats in over 135 countries.

Reservations can be made directly on the app.

Boat owners can also list their boat for others to get a chance to enjoy the beauty of their yacht.

The Four Seasons Lanai Is Reborn The wait is almost over! The luxurious Four Seasons Lanai is gearing up to take reservations after a multi-million dollar transformation, and it sounds like it will be well worth the wait.

Located less than 10 miles from Maui and easily accessible by ferry, catamaran or a short, scenic flight, Lanai is the home to an exclusive, one of a kind, Four Seasons property that offers guests a sophisticated, yet relaxed Hawaiian experience the way it was intended to be.

The comprehensive renovations include 217 redesigned guest rooms including 51 suites; newly refurbished lobbies and seating areas, and some additional dining experiences that will include the award-winning Nobu Lanai, One Forty, American Steak, and Hawaiian Seafood. A renovated Spa, luxury retail boutiques featuring Missoni, Jimmy Choo and the Lanai Collection, a newly outfitted Pro Shop at the 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Manele Golf Course, and the addition of a luxury transfer fleet finish off the exciting new offerings that will appeal to both past guests and newcomers alike.

No compromises have been made on this 90,000-acre paradise. Guest can commune with nature while exploring the verdant botanical gardens and waterways that reveal both intimate enclaves as well as spectacular vistas of the Pacific Ocean. At night, tree-tops and slate paths lit by the glow of tiki torches lead the way to entirely new rooms that reveal special qualities even before entering. You can even immerse yourself in Hawaiian culture through activities with the Resort’s kupuna (elders).

All the expected high-tech features are available. Fully integrated and intuitive lighting, temperature, service and privacy controls offer a highly responsive in-room technology experience that presents a 75-inch, platinum bezel LED television panel for unparalleled in-room entertainment along with wearable key wristbands to allow maximum flexibility during activities on island. BluRay players and in-room iPad Airs are perfect for the odd rainy-days, and a mobile app connects guests to a variety of information and services.

Air Canada Flies High with Chef Hawksworth!

New Jetsetters recently enjoyed a great night out in Vancouver with Air Canada as they introduced their new routes to Dublin, Ireland and Brisbane, Australia, highlighted by the delicious creations of Canada’s own celebrated “Cuisiner” himself, Executive Chef David Hawksworth. Of course, Chef himself made a cameo appearance!

Chef Hawksworth, who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants around the world and is proprietor of award-winning Hawksworth Restaurant in Vancouver, has been serving his ambrosial Canadian cuisine on departing Air Canada flights in International Business Class, and at the airline’s Maple Leaf Lounges across the country since last October, much to the delight of Air Canada’s globetrotting gastronomes.

“International Business Class customers on flights departing from Canada, and Maple Leaf Lounge customers, are in for a special experience.”

As we sampled the delicious culinary creations making the rounds at Vancouver’s beautiful “The Permanent” venue this past week, we learned that preparing meals like “Sablefish and Barbecue Chicken with Roasted Corn and Grilled Scallions” on a large scale is no small challenge! Chef Hawksworth, working with Air Canada’s catering team, has to create more than 1,400 meals a day supplied by five commissary kitchens across Canada.

But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding or, in this case, the Tamari Roasted Sablefish, and we think all the fanatical, frequent-flyer foodies will be giving the cuisine two enthusiastic “forks up”.

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By Deborah Thompson

Judgement Day.

The Lobby of The Hotel Bel-Air

I know it’s not something we normally wish to think about – but indulge me for just one moment. Imagine, ever so briefly, that you are (not to put too fine a point on it) “dead”.

For one reason or another, you have drawn your last breath on earth. Stay with me here.

Imagine, that by some miraculous feat, you have lived a sufficiently altruistic life to gain access to that utopian wonderland that many refer to as “heaven”.

Those massive, pearly gates guarding paradise lie just beyond. The glowing doors swing slowly open and allow you to pass through. Yeah! You did it! All those years of perfect behaviour paid off!

A smiling bellman greets you as you step out of your Executive Sedan. The fabulous luggage containing all the wonderful items you simply couldn’t leave behind and have chosen to bring along with you to paradise are suddenly gone.

Pouff! Disappeared. Magic.

Swan Lake

Beautiful Outdoor Fireplace

Another staff waits to greet you, escorting you over a postcard perfect wooden bridge that crosses a babbling brook. Birds sing above you, their melody carrying on a light, warm breeze.

Bright blossoms from bougainvillea scatter on the wind, living confetti. You catch sight of long-necked swans gliding across the silvery mirror of a small lake. Ahead a beautiful building appears with floor to ceiling windows. A gigantic tree seems to welcome you, branches drooping heavy with luscious fruit. Inside, a cool, refreshing drink is proffered.

Wait…. Just a moment! You’re not really dead!

You’ve had a little nap and arrived at this wonderful hotel you’d read about. A place called Hotel Bel- Air in California. Fancy that. You’ve been able to skip the part of dying to get to paradise. You can stay here while you are still alive! Who knew?

SO WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT IT:

The Indoor Bar and Lounge

As mentioned in my Introduction, staying at the Hotel Bel-air in California is like being able to have access to heaven without actually having to die to get in. The staff at Dorchester properties are simply the best in the hospitality business; trained to excel at the art of welcoming their guests and keeping them happy throughout a stay. Hotel Bel- Air, much like the Beverly Hills Hotel, it’s sister property, are especially skilled at this due to the amount of Hollywood “Royalty” that are a mainstay of their customer base, a no-doubt demanding group who expect better than the best of their hotel experience at all times.

Marilyn Monroe lived at the hotel in her own suite when she was married to Joe DiMaggio.

With the “superior guest service” expectation checked off our list right away, the sheer beauty of this property is one other big reason this is a great hotel. No matter where you look, beauty is everywhere. Gorgeously landscaped with trees and flowers, this 12-acre property cascades down the hillside of the Bel-Air district of California. While the majority of the public spaces are conveniently spread across one level (it’s nice to not have to go up and down stairs when having dinner or drinks at the bar or visiting the lobby), many of the new suites, aptly named “Canyon Suites”, are accessed by a discreet elevator built into the side of the hill. Emerging from the elevator, suites are arranged with privacy in mind yet without impeding the stunning views surrounding you. The suites are gorgeously designed and include only the best in linens, amenities and technology. Heated, self-cleaning and touch-less toilets, anyone?

Now that’s luxury!

UNIQUE & OVER THE TOP SERVICE: Choose to arrive by the Dorchester BelAir/Beverly Hills Hotel car service and you will be lovingly deposited at the feet of the bellman in no time. Doors will be opened before you even have time to reach for the handle yourself

and you will be greeted by name even as your luggage is being whisked away. After a friendly check-in experience we were accompanied to our room and treated to a brief orientation of the breathtaking property along the way. We were lucky to be upgraded to a Canyon Suite with a gorgeous view over the canyon below, a huge terrace with not only an elegant gas fireplace, but also an enormous sunken whirlpool hot tub.

A room orientation ensued with instructions as to how to use all the bells and whistles, although they forgot to let me know about the heated toilet seat, which almost gave me a heart attack when I sat down the first time. Our welcome amenity was absolutely beautiful and we appreciated the thoughtful information package on the table, which included confirmation of the dinner reservations the Concierge had made for us.

UNIQUE ROOM: I absolutely loved the Canyon Suite that we called home for three days. Floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows allowed the outdoor terrace to feel like part of our bedroom; at night we could watch the orange-blue flames of the fireplace dance in the dark. I loved the expansive closet space with lots of room for not only hanging but also for folding my clothes away. I really loved the large bedroom with ample windows to let in

the glorious California spring sunshine, and a spacious, marble-clad bathroom with large soaker tub and separate water closet, which I always appreciate. As with the Beverly Hills Hotel, the latest in technology is in every room; a large 42” Bang and Olufsen TV was located on a rotating base dividing the bedroom and the living room so you could watch it either laying in bed or from the sofa. We never watch TV when we are on vacation so we cannot comment on the channels or available programs.

The bathroom was once again stacked with thick, thirsty (soft!) towels, bathrobes, quality amenities, double sinks, large soaker tub and of course, that separate water closet with the bionic toilet.

Canyon Suite Interior

NOTEWORTHY DINING AND BAR: “The Bar” at the Hotel Bel-Air is small, intimate and simply not-to-be-missed. A tiny patio out the front, thoughtfully equipped with heaters for those chilly California nights, is just large enough for a few couples to relax upon, clinking champagne-glasses in a toast to a beautiful experience. Despite being outside on the patio, the service was excellent. The delicious food served at The Bar make it a fabulous place to have an informal bite to eat on those nights you simply don’t feel like doing the whole “dinner thing”. Inside, the interior has a warm, convivial that is hard to adequately describe.

Byatmosphere Deborah Thompson A gorgeous piano graces one corner, and talented musicians stop by to entertain guests on certain nights of the week. The stunning interior of the bar is dominated by enormous wall-to-wall photography by iconic photographer Norman Seeff. Originally from South African, this former physician found his true passion in the United States using his unique skills as a communicator and creative visionary to capture the hearts and souls of artists with the lens of his camera. Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones, Miles Davis, Ike and Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Martin Scorsese, John Huston and Alicia Keyes are just a handful of subjects whose energy and passion grace the walls. The Bar at the Hotel Bel-Air is defined by the creativity and character of Seef’s photography, and the gallery should not be missed while you are at the hotel.

Charmingly located in the very heart of the hotel, Wolfgang Puck Restaurant has thoughtfully designed booths at the back for those who like to indulge away from curious eyes, and open-air

Canyon Suite Patio

Bottom Bay, Barbados

Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air

Tea Time At Hotel Bel- Air

tables for those who like to see-and-be-seen. This is a sprawling indoor/outdoor venue designed to indulge the whims of any guest.

Those who love fresh air and balmy breezes can sit on the indoor/outdoor patio surrounded by the beautifully landscaped courtyard (that would be us!). For those who desire a little more formality and privacy, the indoor area is very special in it’s own way. A large marble-clad fireplace flanked by wine cellars adds visual interest and warmth to the restaurant space, making it especially intimate and romantic at night. There is also a private dining room, well suited for a large group, located behind the fireplace, leaving it secluded yet not claustrophobic.

The design allows the energy of the main restaurant and courtyard to flow through, enhancing the private dining experience. Multiple glass wine cellars host a mouth-watering display of over 2400 bottles, the largest display serves as a stunning focal point.

We were lucky enough to indulge in four amazing meals at this restaurant; two breakfasts (incredible Eggs Benedict), a lovely lunch and a divine dinner, where we were seated in an intimate booth at the back and catered to by some of the best wait staff we’ve come across. We loved the “celebrity” touch that we were given, and will remember this dinner with great fondness, not only because the food and service was excellent, but also because of the romantic ambiance and warm atmosphere. Well done, Hotel Bel-Air! AMAZING ACTIVITIES: I would have to call simply strolling around the property one of the Hotel Bel-Air’s “Amazing Activities”. Much thought and planning went into the original landscape design back in 1946 when Joseph Drown, an entrepreneur from Texas purchased 18 acres in Bel-Air and set about to transform it into an “elegant, pastoral hotel”. 4,000 (wow!) Palm Trees, Fruit Trees, Ficus Trees and perennial plants were brought in to provide a rich and varied landscape of bright blossoms, stunning colour and a majestic presence throughout the year. Swan Lake was carved into the front lawn to provide the tranquil ambiance that would be so cherished by the rich and famous who would come to stay at this exclusive property. Almost 70 years later, the vision of Joseph Drown has been respected, celebrated and even augmented by thoughtful and carefully planned refurbishments of the property.

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as The West Co

sets t – Sexy Sun

When it comes to the infamous Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard, to say “its reputation precedes it” is an understatement, even by Hollywood standards.

Converted from an apartment building into a hotel in the 1930’s by architect Arnold A. Weitzman, it was modelled after the Chateau D’Amboise in the Loire Valley. Wait! A French Chateau in West Hollywood? How could the entertainment industry resist? Well, it couldn’t, and the “Chateau” quickly became the place to “see and be seen” (or if you preferred “not be seen”) in Hollywood.

Yes, believe it or not, its history of bad behaviour can be traced all the way back to Hollywood’s Motion Picture Code of the 30’s. The code specified not only what could not be shown on screen, but also its expectations of a star’s behaviour off camera. Their best advice apparently still holds true today: “If you must get into trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont“, (interpret this as “where discretion is the better part of valour and breaking the hotel’s Code of Silence will get you banned”).

Somewhere Inside the Chateau Marmont

That being said, the tales from the Chateau have still become legendary. In 1955 James Dean supposedly jumped through a window to audition for Rebel without a Cause. Back in the 60’s, members of Led Zeppelin rode their motorcycles through the lobby one night. Jim Morrison of the Doors stayed there, and injured himself when he fell after hanging from a drain pipe. I think drugs may have been involved. Then of course, there is the commonly-denied (and non-denied) story that Benicio Del Toro and Scarlett Johansson “hooked up” in the elevator the night before the 2004 Oscars.

All good fun I guess, but what of the actual hotel?

Well, in addition to being steeped in Hollywood notoriety, it actually has very good service, a tranquil ambiance, and is a great place to get away from the noise and crowds of Los Angeles.

After spending time at CBS Studios recently while we were in L.A. for Oscar week, we decided to head over to the Chateau for a late lunch and a couple of drinks. The Marmont, actually called the Chateau Marmont Hotel and Bungalows, is nothing if not unique and you feel it from the moment your vehicle arrives at the side entrance and you make your way up the drive and down the ornate hallway.

Moments later you are in the old (read small) elevator up to the lobby.

We caught the late afternoon sun and enjoyed a relaxed luncheon on the patio amongst A-listers, celebrities, models and others.

No names mentioned, remember? The Code of Silence. Then we moved into the sumptuous lounge area for a brandy and sticky toffee pudding. Yes, celebrities eat sticky toffee pudding, who knew? As they say in the industry, it was “to die for”. It was easy to just sink into the plush chairs, savour the ambiance and be seduced by the retro glamour. Judy Garland sang by the grand piano in the lobby……ok, I digress.

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Making Cruising Great Again Viking Ocean Cruises

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Just about every avid traveler has heard of “Viking River” Cruise Line; television commercials show the long, sleek riverboats floating serenely down some of Europe’s most picturesque cities and towns, and elegant passengers strolling along flower-filled streets on small, escorted tours…

By Deborah Thompson

Viking guests are a loyal, enthusiastic group enamoured with Viking’s appealing itineraries, excellent food and beverages, friendly service, and of course, the fact that there are “more included extra’s” than any other cruise line. . . think free top up of your bar fridge every day, free house-wine, beer and soft drinks and nocharge for many of the excursions. In fact, Viking guests as a whole feel they receive excellent value for their dollar – a rather uncommon trait these days, and something every traveler appreciates. Having taken note of Viking River Cruises excellent reputation in the past, we’d often tossed about the possibility of taking a European River Cruise with them one day.

Thus, we sat up and took notice when we read Viking’s announcement of a brand new Ocean Liner called “The Viking Star” and it’s exciting European itinerary. Their major appeal to us was the small number of guests on board. We know from experience that this translates into more personal and intimate service from staff, a key ingredient that turns a merely pleasant vacation into a luxuriously relaxing experience.

Viking’s intimate, all-veranda ships offer a wide variety of staterooms from Veranda Staterooms to the abundance of extra perks and amenities in their Explorer Suites.

Why We Said We’d Never Cruise Again Before I go any further, let’s begin by stating that we have often (very often) been heard saying: “We are not Cruise People” when asked. This is not said in ignorance, having three ocean cruises under our belts. After the last one, 10 days on a ship with a population bigger than some cities, both of us agreed that we’d given it a good try, but really didn’t want to ever do it again.

Why, you may ask? How about the feeling that you are actually stuck in the downtown core of a busy city, living in a tiny apartment, surrounded by thousands of people. There is really no way of avoiding them for a week (or more). How about the frustration of standing in a long line to beg for a table for two for dinner, before you’ve even had a chance to settle into your cabin upon arrival. Or how about having to pay extra money to go to the “specialty” restaurants because you feel the choice and the quality of the food at the “included” restaurants (think buffets) is, at best, mediocre? And, how about the short length of time you are able to stay in each destination?

On a ship with 3,000 people (or more) aboard, shore leave times are fairly short in order to get everyone back on board and ready to set sail for the next destination.

Wait, I’m not finished. How about having to pay through the nose for the privilege of having even

Viking Star christening In Bergan Norway

Viking Star at port in Venice, Italy

Travelers loved the Viking Star so much that, just one year after launch, they gave Viking top honours in our World’s Best Awards, in the large-ship ocean cruise lines category.

a small balcony (important for those of us who tend to be claustrophobic with only a window (sometimes even no window!) for fresh air.

We Decided to Try Again – With Viking Ocean Cruises The first thing that really impresses is that each and every cabin on the Viking Star has a veranda. How fabulous is that! No guest ever has to leave their cabin and make their way above-deck to take in a deep breath of salty air and look out over the great blue sea. With only 980 Cabins (9 decks), there also isn’t a confusing choice of cabins – choosing one is really quite simple! The lowest-category of room is the Veranda, at 270 sq. feet; next is the Deluxe Veranda, and then the Penthouse Veranda at 338 sq. feet. Next, the Penthouse Junior Suite comes in at a lovely 405 sq. feet – plenty of luxurious room to move around!

Best of all, though, if you really want a New Jetsetter’s “Splurgeworthy” experience you must book an Explorer’s Suite. Ranging between 757 to 1,163 sq. ft. they feature a living room, a bedroom with a walk-in closet, an immense bathroom with a soaker tub, and perhaps best of all, a decadently large wraparound deck so you can enjoy the full view of where you are going as you arrive in port, or where you have just been when you depart.

Besides getting a little more room with each rise in Category, there are other perks that also apply. For instance, guests in the basic Veranda Room category are the last to board the ship, at 3:00 PM, while those in the Explorer’s Suite may board at 11:00 AM. Also, the category of room also decides how many guaranteed reservations you may have in specialty restaurants, and how early you can book them, with priority being given to the highest category suites. The same applies to booking shore excursions and spa treatments.

The other appeal to the Viking Star is, with a capacity for only 930 passengers, the ship has a decidedly more intimate, neighbourhood feel.

And, we have to say this (and we apologize to anyone who may take offence) we love the fact that children under the age of 16 are restricted.

Also excellent is the free-WiFi, available at all times (although we must admit the speed was greatly decreased when we were at sea and more people were using their mobile devices).

Viking Star at port in Kotor, Montenegro

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Viking Star Atrium

We also love the quality of destinations and tours provided, and the fact that we had some quality tours to choose from (a surplus charge but worth it!).

Very appealing to us was the fact that we stayed in ports longer than most cruise ships, allowing us to explore more and, in some cases, stay in town for drinks or dinner. There is also the occasional over-night port. The character and ambiance of cities and towns (such as Dubrovnic, Croatia) can change dramatically from day to night; it is wonderful to be able to see these magical places from both perspectives.

The Atrium

Viking Star Explorers Lounge

Viking Star Nordic Spa

For a ship that is one-third of the size of most other leviathan ships these days, the Viking Star can certainly hold her own in grandeur and elegance.

The soaring atrium/salon is a beautiful lesson in Norwegian minimalism that is defined as “beautiful, simple, clean designs, inspired by nature and the northern climate, accessible and available to all, with an emphasis on enjoying the domestic environment”. It is not so minimalist, however, as to feel sterile or cold.

For the observant, one can see how it is an ode to the masters of the sea from whom they take their name, the Vikings. Wood finishes, ribs on the ceiling, macrame window screens to emulate rigging on a ship. The central staircase features a beautiful video wall which cycles through stunning photographs of Scandinavian scenery and their love of nature on display with a garden of dried lichen, moss, bark and pebbles.

The Explorer Lounge

Viking Star Infinity Pool

One of our favorite rituals on the Viking Star was spending time before dinner in the Explorer’s Lounge. High on the prow of the ship, we would claim two comfortable armchairs and sip on beautifully prepared martini’s from the Explorer’s Bar and watch the ocean unfold before us.

Viking celebrates its seafaring heritage once again with a stunning entrance to the Lounge.

A walnut-veneered tunnel twinkles with inset lighting to represent constellations in a starry sky. Ahead is the rather breathtaking grand double staircase of glass, linking the vast upper and lower levels - upstairs the astronomy theme continues in a cozy space styled as a study with nautical maps, models, and books.

The Nordic Spa There are two especially noteworthy areas on the Viking Star that really must be experienced.

One is the Nordic Spa and the other is the Infinity Pool. The Nordic Spa features an aesthetic double-whammy – a stunning, blue-lit “Snow Grotto” where guests can truly chill out amongst snowflakes at sea, and a long, low fireplace that provides a warm, flickering wall of light. The relaxing thalassotherapy pool (always one of my favorite places to spend a day at sea), is beautiful to float in, especially with the gentle rolling of the ship on open ocean. There is also a steam room, a hot tub, sauna, and heated ceramic lounge chairs to help you get over the shock of dousing yourself in the ice-cold plunge pool.

Viking Star Wintergarden and Main Pool

The Infinity Pool on the Aquavit Terrace The second is, of course, Viking Star’s Magnus Opus; the cantilevered, glass-walled infinity pool, balancing exquisitely at the stern, with an adjoining hot-tub for those chillier temperatures.

Especially pretty at night, the pool is lit up and the Aquavit Terrace surrounding it becomes an informal but beautiful dining terrace under the stars. In a stroke of genius, Viking has done away with the tired cruise-ship Casino and instead has designed wonderful retreats for relaxing, reading a book or simply staring in a most pleasant hypnotic trance at the passing scenery.

The Wintergarden and Main Pool with Retractable Roof Our favorite zen area was the grand pool (with retractable roof in good weather) on Deck 7, bordered at the front by the Pool Bar on one side and the Pool Grill on the other, with the elegantly beautiful Wintergarden tucked at the rear. Along each side of the pool is what they call a “Lanai”, wide corridors with comfortable lounge chairs facing the floor to ceiling windows. I guarantee that you will ultimately fall asleep there, rocked gently by the hand of the ocean. At night, a fabulous surprise, a large retractable screen pulls down, turning the pool area into an airy theater for watching some classic movies.

Popcorn please!

Viking Star Penthouse Veranda Suite

Viking Star Explorer Suite

Viking Star Explorer Suite Bathroom

The Penthouse Veranda Suite: It is astonishing how comfortable and inviting this suite is, considering it is only 338 sq. feet including the balcony. Viking has made all the cabins bright and airy by using blond woods, periwinkle blue trim, and scaling back the dial on anything fussy. In true Scandinavian style, decor is minified and simplistic, while still outfitting the rooms with everything one might need.

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FOUR SEASONS HOTEL ISTANBUL AT SULTANAHMET

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A True Turkish Delight “If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul�

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Whirling Dervishes. Mystical mosques with turrets piercing the sky. Translucent shades of rose and gold gilding the sapphire Bosphorus at sunset. The haunting wails of Muslims at prayer echoing off pale pastel walls. Smiles from gentle faces in store fronts. Kaleidoscopic colours of Iznik ceramics, silver filigree jewels, gold-knit fabrics, intricately carved wood and delicately woven Turkish Rugs. Istanbul is, simply put, magical.

The only city in the world to straddle two continents, Europe and Asia, it is a city that has struggled through unspeakably horrific times, and even now finds itself at the confluence of yet another war, the War on Terror. As ISIS and the Kurds fight over this city like angry dogs at a bone, they suffer as well from turmoil within as their President locks down the country after the threat of a coup by “militants”.

The Four Seasons Sultanahmet is one of Istanbul’s most respected and admired luxury hotel. Once a prison, this century-old hotel is located in one of the oldest neighbourhoods; best of all is it’s central location allowing easy access to some of Istanbul’s most stunning attractions – the Haghia Sophia, The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Underground Cisterns.

What’s So Great About It The Four Season’s Sultanahmet is not only visually stunning, it has a unique layout, no doubt due to it’s original function as a Turkish prison.

The perfectly manicured inner courtyard is a peaceful sanctuary for guests weary after a day of exploring. Seasons Restaurant spills out into the courtyard, a glass-enclosed conservatory surrounded by a spectacular dining terrace.

Butterflies waft on soft breezes and songbirds balance on delicate flowers, serenading guests who choose from a superb menu which utilizes hand-picked herbs from the gardens surrounding them. Seasons also hosts one of the most amazing brunches you will find not only in Istanbul but I would dare to say, the world, attracting not only hotel guests but also appreciative locals who want to spend a delicious and beautiful day with family.

Also appealing is the fact that Four Seasons Sultanahmet has only 54 rooms and 11 Suites, so while it has the airy feel of a large resort, in part because of its sprawling design, it is really

The 6th-century St. Sophia, the 15th-century Topkapi Palace and the 17th-century Blue Mosque, just a fiveminute walk away

more like a boutique hotel experience. Staff are superbly trained, we felt warmly welcomed everywhere we went on the property.

Something that really must be mentioned, although it is so sad to have to include this as a “plus”, is the fact that the Four Seasons Sultanahmet takes guest safety and security very seriously. The entranced to the hotel has an airport-style screening system – your bags are put through a conveyer to be scanned and you must walk through a metal detector before entering the hotel. Security guards are a visual presence, adding to a feeling of safety while at the hotel.

An Amazing Arrival As usual, we had arranged pickup at the airport via the hotel executive sedan, and the entire process was quite wonderful. Our driver was waiting to greet us at the airport, name sign in hand, and managed our luggage to the car. The drive took only about 30 minutes and our driver pointed out sights of interest and landmarks as we drove, something I always appreciate. The sight of the major landmarks – the Haggia Sophia

and the Blue Mosque gave me goose-bumps, as most iconic attractions tend to do no matter where you go. There are always key reasons that

these sights become legendary and attract visitors from around the world – uniqueness, history, beauty and a sense of extreme importance.

As we navigated through the narrow, winding streets of Sultanahmet to get to our destination I marvelled at the pretty neighbourhood.

Tenacious vines climbed crumbling brick faces of ancient buildings and modern apartment homes, tiny restaurants and tea shops squeezed into niches like tiny gemstones set in amongst the fortified walls of the old city. We recognized the golden exterior of the Four Seasons even before our driver announced we had arrived; hotel staff appeared to be waiting for us and welcomed us warmly with smiles as we stepped out, whisking our luggage away and escorting us through the entrance to reception.

What Makes it New Jetsetter Worthy Our initial impression was that of entering a grand and breathtaking noble residence.

Spacious rooms sprawled off the entrance on our way to the reception desk; they looked like drawing rooms that would be found in a sumptuous mansion. Turkish rugs added subtle colour and warmth to gleaming marble floors, rich dark wood furniture, rich fabrics and various objet’s d’art caught my eye, as did the elegant

paintings depicting Istanbul’s famous sights.

High ceilings reflected warm light from sparkling chandeliers.

Check in at the front desk was lovely. Warm greetings were expressed as we completed the necessary paperwork and we were asked how our arrival had been – we always appreciate this dialogue no matter how trivial it may be. Within moments we were ready to be escorted to our Suite; but not before I witnessed a remarkable exchange. An elderly couple approached the desk to check out. The reception staff were clearly very, very sad to see them go. Coming out from behind the desk they rushed over to embrace them, hands were clasped, and it was like witnessing the departure of much respected and much-loved family members. Both parties expressed their sadness at having to leave. As they disappeared from sight, the reception staff explained that this couple had been coming to stay with them twice a year for over twenty years without fail and as such, had indeed become like family. I found this both remarkable and quite wonderful.

We followed our personable front desk clerk as he navigated the bright, wide hallways to an elevator, explaining the layout of the hotel. We followed, trying to commit the route to memory so we could find our way back! The walk took By us Deborah Thompson through corridors that had not only glass walls, but glass ceilings, giving one the airy, relaxed feeling of walking outside. The glass allowed for extensive views of the lush inner courtyard and the magical glass-walled conservatory on one side and the vast landscape of spires and colourful rooftops on the other.

Unique Room Our one-bedroom, two story Deluxe Suite was truly breathtaking. Rich fabrics and warm wood floors dressed with intricately woven “kilims” (rugs) immersed us immediately into the essence of Turkish design. Silky sheers filtered warm sunlight through enormous windows that welcomed an airy light, dispersing any dark shadows from the generous use of dark wood, from the high-beamed ceiling and gleaming floors all the way up the rich wood and wrought iron staircase that led to the huge, loft-style bedroom. Upstairs the king size bed was superbly comfortable and provided a gateway to the sumptuously appointed marble bathroom.

An immense soaking tub was my favourite feature, there was also a huge shower and even

Bottom Bay, Barbados

a steam-room which we unfortunately did not have time to sample. It also boasted another feature I always appreciate - “his and hers” sinks in a large vanity, providing ample room for toiletries and essentials.

Of course, all the “modern” necessities of today’s life were present, from a refrigerated private bar, two large Plasma televisions – one in the living room and one in the bedroom. As usual, we did not even turn the TVs on so we cannot comment on them other to say they were there! Also present were an MP3 docking station, and a DVD/CD player, as well as wireless Internet access, which worked quite well.

We loved being able to open the tall, elegant windows to look out onto the neighbourhood surrounding this hotel. The carpet seller across the street would be smiling and greeting families walking by, and in the morning we would listen to the haunting wail of prayers rebounding off the buildings as shop-keepers began opening their stores for the day, sweeping dusty sidewalks and feeding hungry street cats in a compassionate, ageless expression of love for country and their own communities.

Noteworthy Dining and Bar I really have to begin with the highlight of our stay at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet - an outstanding Easter Brunch at Season’s Restaurant which was so lavish it seemed fantastical . It happened to be Easter Sunday when we arrived, and Pastry Chef Adil Çakıcı had outdone himself with his chocolate creations. At the entrance to Seasons Restaurant the pastry team had designed a small Easter wonderland, with coloured eggs, and hand-made chocolate delights, including an adorable chocolate birdhouse. This part of the restaurant had been turned into a children’s eating area for the day, leaving adults to enjoy the stunning buffet items on display for brunch in the gorgeous glass-enclosed dining terrace. Words really can’t describe what an incredible scene greeted us – a veritable “Foodies Dream”.

Baskets full of every kind of fresh-baked bread, pastries, muffins (chocolate, cheese, carrot), raisin rolls and flans, cinnamon twists and crispy sticks, and even more varieties than you can imagine, including Turkish favourite “Puff Pastry Borek”.

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Located on the rooftop of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet, A’YA Rooftop Lounge is one of the most awe-inspiring terraces in Istanbul. Page 80-81

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In The Shadow Of The Mountain Continued from page 21

A very large and sumptuous bedroom was off the dining room, one could close privacy doors and enjoy the supreme comfort of the signature “PillowTop Luxury Collection King Bed” – and believe me, it was comfortable. Fine Italian linens meant slipping under the covers was deliciously delightful. We only turned the 42 inch Flat Screen TV on once, but if there had been any inclement weather, we would have enjoyed watching a movie or two on it! It came with a DVD player and a Bose sound system with iPod – perfect!

Our main bathroom (there was a powder room at the front entrance as well) was large and gorgeous, a huge soaker tub to relax travel-weary bones, double sinks, a separate toilet area and a huge rain-shower. I loved the beautiful floral prints above the bathtub – they lent a perfect, homey touch to the usual boring hotel-room décor.

If you are a New Jetsetter follower, you will already know how important an outdoor patio, terrace or balcony is to us – and this suite came with a very beautiful space. Large sliding doors led to our ground-floor patio which was furnished with a table (perfect for those in-room breakfasts) and a nice, comfortable lounger. We had a lovely view of Camelback Mountain silhouetted against the perfect, blue sky and the glittering depths of the hotel pool. It was a delight to sit out with an early-morning coffee and watch the birds arrive, ready to greet the day and collect crumbs from the poolside or share guest’s breakfasts. We also loved having our own personal Saguero Cactus close enough to touch (but not recommended!).

NOTEWORTHY DINING AND BAR: While the Canyon Suites don’t have their own bar or restaurants on site, the superb offerings of The Phoenician are just a two minute walk down the laneway (or a beautiful five minute stroll along the Cactus Garden path). A golf cart is always standing by at the entrance as well to shuttle you back and forth between the Canyon Suites and the Phoenician should it be too hot.

The Thirsty Camel Lounge: We enjoyed visiting the Lounge nightly for a late afternoon drink or a pre- or post-dinner cocktail to enjoy the sunsets or the big, star-filled sky respectively. Opening out onto the huge terrace that overlooks the entire Phoenician Resort, this is an excellent place to sip on a salt-rimmed Margarita or have an ice-cold beer to sate your thirst.

Thirsty Camel Lounge

J&G Steakhouse: We had an amazing dinner at this restaurant, and were able to sample some of the very best Chef Jacques Qualin has to offer. Of special note was the absolutely incredible Potato Gratin with Comte, a dish which Chef Jacques brought with him from his native France and which you must not miss if you dine at this restaurant.

The dishes at this restaurant are perfectly executed and delicious. I loved the fact that they did not have only steak on offer, but also gave diners a fabulous choice of seafood (my Chilled Lobster with Lemon Aioli was to die for) and others such as a Slow-Cooked Salmon, Glazed Miso Yuzu Mahi-Mahi, Butternut Squash Soup, RedWine Braised Short-Ribs) made the menu interesting and varied.

Il Terrazzo: Dinner on the terrace at this restaurant can be lovely if it is not overly-hot out, but we found that as long as the misters were going we were able to enjoy our traditional pasta dishes of Mushroom Bolognese and Fettuccini Carbonara.

They have quite a large, varied menu as well.

Their breakfast offerings looked delicious but we did not have time to have breakfast here on this trip.

Relish Burger Bistro: This is a super-popular place to go for an informal yet amazing meal, so be prepared to make reservations or have a bit of a wait for a seat. The terrace is especially popular, looking out over the golf-course and the beautiful property is a great way to enjoy a gargantuan Cowboy Burger (made with premium Kobe Beef) or a Short-Rib Burger. Famous for having one of the largest Tequila collections in the State of Arizona, they also feature a great beer menu offering 70 premium brews and counting… I myself indulged in one of their amazing chocolate milkshakes – who doesn’t want a shake with a burger!

NOTABLE SPA: The “Centre for Well-Being” is yet another peaceful oasis on the Phoenician property, housed in a cool, subterranean complex that immediately instills a feeling of calm and peace. At 22,000 sq. ft. it encompasses 24 treatment rooms, a private consultation room, a “Waters Bar”, a full-service Salon and a Meditation Atrium.

We arrived early for our deep tissue massages so that we could relax in the Meditation Atrium – a peaceful, plant-filled room with a tinkling fountain and zero-gravity chairs on which to stretch out before your masseur/masseuse comes to fetch you. I was just approaching that elusive zen-state when I noticed a lovely lady had entered the room noiselessly and was smiling down at me. It was time for a touch of heaven for my aching back muscles!

I loved my Massage Therapist, a tiny lady whose hands were amazingly strong and talented; she found every knot and kink in my upper back and neck and was the perfect mix of friendly yet professional. I was so disappointed when my time was up, but I have to say my back and neck felt brand new, at least for a few days! While the locker room areas and treatment rooms themselves could be a little more “inspired” and definitely updated, the most important part of a spa visit to me is the knowledge and capability of the Massage Therapist (and a lovely personality doesn’t hurt either). The Centre For Well-Being has that very important quality covered!

I can’t express how pleased I am to have found a North American Hotel that is truly equal competition for it’s Asian counterparts. As any frequent luxury traveller will acknowledge, a true luxury experience is never made up of simply one or two or even three characteristics. That elusive feeling that we have seen, done or experienced something truly sublime, something we cannot have every day of our lives is not conveyed simply by a bottle of Champagne or a vase of fresh flowers in your room. Those are lovely, don’t get me wrong. We love the platter of petit fours in our room with the handwritten note from the General Manager to let us know our visit is appreciated.

But without the other bespoke pieces of the luxury puzzle, those items alone will never make a true luxury experience.

24 Hours In Dubai Continued from page 25

clothing, carpets and rugs. Goods in Dubai are available from all over the world including Turkey, Iran, India and China. Most visitors find their way to the Dubai Mall, which still provides one of the world’s most complete shopping experiences.

Bear in mind that this is not “just a mall”. This is a mini-city, home to over a thousand stores, a spectacular four-storey indoor waterfall, a huge aquarium, an Olympic size ski-rink and a staggering number of food outlets. The mall is designed with the most luxurious of finishes, and offers brands from across Europe and the US, including Galleries Lafayette and the first Bloomingdale’s outside the US. It is also hugely popular for the Dubai Fountains, which are beautifully designed to move to music.

Good Evening Dubai Downtown Dubai is the most spectacular part of the city, and when better to see it than at night when the city comes alive with light. Take the elevator up to the top of the world’s tallest building, Burj Kahlifa, take a deep breath, and step out onto their outdoor platform on the 124th floor. If you don’t have vertigo and faint, you’ll get an incredible 360 degree view of Dubai and the surrounding desert.

The Centre For Well - Being

Dining out in Dubai can be an adventure in itself.

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many which specialize in Dubai’s own Arabic delights. Dubai does not have its own Michelin Guide, but instead imports chefs or restaurant chains that have previously been recognized elsewhere by this prestigious publication. Each restaurant featured here is not simply somewhere to eat, but a destination for stunning décor, amazing views and unforgettable culinary experiences. A couple of favourites include Al Mahara, a unique seafood restaurant at Burj Al Arab, Zengo where celebrity chefs Richard Sandoval and Akmal Anuar feature an artful blend of Asian styles and flavours, or if you want to stay at the Burj Kahlifa there is the Armani/Amal, which focuses on regional cuisine from India with a distinctive modern twist.

To end your evening in Dubai head to the “dancing fountains“, set on the 30-acre Burj Khalifa Lake.

The fountains shoot water jets as high as 500 ft, equivalent to that of a 50-storey building. It’s an amazing site and was designed by WET, the creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas.

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NOTEWORTHY DINING AND BAR: The Polo Lounge has historically been a wellknown Hollywood meet and greet location for decades. As the hotel so succinctly summarizes it: “The Polo Lounge was the scene of prodigious drinking bouts by W.C. Fields and Humphrey Bogart as well as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and the rest of the Rat Pack. Marlene Dietrich eradicated the no-slacks-for-ladies rule when she entered wearing pants. For years Charlie Chaplin had a standing lunch reservation for booth 1, which remained empty if he didn’t show up.”

“Director Richard Attenborough came to the Polo Lounge for a post-Oscar celebration in 1983 after winning two awards for Gandhi. While Attenborough stood by, the maître d’ held up the two Oscars to a cheering Polo Lounge crowd.

The Polo Lounge is the power-breakfast spot in Hollywood. In 1972 H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman learned of the Watergate break-in while breakfasting here. The corner booths are the largest, with the first booth on the left as you enter the “ultimate booth” to get.”

Beverly Hills Hotel Lobby

We have had a few meals at the Polo Lounge, once or twice in romantic booths (they feel like mini man-caves at night when the lights are low).

Dinners have always been fabulous, and the service spot-on, friendly but not overly so.

Breakfasts in the morning on the terrace of the Polo Lounge are divine, with warm California sunlight dancing on your face under the swaying branches of the palm trees and the chittering of hummingbirds defending their aerial territory. The vanilla pancakes are so delicious that their sweet, gooey goodness is now indelibly etched upon my taste buds and I will crave them for the rest of my life. Once again, service is fabulous, as one would expect here.

Bar Nineteen12 A cozy little spot where you can nuzzle together in relative anonymity in a quiet corner, or throw caution to the wind and sit outdoors on the terrace with a view of the pool and towering palms; this is a great place to begin or end an evening. Martinis are excellently prepared – “Newjetsetters Approved”!

Fountain Coffee Room Do not miss having breakfast or lunch, or perhaps just a snack at this very iconic 1940’s era diner-style bar, where 19 stools are attached to the floor (don’t try and pull one up closer or slide one over because you will look ridiculous).

Sit at that curvy formicacountertop, stare at the famous Don Loper banana-leaf wallpaper and be transported back in time 65 decades or so. Loved by many Hollywood regulars, some have strict preferences on which stool they sit at. At times there is a waiting line to get in. Fountain Coffee Room staff have been working there for almost as long as the hotel has been around, and they know exactly who wants the Belgian Waffles with fresh-sliced bananas and who prefers a slice of the Mary J. Blige Pie with a piping hot, creamy latte. We shared the bar with a woman and her purse-sized pooch who was …

happy to nibble on pancakes with mom, completely oblivious to his elite status in the dog-world. Our other counter-mates were a pair of geeky Hollywood costume-designers who muttered endlessly about fittings and fabrics as they scrolled endlessly on their iPhones and munched on salads. While the cheerful waitress and the doggie-mom talked non-stop to anyone who cared to listen, I reveled in the atmosphere, enjoying the fact that she fussed over whether we were enjoying our food, and that she called me honey (a term of endearment I am particularly fond of when it is a woman speaking to me. Not so from a man). The cook, a man of virtually no words, slathered, sprinkled and stabbed menu items with military precision before sliding them, nononsense onto a waiting plate and turning to the next order hanging on the clip. I think he’d probably heard the dog conversation a few hundred times over the years. I’d like to be back there re-living that experience all over again.

For those who love the golden age of Hollywood and the drama associated with celebrities we’ve come to know, love and sometimes hate, there is no other place quite like the Beverly Hills Hotel to take a walk through time. If you are at all psychic (or is that psychotic) you may catch a glimpse of Howard Hughes (an on-and-off resident here for thirty years) lounging on one of the elegant, velvet settees or hear the “Liverpudlian Scouse” of John Lennon ordering his favourite beverage, a Brandy Alexander from the privacy of the Beatles cozy poolside cabana. Who else might your overactive imagination glimpse? Elton John? Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Richard Gere, Jon Bon Jovi, John Wayne and even Bill Clinton…. The list goes on. But perhaps what’s really so great about it is that you don’t have to be famous to feel like a celebrity here.

The Authentic Istanbul Experience

with “Istanbulite” Continued from page 32

Eda was a wealth of knowledge as we began our tour with a visit to the Hagia Sophia (“Church of the Holy Wisdom). “Aya Sofya” in Turkish, this structure was once a Byzantine Church and then became a Mosque during the Ottoman Empire, and is universally acknowledged as one of the “Great Buildings of the World”. Eda pointed out the rich mosaics and marble pillars, stopping in front of some of the most spectacular to explain

Istanbul At Night

the significance of the scene, adding greatly to our appreciation of what we were seeing. The other must-see for us was, of course, the worldfamous 17th century “Blue Mosque”, identifiable with its six sky-piercing minarets and architectural waterfall of domes cascading from the main structure. With a pull-on skirt provided at the entrance and a scarf to cover my head in respect, Eda pointed out the 20,000 blue Iznik design tiles, lit softly by sunlight filtering through 260 stained glass windows.

The Basilica Cistern was our last must-see (the Grand Bazaar was, very unfortunately, closed on that day). Eda purchased our tickets, leading us down the 52 stone steps and into a mesmerizing and magical place. As the bright sunlight disappears, so does the “here and now” and you are immersed mentally (not physically, thankfully!) in the dark, velvety confines of a cathedral sized underground chamber, built to provide water for the fortified city, especially important during times of siege. I couldn’t wait to see the sideways and upside-down “Medusa Head” blocks supporting pillars in the northwest corner of the cistern.

Medusa, a monstrous figure from ancient Greek mythology with snakes as hair; was believed to have the power to turn anyone who looked at her into stone. One theory has it that one head was placed sideways and the other upside-down to negate the power of her gaze, but I still had a little anxiety as I stared down into her cold, stony eyes.

It was a fascinating experience!

It was during these moments that I most appreciated what Eda was doing with Istanbulite.

Walking into the Iznik Classics ceramic shop was one of those moments. It was doubtful that, should we have wandered into this store on our own (had we even found it), we would have had the personal attention of the shop owner and been able to hear New Jetsetters GLOSS

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the story of how this treasured, once lost art form is being resurrected. My only regret is that I did not have enough time to really browse through the truly stunning collections on display.

As we walked the pretty side-streets I couldn’t stop taking photographs, and Eda never rushed me.

Children played happily in Sultanahmet Park, young students laughed in groups, stylish scarves wrapped tightly around necks in the still chilly air.

Sidewalk vending carts sold corn on the cob, vendors flashed white-toothed smiles in the early spring sunshine beneath the naked branches of leafless trees. I caught the eye of an old man sitting on a small wooden stool on the side of the road, his bottles of shoe-polish arranged in a gleaming gold box. As I raised my camera to capture the moment, a young man stopped to indulge in a polish. I almost lowered the camera, sensitive to the fact that not everyone appreciates their photo being taken by a tourist, but instead he gave me one of the loveliest smiles I’ve ever seen.

I clicked the shutter, waved a thank you, and we continued on our way. The happy memory of that smile remains in my heart.

Soon we arrived at Eda’s favourite cafe, the “Caferaga Medresesi” , so named for the beautiful, 16th century structure that houses it, the “Medrese”.

Hidden within the sweet interior courtyard we revived ourselves with delicious, hot Turkish Tea at an outdoor table in the pale spring sun, chatting as old friends would do.

Re-energized, we continued our walk, receiving gentle waves from Turkish Rug shop owners which warmed my heart, as did the sight of fat dogs sleeping trustfully in shafts of sunlight on the side of the streets. Small clips attached to their ears proved immunization against diseases – a mark of a compassionate, educated country. Other favourite memories are seeing the strangely wonderful “traditional greeting” for the men, comprising a soft head-butt, forehead to forehead, or sometimes kisses on both cheeks. This open show of genuine camaraderie hinted at the strong bonds these people have formed over centuries of war, hostile takeovers, chaos and sorrow.

One last stop remained, Eda wanted us to see a shop called Caferiye Tekkesi, where an artist named Coskun was giving lessons in “Turkish Paper Marbling”, the ancient art of creating colourful patterns by sprinkling and brushing colour pigments on a pan of oily water and then transforming this pattern to paper. If I had been able to stay longer, I would have wanted to give

Blue Mosque Interior

Beverly Hills Hotel Lobby

this a try as some of the artwork on the walls was absolutely gorgeous. As we made our way back to the hotel, Eda told us about a few of her other itineraries, all of which sounded amazing. She is especially excited about her “Bachelorette Weekend” which includes sightseeing with a private yacht on the Bosphorus, shopping at the Grand Bazaar, taking a traditional Turkish Bath, participating in an Ottoman cooking workshop, and enjoying dinner and a dance show. Also noteworthy is Eda’s “Food Tour”, a day of experiencing delicious food, from visiting a traditional meat house, stopping for some cold beers in a vibrant open-air market filled with cafes, pubs and restaurants, then going for a stroll over the Galata Bridge to watch the fishermen catch fish, and a taste of the famous fish & bread sandwich. Then it’s on to “Cihangir” to try one of the most popular and unique desserts in Turkey, “Kazandibi”, made by Özkonak Lokantası, well known for their delicious milk-based desserts.

Finally, you finish the day at Mandabatmaz with a cup of Turkish coffee, sitting amongst the locals on low stools and wooden tables. These are the sorts of activities that will remain forever in your mind and your heart because you will have touched the very soul and spirit of the Turkish people. As Eda dropped us back at our hotel I was truly sad that our time together was over. I felt I had not just been a “tourist”, but that I had learned so much about Istanbul, and had made a connection, however tenuous and short-lived, that would resonate with me for a lifetime. _______________________________________ Ms. Eda Sokman operates a bespoke travel agency that specializes in private tours and arranging customized itineraries, not only in Istanbul but throughout Turkey. Her most popular tours outside of Istanbul are the “Highlights of Ephesus” and “I Have Two Days in Cappadocia”. We highly recommend the services of this young lady for an unforgettable experience in Turkey.

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Excellence from Beginning to End I knew we were in for a fabulous experience from the moment we were greeted at the Business Class check-in desk and whisked away to the beautiful Maple Leaf Lounge via a special priority security screening lane, of course! We were able to enjoy a light breakfast and, most importantly, have access to unlimited cappuccino’s while looking out over the YVR Tarmac. As we gazed out the window , our very own Dreamliner was being towed into the gate for our flight to Shanghai. It occurred to me then that, if there could ever be an opportunity to call an aeroplane “sexy”, this would be it. With it’s delicately tilted, super-thin wings and sleek design, the 787 Dreamliner is the supermodel of the aviation world.

Sheri was delighted to escort us aboard and showed us to the Business Class Cabin, A quick meeting with the Pilot and Co-Pilot and a photo in the mind-boggling cockpit was next. The pilots were clearly excited to be flying this airplane, explaining that this was now their favourite aircraft to fly. When I asked what made this aircraft so much better, they quickly praised the improved lighting features, smoother ride and increased humidity of the Dreamliner; attesting to much less jet lag and fatigue on the job.

Air Canada’s 787 Dreamliner

They also raved about what they called the “HUD” – A Heads Up Display – a significant cockpit innovation in which crucial flight information is actually displayed right on the 787 windshield, meaning the pilots can keep their eyes on what’s going on outside the cockpit while simultaneously monitoring essential flight indicators during flight.

Let’s just say the grins never left their faces; they seemed as happy to be on this flight as I was!

The new Dreamliners are a beautiful combination of science, technology, art and imagination, with features that are a win-win for both the airline and for lucky passengers. Made with a lightweight composite material, the Dreamliner features a very sophisticated electrical system that replaces pneumatics and heavy hydraulics, making this plane lighter and therefore much more fuel efficient. Also a major plus for Air Canada? There is up to 45 percent more cargo space. These features also mean the Dreamliner is able to fly at much higher altitudes than other aircraft – at an average of 43,000 feet instead of 37,00 to 38,000 feet – thus making it possible to fly faster, cover longer distances and even avoid more turbulent weather at lower elevations. Speaking of which – the Dreamliner also features “Smooth Ride Technology”. This plane can actually sense turbulence and deploy wing flaps to reduce it. How sweet is that!

I also wasn’t joking when I said I hadn’t noticed the engines were actually going. One of the most exciting new technologies used on the Dreamliner are the acoustically treated “engine inlets and chevrons”, reducing the noise by up to 60% – not only for those on the aircraft but even as it flies over cities and towns, reducing noise pollution significantly for those who live anywhere near airports.

The other game-changers for guests on the Dreamliner are the lighting and the humidity levels – two factors that can typically wreak havoc on long-haul passengers (take it from us!). The cabin altitude is 2,000 feet lower than other aircraft, allowing increased oxygen absorption.

Although it seems very strange to say, this was one of the few flights I’ve had in my life that I really, truly enjoyed. From start to finish, the level of service by Air Canada staff was outstanding; the attention to detail and comfort of the Dreamliner was exemplary. This is one airline and one aircraft that makes me, strangely enough, want to fly again!

The 787’s unparalleled fuel efficiency and range flexibility enables carriers to profitably open new routes as well as optimize fleet and network performance. And for their passengers, an experience like none other in the air, with more comfort and less fatigue.

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Defining Today’s Luxury Traveler

Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai

Continued from page 14

Continued from page 42

Many travel experiences can result in frustrating moments, but luxury travellers don’t “lose their cool”. They keep it. They speak with the right individuals to solve the problem, knowing that they do not have to accept an unsatisfactory room or sit at an unappealing table in a restaurant.

Guests arriving at any Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the world can always be assured it is going to be a great experience. When you stay at any of their Asian properties, however, you can pretty much double the wow factor. At the Mandarin Oriental Pudong we had a Mandarin Oriental employee greet us at the airport, take charge of our considerable luggage, and escort us directly to an executive car just outside the arrivals area door.

Beverly Hills Hotel Lobby He and the Chauffeur ensured we were comfortably settled in our seats, plied us with cool, scented hand-towels and cold bottles of water, and stowed our luggage.

While First Class/Business Class cabins have always been home for traditional luxury travelers, times have changed a little. Now travelers fly smart and will head to the front of the plane in exit rows on long haul flights or, when the value is right, will book Premium Economy Class when available.

Today experienced travelers “pack right and pack light” depending on their destination. It’s not all about pricey baggage fees, it’s about practicality.

Carry-on's, when appropriate, streamline the travel process and get you to your destination more quickly and without the frustration of the baggage carousel craziness!

The long ride to the hotel (approximately one hour) went by quickly; we marvelled at the veritable sea of cookie-cutter apartment complexes that stretched as far as the eye could see on either side of the smooth, wide highway. With a permanent, staggering population of 24 million residents residing just in Shanghai itself, it is the largest Chinese city by population and the largest “City Proper” by population in the world. My sense of awe increased as I considered that the population of all of Canada in 2015 stands at 35 million!

What also struck me as we entered the downtown area of Shanghai was the complete and utter disregard for pedestrians on any of the streets. I was reminded of the old 1980’s game called “Frogger” where the character had to try and make it across the street, jumping back and forth and sideways, in order not to get run over by a car.

This must have been where the game originated as neither man, woman or child was recognized on crosswalks or as they attempted to run across streets between cars, trucks, scooters and buses.

I decided closing my eyes for this part would help greatly in avoiding a heart attack.

Luxury travelers give back. While some travelers frown on and may be cheap with tipping, luxury travelers tip both well and discreetly for excellent service when appropriate. It’s not just about supplementing someone’s income; it’s a sign of respect for the excellent service they are performing, and the difference this makes in the traveler’s experience and memories of the destination.

Soon we were navigating a small side street that veered towards the water and then up another lane where we saw the sign “Welcome to Mandarin Oriental”. I sighed in relief that we hadn’t run over anyone on our way to the hotel. We knew we were nearing the hotel; the Chauffeur was speaking to someone on his cell phone, and knew from previous MO Hotel arrivals that he was telling hotel staff we would be there momentarily. As expected, as soon as we pulled up at the front door a plethora of smiling employees were there to greet us by name. Our luggage was swooshed away and warm welcomes were echoed all around.

Yong Yi Ting Restaurant

Even my purse disappeared with the charming promise that it would be well looked after and would be delivered safely to our room in mere moments. A young lady and a smiling man said they would escort us up to our suite for check-in (the absolute best way to check in). Formalities were completed over a libation as we stared out the window of our beautiful one-bedroom suite, the curtains pulled back to show off the incredible Huangpu River view. Spectacular!

NOTEWORTHY DINING AND BAR: Yong Ti Ting Restaurant: We were thrilled to dine at this very popular Shanghai restaurant that is located on the lower ground level of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Stunningly decorated with cool white trellises, hardwood floors and lushly upholstered armchairs, the dining room manages to still feel homey and welcoming. Strips of delicate, red-dragon embroidered silk hang from the ceiling, and large round wooden tables bring the formal factor down a notch and make it a favourite place for romantic couples and families alike. A stunning display of white porcelain lanterns are a focal point as you make your way into the restaurant. To be honest, your eye is not sure what to focus on, the festival-like beauty of these lanterns, or the 500 bottle, five metre-high wine wall. There is little wonder this is one of the most popular Chinese Restaurants in Shanghai.

Chef Tony Lu has managed to blend the best of the regional Jian Nan (“South of the River”) cuisine and traditional Cantonese ingredients, flavours and techniques for a truly fabulous gastronomic experience. Jian Nan cuisine embraces delicacy because it must – after all, the subtle flavours of freshwater fish and seafood must not be destroyed by heavy-handed techniques nor overly-robust plate companions. Chef Lu has perfected the art of celebrating fragility while at the same time producing some truly delicious variations of Cantonese cuisine with his talent and vision.

We bowed to the expert taste of our beaming server, who seemed vary anxious to have us taste just about everything on the menu. All the dishes we had were superb, and even though at some point we were not completely sure exactly what we were eating, we decided to go with it and just enjoy. Especially delicious to me was the Wokfried Australian Wagyu beef with assorted mushrooms and green pepper, Steamed Chicken with Porcini, wrapped in lotus leaf, the Braised Boneless Beef Rib in soy sauce with hickory, and the Diamonds of Steamed Winter Melon with shredded dried scallop. Alas, there was no room for dessert, too sad!

Also on the property is the notable contemporary French Grill from Michelin-starred Chef Richard Ekkebus, “Fifty 8° Grill”, which we unfortunately did not have time to try, and all-day dining at the “Show Kitchen” Zest. Don’t forget there is Afternoon Tea and dainty delicacies at the Riviera Lounge, and should you still be hungry and feeling “snackish”, the Mandarin Cake Shop will delight you with their gorgeous, gourmet sweets.

The Club Lounge at the MO Pudong is simply wonderful. It’s a delight each morning to wake up and simply take the elevator to the Club Floor Lounge, knowing as soon as those elevator doors open a wonderful experience awaits. Friendly staff are anxious to greet you and show you to a table with a view of the pretty, landscaped gardens around the hotel. Breakfast is sheer perfection, with hot and cold buffet items and also an a-lacarte option. We loved the choices available to us, and the quality of all items was superb. While speaking English is not their strong suit, the servers and cooks at the omelette station communicate with just a smile and their happiness to prepare your breakfast of choice. There is also a light lunch and afternoon tea available during the day. Evening cocktails and snacks are also a really fun way to end your busy day; it’s fun to relax amongst friendly staff and then simply meander back to your room to collapse on the comfortable king-size bed!

Should you have any inquiries or want to make restaurant reservations, the Concierge in the Club Lounge is waiting just for you. This is also where you will be checking out (really a very sad affair).

The dedicated Club Floor personnel at this hotel really are superb, combining just the perfect mix of friendliness with formality. No matter when we visited the Club Floor there were always a number of staff there to make sure our needs were met.

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NOTABLE SPA: The MO Pudong has the distinction of having one of the most beautiful spas in Asia and we were thrilled to be able to experience one of its signature couples treatments in one of their two “Couples Treatment Rooms”. Now, New Jetsetters have been rubbed, scrubbed, contorted and massaged into veritable puddles of delight at many spas throughout the world, but we both agree that this afternoon of bliss would likely remain one of the top five spa experiences we’ve had on our many travels. So – what made this one such a stand-out?

I particularly loved the MO Pudong’s Spa theme of “Rebirth” and how they have chosen to celebrate this with the ubiquitous symbol of the butterfly. Hanging from the ceilings and walls in various forms and mediums, the short but stunning life cycle of the butterfly is incorporated into the very fabric of this divine spa. This spa is a winning combination of warmth and coziness mixed with a bright, breathy airiness. Hallways and interior lounge areas smoulder with generous use of rich, dark wood, gleaming marble and flickering candles; the massage rooms are all about the beauty of space, natural light, and the “breath of fresh-air” one experiences when looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows. While small, dark rooms with no windows are fine for strictly therapeutic and sports massages, a “couples experience” massage room needs to have that extra romantic touch to be truly special. Let’s just say that the thoughtfulness and design put into this Spa certainly takes top marks for visual, olfactory and atmospheric appeal.

We arrived early for our treatment as requested, so we each had time to enjoy a shower and some time in the steam rooms to get our muscles ready for some magic. Although it is on ground level and the reception area is in a cozy, interior section, MO couples spa rooms are quite breathtakingly beautiful, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking a stunning “sunken bamboo garden”, landscaped with carefully selected rocks, flowers and willowy bamboo trees that sway in the breeze. In here, you would never guess you were in the centre of one of the most highly populated, noisy and bustling cities in the world.

A large mosaic-tiled Jacuzzi tub (big enough for about six people) bubbles in the far corner.

Candles flicker softly against sand-coloured stone walls; the dark bamboo-floor and dark wood cupboards make the room feel airy yet cozy at the same time.

Thick, thirsty towels are stacked everywhere, some thoughtfully hanging from an enormous towel-warmer wall rack. I felt tension beginning to drain as soon as I walked in.

The Spa offers some amazing packages that will cater to just about anyone, from singles to couples and even to groups that would enjoy an afternoon of pampering in one of the large treatment rooms.

If I should ever be so lucky to return I would definitely try a few other of their invitingly named treatments – the “Rose Cocoon” sounds intriguing and theHills“Oriental Beverly Hotel Lobby Essence” which is one of the MO’s “Signature Spa Therapies” sounds divine.

At 90 minutes, this massage concentrates on all stress areas of the body using their custom “Signature Quintessence” a warmed blend of mandarin, ginger and frankincense. (I’m feeling relaxed just thinking about this massage!) I couldn’t recommend this spa more highly – if you go to Shanghai, spoil yourself and book a treatment here.

M.O. Spa

Like many other luxury brands around the globe, MO has had the intelligence to be on the cutting edge of using real-time Social Media and Public Relations platforms. They understand that the old motto that “word of mouth” is still the best advertising a brand can get (as long as it’s good!), and that this has been taken to new heights with todays travellers talking, tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming and “Pinteresting”. Distinctive brands like the Mandarin Oriental can now count on a whole new generation of consumers to share their loyalty and love to a brand new audience of passionate travellers, many of whom are looking for “new favourite” brands.

Pudong Shangri-La East Shanghai Continued from page 45

A huge walk-through wardrobe linked the bedroom and the bathroom, complete with his and hers closets, a large armoire with drawers and a large safe.

We loved our Nespresso Coffee Maker (featuring “The Grand Crus of Nespresso, no less!), the generous provision of bottled water, the flat screen plasma TV’s, the Bose Stereo system, and… oh….

Did we mention the view?

Turn-down was customized to whatever time we liked; we loved that the room lights were dimmed, the curtains drawn, fresh water and chocolates by the bed, and a card telling us what kind of weather to expect the next day. Most amazing of all, however, was coming back one evening after a delicious dinner at the Jade on 36th Restaurant to find fresh roses on our pillowcase. What a beautiful treat! But wait, there was yet one more astounding find as I bent to remove the roses. Our pillow cases had been monogrammed! Simply wow. It just can’t get any better than this.

“Horizon Club” Suite guests have access to the amazing Club Floor buffet – replete with fruits, jams and spreads, croissants and fresh loaves of bread in the morning (a la carte menu for pancakes or an omelette) to light luncheon treats and hors d’oeuvres and cocktails in the evening. Each morning Horizon Club Manager, Judy Leung would greet us warmly by name and escort us to a table.

She knew our favourite place to sit by the second morning and also remembered that we liked our coffee black and would like to each have an orange juice). Although it was not her job, Judy would pass by every now and then to see if we needed anything and would always make a point of walking us part of the way out in a caring fashion.

So much of the success of a brand, especially a luxury brand, lies in the integrity and social graces of front-line employees. Judy’s presence at the Club Floor front desk is an asset to Shangri-La Pudong and I’m sure many other guests felt their days were improved after any interactions with her.

NOTEWORTHY DINING AND BAR: The Pudong Shangri-La has a quite spectacular choice of restaurants that you can enjoy without even having to leave the hotel, and a very fun Bar up on the 36th Floor. We were only able to sample three restaurants:

Yi Café: Picture 12 live food stations, with whitetoqued Chefs slicing, dicing, blending and boiling pretty much any kind of food you might feel inclined to munch on – there are stations devoted to Chinese, Malay, Indian, Japanese, Seafood, Vegetarian, Western, Middle Eastern and Thai dishes and a salad bar, juice station and a dessert counter on steroids. Think endless doughnuts, ice-creams, candy floss, frozen yogurt and sprinkles, jube-jubes and jellybeans galore.

Nadaman Japanese Restaurant: We indulged in their fabulous Deluxe Nadaman Signature Set – a visually beautiful and delicious assortment of steamed egg custard with crab meat sauce, assortment of sashimi and lobster tempura, and select Wagyu beef sirloin steak, and a seasonal assortment of sushi and dessert.

Jade on 36: This restaurant has been recently “re imagined” and occupies prime real-estate on the 36th Floor of the Shangri-La Pudong. We were treated to an incredible meal at this restaurant made even better by the view of the nightlights of The Bund across the Huangpu River. Restaurant Manager Magali Navarro is a whirling dervish of energy and enthusiasm, and treated us to many of the restaurants most popular dishes. Jade on 36 is setting their sights on a different demographic this time around, with a new motto “Because Formal is Not What We Do”. “Order By Piece” items such as “The Jade on 36 Caviar Box”, “La Ratatouille (Burrata Cheese, zucchinis, tomato, bell pepper and eggplant)” or “Snails with Parsley (Panacotta and Chinese Tea Mousse)” or my favourite “Pan Seared Scallops (corn risotto with balsamic vinegar and popcorn) were sampled.

Also delicious was our “Beef Cheek (burgundy style, carrots, onions, herbs).

The entrance to Jade on 36th is eccentric and slightly bizarre, with a latticed, domed portal covered with knives, forks and spoons. Once you walk through this, though, the restaurant becomes more elegant and polished. Walk past an impressive glassed-in wall of wines with the shape of the individual countries artfully etched upon the glass, tound the corner and you will find a welldesigned, intimate space dominated by the spectacular view, day or night. Rich, burgundybrown wood gleams everywhere you look, chairs are beautifully upholstered and all tables are thoughtfully given enough space for intimate conversation.

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Jade on 36 Bar: The Jade on 36 Bar is a must to experience. With red leather button-tucked ceilings and walls, mustard yellow and forest green accents, low lights, and musical instruments hanging from the ceiling, this is a bar that has personality plus. It is cozy, comfortable, friendly, and they have some pretty decent lounge singers and musicians to keep you happy as you sip a cold martini – or two. The spectacular view doesn’t hurt either.

NOTABLE SPA: The Chi Spa at the Pudong Shangri-La has received many awards over the years, and as the recipient of a Chi Spa “Signature Treatment”, I can see why!

Ranging from “Best Asian Spa Treatment of the Year” to “Best Spa in China” to the “Best Hotel Spa”, the awards are a testament to the numerous healing treatments offered here, and to the accomplished staff. As someone who likes to find relaxation by seeking the sanctuary of forests in the Pacific Northwest, I loved the Chi Spa. A pleasing scent filled my nostrils, and lights were turned low, just like the sun filtering through the thick branches of fir trees back home. The ladies at the front desk were all charm and smiles, welcoming me. My treatment room had an area at the front for a foot bath, and a massage area, behind which was an enormous bathtub waiting for me, already filled with their signature Chinese Tea treatment.

After a delightful foot soaking and massage I was escorted to the back of the room and shown the bathtub with a shy smile. Soon I was soaking in blissful delight. The gentle voice of the masseuse told me she would return in half an hour and to just relax. Lovely spa music lowered my stress level even more until I had to get out of the tub before I fell completely asleep. The masseuse identified the key areas of my back and legs and even found areas which I hadn’t even realized were tight and pinched. The deep tissue massage was amazing, and like all amazing things, it was over too soon.

The Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, represented around the world in some of the most exquisite locations, are a brand that luxury travellers know they can count on for a consistently excellent experience. We all know what happens when you have the right people in the right places – success follows. One of our favorite memories of our stay at the Pudong Shangri-La was our daily meet and greet with “Larry” the Elevator Boy. Well, Larry was not a boy, in fact he could have been anywhere from 70 to 100 years old, I have no idea. Larry did not speak English. He wore his uniform with pride Beverly Hills Hotel Lobby and took his responsibilities very seriously.

Despite the fact that we could never hold a conversation with him, seeing Larry always made me smile, rushing to press the elevator button for us, smiling profusely and chattering away in Mandarin.

When the doors would open, Larry would ceremoniously, and with great formality, hold the doors open while showing us, with many instructions and hand motions, how to insert our Club Floor card and press the correct button to get to our destination. Every day it was the same thing; even though we had long figured it out, Larry would perform his sworn duty. I loved it, and I loved Larry.

In fact, my disappointment was very great on the morning we departed that he was not on duty. I wanted to shake his hand and tell him what a great job he did, and tell him how his presence made our stay at the Pudong Shangri-La just that much more special.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts have everything necessary to attract and keep the attention of luxury travelers turning again and again to their locations all over the globe. Pudong Shangri-La has to be one of their flagship properties; a stay with them will embody everything you want to experience in a Shanghai vacation

Meeting the Ghosts of Legendary Venice With Walks of Italy Continued from page 49

The Grand Chamber Council was huge, and stretched the length of the southern facade, looking out onto the waterfront. The piece-deresistance here is Tintoretto’s “Paradise”, an incredible full-wall work completed in 1577. I wished I could sit in this room and absorb the history and take in the massive Tintoretto, but alas we had to move on to another area that most tours do not take you - the prisons.

We walked the long, dank passages that condemned prisoners once walked, across the famous “Bridge of Sighs” where they would see their very last view of daylight and their beautiful Venice before being imprisoned in dark, dank dungeons. I could well imagine their horror.

All to soon the tour was over. We exited into a bright, sunlit afternoon, blinking in surprise and somewhat befuddled to be brought back to the present. Mose had been able to immerse us in an alternate reality, making us feel like participants in one of Venice’s most illustrated and extraordinary period of history. As I glanced up, symbols and faces of the past looked down impassively upon us.

Thanks to Mose I felt a connection now to Venice and its people, his stories had put faces and imbued character to names that once were just letters printed in history books. Thanks, Walks of Italy, for making the most of our sliver of time in Venice so valuable and memorable.

Bridge Of Sighs Cells

WHEN YOU TAKE A WALK YOU TRAVEL SLOWLY. YOU ABSORB MORE, INTERACT MORE AND EXPERIENCE MORE. YOU STOP TO SMELL THE FLOWERS AND TASTE THE PIZZA. JOIN OUR SLOW TRAVEL MOVEMENT. TAKE WALKS.

In Conversation With: Chef Beau MacMillan Continued from page 51

NJS: What qualities do you think are important for a Chef to have?

Chef Beau: It might be a funny thing to say, but one thing I hate in Chefs today is when they get caught up in the attention and the drama. I prefer that Chefs stay grounded and really know who they are. I’ve learned so much from people that have worked FOR me. You need to be humble.

That’s the most attractive quality. As you are teaching and sharing, there’s a lesson to learn yourself every day. And I find that sometimes the people you work around lose sight of that. I try to keep an eye on my guys and set those principles, you know? I say “Never forget your purpose is to please others”.

NJS: Right. So you were on Iron Chef, right?

How did you like that?

Chef Beau: Wow. The day they asked me to be on that show was both the greatest day of my life and the worst day of my life! As you can imagine, I was a huge fan of the show and huge fan of Chefs so I watched it religiously. When I was asked to be a part of it I was on the moon! But then the reality set in. I was, like, “I’m actually going to compete on this show!” It was the most gutwrenching and nerve-wracking experience of my life. You do have time to prepare and you do have a little insight as to what will be happening, but it’s the anticipation, the questioning of yourself, the stress. I mean, Chefs are their own worst critics and no matter what, we are judged by results – on every detail. So there’s no one harder on us than ourselves. One day before the show started I’m wandering down the street in New York doing some window-shopping with my wife and she suddenly elbows me (really hard) in the gut! And I’m, like: “What did you do that for?” And she’s like: “You’re mumbling to yourself! Just stop!” And that’s when I realized I was rehearsing lines in my mind, mumbling them out loud! I mean, I have to deliver on this show! How would I respond to criticism, what if they start killin’ me on my food!

Would I be like “Oh, thank you very much! I’ll stop cooking tomorrow!”?

NJS: Laughter – Yes it is so harsh, it could ruin your self-esteem forever!

Chef Beau: Yeah, right! I mean, we have pride!

We have ego! Ten minutes before the battle I saw Bobby Flay walk in, and he had that arrogant look on his face and I was like: “Man, I’m gonna kill this guy”! So my fears turned into a kind of positive energy and I looked at my two Sous-Chefs and their eyes were like laser beams and I was like “Are you Ready?” and they’re like “Yeah I’m ready!

Let’s do this”. And everything just fell into place.

I can actually remember very little about it. I mean I’ll always be proud of what I accomplished, but you know, life goes on. Let’s put it in perspective.

I mean, the guy that I competed against – he had nine more battles that month. I had ONE battle.

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Noodle Chef. There are some incredible scenes about food!

NJS: Where would you like to go to experience cuisine or learn new techniques?

Chief Beau Macmillan

I mean I put all my energy into just that one show!

NJS: You wouldn’t want to have that as your normal life, right? Most Chefs will probably do it a number of times and then they want to get back to creating, right?

Chef Beau: Yeah… and cooking! I mean it was fun, and I respect it, but I would just say: “don’t do it every week” (laughter). To me, I think you learn so much more about people by sharing stories over dinner, lunch or breakfast. Sharing food, sitting down at a table and eating with them. I just live for that. I actually love that idea for a show. I mean, get about ten people in, and just talk about the food and about the experience. I would want to watch that show! Have a guest chef come in to cook for them, talk about the food, the ingredients, talk about travel, writing, photography and about life.

NJS: I love that concept more than a “competition”. I tend not to watch reality tv shows because the humiliation and negativity of them disturbs me.

Chef Beau: I agree with you. I mean, nowadays people think of Chefs as being like Gods because of the competition shows- but I think, why do you have to make food intimidating? Why is it an “intimidating” thing rather than be celebratory. I mean everyone has a place and an emotional connection with food.

NJS: Speaking of emotional connections to food – do you have any favorite food-based movies or shows that you’d like to share with us?

Chef Beau: Absolutely! “Chef’s Table” a documentary is on Netflix. It’s great. It is my favorite. There are 12 episodes, each one featuring a Michelin or top rated chef from around the world and their perspectives from start to finish.

Fabulous. Also, Tanpopo is my favorite food movie. A young girl wants to become a Ramen

Chef Beau: Definitely Japan. I’d love to explore the whole Sushi culture directly at the source, the fish markets. Korea opened my eyes greatly. Also, I went and spent a week in Italy and did a truffle hunt with a local family, and cooked. It was a phenomenal experience. St. Barth’s…. I mean, l cooked onHotel a yacht Beverly Hills Lobby and went all over the Caribbean and the Virgin Islands for a year. Everywhere you go there’s a recipe, a tradition, an ingredient to learn about.

NJS: So if you were to go for a meal – your dream meal – maybe your last-ever meal. What would you choose?

Chef Beau: I would have to be sharing it with people I love, going back to my New England roots, it would probably be some fried clams, clam chowder, some steamers, and then to satisfy my Quebec grandmothers roots, a meat pie! I also love an unbelievably well-balanced Pasta dish – an Italian dish – truffles and Buratta, give me a great baguette, some great olive oil and some sea-salt and man, I’m happy! I mean I would seriously be gorging it out. I would just eat myself to death.

NJS: So basically you would explode after four hours. Do you have a favorite place to eat?

Chef Beau: New York. When I go to New York I feel ripped off, like I’m cheating myself, if I don’t force myself to have at least three meals every day. I need to have breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. It’s stressful and crazy. There is just so much good food.

NJS: Do you have a favorite place in New York?

Chef Beau: Eleven Madison Park, it is phenomenal. But my favourites are still the street foods – like in Boston I get the fried clam roll, the corn dog, the great pizza, I love going to the Spotted Pig and having an “speckled ham “or a burger. I believe we all have our own “flavour print”. When you look at people’s eating habits, it’s like a thumbprint. Food reaches us at every level and it’s always different, always personal.

NJS: Well Chef, I really appreciate you taking the time to sit and talk with me here at the Jade Bar at the Sanctuary. It’s been really fun getting to know you.

I truly hope we’ll have a chance to sample more of your excellent cuisine in the near future! _______________________________________ Elements restaurant is the signature restaurant at The Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa. It features farm-fresh American Cuisine with Asian accents presented by Chef Beau Macmillan. A wonderful, refined location to enjoy a delicious meal and enjoy extraordinary views of Paradise Valley.

Redefining An Icon: The Gritti Palace Continued from page 57

NOTEWORTHY DINING AND BAR: We slid into the warm, hushed interior of the Bar Longhi, catching sight of the perfect table at once.

The custom-designed Donghia tables were small enough to encourage intimate, tete-a-tete conversations, the armchairs, cozily clad in gorgeous Rubelli Brocatelle fabrics let you sort of snuggle into your seat, ready to sip your outrageously delicious cocktail of choice. Named, of course, for famed 18th-century painter Pietro Longhi, whose million dollar originals grace the walls, the space has obviously been designed to encourage the sorts of private conversations that often take place when alcohol is imbibed.

Impossibly chic, the magnum opus of the Bar Longhi is the actual bar itself, made from a stunning Baroque marble altar rail. Comfortably curved low-back stools in a Rubelli faux leather make sipping your hand-crafted martini of choice even more of a pleasure. I personally recommend trying the “Doge Gritti” made with Old Tom Gin, Carpano Antica Formula, Maraschino, Orange Bitter.

Bar Longhi

If you love the thought of sipping a martini al fresco, the Riva Terrace is beautifully appointed and is even open on chilly late-spring evenings.

Snuggled under the warmth of heaters, one can watch the gondola’s glide by and feel like a celebrity as tourists stare at you through the windows of the overcrowded Vaporetto’s that ply the canal. One cannot help but sit back and marvel at both the view and your surroundings Club del Doge Restaurant: Depending on the time of year you visit The Gritti Palace, you may be able to experience a once-in-a-lifetime dinner on the stunning Club del Doge Gritti Terrace, with a magical view of the Santa Maria della Salute shimmering across the canal. Dinner in the Club del Doge Restaurant simply cannot be missed.

With a soft golden glow emanating from the Venetian wall sconces, tender blooms and blossoms spilling from enormous bouquets, and sumptuous fabrics whose design was inspired by the lining of an 18th century Doge’s cape, the ambiance in this restaurant whispers of pure, unadulterated romance. Flickering candles reflect off the fragile decanter at your elbow, filled with Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, also known as “nectar of the Gods”. As it breathes silently, you peruse a menu comprised of some intriguing options, some traditionally “Venetian” in nature but presented with Executive Chef Daniele Turco’s motto: “To combine without ever covering up”. In Chef’s own words: “This means the singular flavors of the fish, meat or vegetables are presented with condiments and sauces surrounding them so guests can choose to merge them as they wish”.

I recommend the Seafood Ciccheti, a delightful selection of fresh delights and beautifully presented, followed by a delicious Beef Carving with potatoes, lettuce and a rich Bernese sauce.

Of course, you must have a dessert (or two???) because the Tiramisu is to die for and you simply have to experience Chef’s Chocolate Souffle.

Although it is neither a Lounge nor a Restaurant, “The Explorer’s Library” is a room you must not miss. Walking into this room will make you feel like you have time-travelled back through the centuries, especially with the enormous Titian painting of Il Doge Andrea Gritti himself peering down at you. Intriguing objets d’art are scattered throughout the room, the furniture is gorgeously comfortable with rich Rubelli fabrics, and there are even some vintage astrolabes and a handpicked assortment of books on discovery. It feels like you have magically been teleported back to Venice in the 1500’s and invited to relax in the gorgeous library in the home of dear friend.

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From the moment guests are met at the pier and escorted inside by the elegantly attired doorman they begin a total immersion into the romance and opulence of 15th Century Venice.

Perhaps the experience at the Gritti Palace is best summed up by the words of architectural icon Chuck Chewning who was responsible for the incredibly seamless refresh and restoration of this important Luxury Collection Property:

Guests are invited to take part in the Gritti Palace “Destination Discoveries Programs” which are specialty “Concierge Curated Experiences”.

Various intriguing topics and activities are covered, such as joining Head Concierge Giuliano Vibilio for a 30-minute immersion into the phenomenon of Venice’s “Acqua Alta” (High Waters) to learn about the exceptional tide peaks that flood the City of Venice on a periodical basis, or exclusive wine-tastings to learn about some of Italy’s finest wines and wine regions, lead by Head Sommelier Flaviano. Choose to try wines from the Tre Venezie collection, the vertical regional collection, an Italian selection & vintage or champagne and spumante selection. See the Gritti Palace website Concierge tab for the Destination Discoveries menu.

The Gritti Palace Epicurean School: Book a “Culinary Experience at the Gritti Epicurean School! Under the auspices of Executive Chef Daniele Turco who will share exceptional Venetian recipes with you, you can book a “Cook and Stay” package. The indigenous culinary experience features “demonstration classes and visits to the markets, themed courses and indulgent ingredients”. Classes and dinners are held in the gorgeous Epicurean Kitchen, a sublime space packed with top of the line appliance and ingredients to bring out the executive chef in everyone!

If you are lucky enough to be staying at The Gritti Palace from the 23rd of May 2016 onward, you can book their brand new “Riva Experience”, where you will journey through the northern and southern lagoons on the Gritti Palace’s gorgeous Motor Launch to discover the spirituality, traditions and the grand panorama that is Venice.

The Gritti Palace has been many things to Venice through the years; a private home to some of Italy’s most noble families, the residence of an eminent “Doge”, and now, as one of the most celebrated hotels in the “Luxury Collection brand.

“We wanted the parts to remain iconic—there’s a theater of entering and arrival that I wanted to keep. But we also wanted to create the illusion of visiting someone’s grand, beautiful home.”

Continued from page 71 Bridge Of Sighs Cells

* Begin at the lobby and stroll through the restaurant area, a beautifully designed indoor/outdoor space that celebrates the fresh vibrancy of the outdoors while still creating cozy, private areas for those who want to remain out of the public eye.

Stroll past tinkling fountains, cascading bougainvillea, coy garden angels hiding amongst tender garden blooms, and past the sparkling, circular pool, once the site of a riding ring for “Stone Canyon Stables” the original owner’s vision of the property. * Wind your way to the spa, a beautiful building surrounded by exotic vegetation and nestled into a back corner of the property for the ultimate in tranquility. As you go past, you should really duck inside and book an amazing treatment (see details under Dining and Spa section below). * Spend some time admiring the elegant Swans who float dreamily upon Swan Lake, consuming only organic greens that are fed to them each day.

They apparently turn up their beaks at anything but the best (they truly do belong here at the Bel-Air Hotel)! Follow the path across the little babbling brook that feeds Swan Lake and under the terribly romantic stone arch beneath the bridge, and meander past ducks who have paired off to raise families amongst the lush vegetation bordering the brook. It appears the air of romance has even affected the bird life here at Bel-Air.

You will find gorgeous tree specimens such as the enormous Silk Floss tree, gargantuan Ficus trees and all manner of palms, banana, orange and lemon trees around the property.

Swan Lake

Spend a fabulous afternoon indulging in the traditional “Afternoon Tea”, a “time honoured tradition for those with a love for this very civilized way of indulging themselves during the afternoon.

Wolfgang Puck offers savoury bites including Sourdough “Grilled Cheese” Sandwiches with Gruyere and Smoked Shallot Marmalade; Applewood Smoked Pork Belly “Wellington;” and for those with a sweet-tooth, a divine Grand Marnier “Cream Puff,” or fresh-baked Sour Cherry Scones with home-made preserves are to die for.

A variety of 15 loose-leaf teas include rooibos, honey bush, lemon grass and rosehips. Of note, guests can also choose the upscale “Royal Tea” option, which ups the ooh-la-la factor with a glass of Henriot ‘Souverain’ Brut for additional cost.

NOTABLE SPA:

* Stop off for a look-see in the Hotel’s gift store.

Stocked with a beautiful assortment of gorgeous items from around the world, it is also the perfect time to purchase a little something to bring back Bar Longhi as a memory of this beautiful hotel. If you are at all a little chilly (fall and winter can be surprising cool) or simply love the smell of a wood fire as I do, stop at the outdoor fire pit near the lobby where there is always a pile of freshly chopped wood to get things crackling. This is an especially lovely thing to do on a cool winter’s evening with a martini in hand. Just a suggestion. * Indulge in the Hotel Bel-Air’s famous “Sunday Brunch”. The Wolfgang Puck Restaurant at the Hotel Bel-Air is a destination unto itself for many of California’s biggest names. The very popular, almost legendary Sunday Brunch is suitably called “The Ultimate Sunday Brunch”. Why “The Ultimate”? Oh, let’s see – perhaps because this brunch includes a glass of champagne, and a choice of dishes such as “Macadamia Nut Waffles with Coconut Syrup” (oh my) or “Bananas Foster Ice Cream”, “Corned Beef Hash Cakes Benedict with Poached Organic Eggs and Sauce Hollandaise” (Ooh la-la!), “Old Fashioned Ricotta and Lemon Blintzes with Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote” or “French Sea Bass with Saffron Emulsion”. As if this is not “ultimate” enough, you can kick these amazing dishes up a notch with some imaginative variations of handcrafted Bloody Mary cocktails showcasing the best of California’s fresh ingredients from Chino Farms and local farmers markets. How about a “Bloody Carrot”, a healthy blend of carrot juice with horseradishinfused Ketel One Vodka and chili syrup! Spicy!

What about a “Bloody Maria” made with fresh jalapeno, Chamucos Blanco Tequila, and fresh basil?

La Prairie Spa’s are world-renowned for their luxurious massage and facials for those who love to treat themselves to the very best. See my Spa

by La Prairie review. The most recent property renovations saw the Hotel Bel-Air create a brand new 12,000 square foot building to showcase not only a new Spa encompassing 4,134 square feet, but also a new fitness studio and three unique Loft guestrooms with open floor plans, double sided fireplaces and dramatically high ceilings. The Spa is home to seven private treatment rooms and a private couples room with an outdoor patio for the two of you to relax post-massage. Now, as the Yoga and Wellness Lifestyle becomes a more and more important part of the luxury traveller’s lifestyle, the Dorchester Collection has cleverly started an initiative for those who endorse a healthy lifestyle. Both the Hotel Bel-Air and sister property The Beverly Hills Hotel offer “Balance Programs” in collaboration with Yada Yada Yoga; a collection of tailored wellness offerings for their hotel and La Prairie spa guests. Working one-onone with a team of fitness coaches and nutritional specialists, guests are offered half and full day programs, both indoors and al fresco, allowing guests to take advantage of each property’s unique features and lush grounds.

For those who love history and glamour, this property will give you ample opportunity to feel awestruck as you tread the paths that have been walked by so many of Hollywood’s greatest stars, from Grace Kelly, Cary Grant, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe to more current celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. For others who just want to feel like a celebrity, this is the place to channel your inner diva.

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Making Cruising Great Again with Viking Ocean Cruises Continued from page 79

There are plenty of drawers for your clothes, a comfortable living area beside the bed with a sofa and a chair for relaxing, a large cabinet houses the mini-bar and an ingeniously designed, lighted makeup area opens up from the top. A large flat-screen TV is above the dresser; the main closet (containing bath robes & slippers) has ample space for suits and dresses, and also conceals a safe. The bathroom has a surprisingly large shower; the vanity is well designed with enough room for cosmetics and toiletries in drawers, and excellent lighting. We would have been very comfortable in this suite for the entire ten day cruise, especially with the ample balcony with room enough for two chairs and a small table.

But a real New Jetsetters experience on Viking would not have been complete without a stay in the top-of-the-line Explorer’s Suite.

Last, but certainly not least – is the fabulous (huge!) bathroom. There is something decadently luxurious about having a bathtub on a cruise ship – perhaps because it is so rare, or perhaps because laying in your own bathtub and watching the world float by as the ship rocks gently is just such a sublime experience. The rain-shower and bathtub are located in their own glassed-in room, meaning the rest of the bathroom can be used by your partner when you bathe/shower. We also loved the heated towel racks, the double sinks, and the ample drawers for toiletries. All in all, a fabulous design.

Also included in the Explorer’s Suite category is 24-hour room service, free laundry, dry cleaning, shoe shine and pressing. This suite allowed for privileges such as an early check-in (11:00 AM) and three guaranteed priority dining reservations (to be booked three months before sailing).

The Viking Star Explorer’s Suite Anywhere from 767 to 1163 sq. ft, each Explorer’s Suite is a little different depending on the location.

Ours was at the stern, and on the corner, making it ultra-luxurious.

Envision opening your cabin door to find a spacious living room, complete with large sofa, two armchairs and coffee table, a dining room table large enough for four people, and a writing desk/mini bar and in-room coffee maker (which we love!) tucked into a niche. Sliding glass doors led to our wrap-around deck. Two comfortable reclining loungers and a table for two are perfect for those warm days at sea; there is nothing like the fresh ocean air to enhance a meal, be it breakfast, lunch or a romantic dinner in your cabin.

We found lovely extra-touches including in-suite binoculars, a bottle of Champagne, a large flatscreen interactive TV, and a cashmere blanket for sitting outside on chilly evenings as you toast to the adventures of the day.

There is more to this amazing Suite, however.

The bedroom is a dreamy retreat with a comfortable King bed with luxury linens, and a walk-in closet. A thoughtfully provided makeup area for the ladies is accessible in the closet as well, once again featuring a magnifying mirror and a drawer for jewellery and cosmetic items. Once again, because you are on the back corner, there are sliding patio doors to your wraparound deck, which features a very thoughtful built-in day-bed for those afternoon naps in the sunshine.

Viking Star Chiefs Table

Dining On Viking Star While the Viking Star is intimate and cozy, it does not lack for a decent choice of eating venues, including great room service for those times you feel like just being quiet. We sampled all six bars and six restaurants at least once, and we were very impressed with our two dinners in “The Restaurant”.

One evening I had an excellent steamed Lobster, sweet and tender. It is worth stating again that you do not pay extra on Viking for dining in their specialty restaurants. Although we had not make reservations, we never had a hard time getting a table for two. Service was friendly and attentive.

We also decided to buy the “Silver Package” which allowed us to drink premium liquor, wines and beer at will without having to keep a tally of how much we were spending on this.

We both agree that we probably did not get our money’s worth out of this as we do not drink a lot, but we appreciated that we could request top-shelf vodka’s and gin, and order the best wine available with our dinners.

We also were very pleased with the World Cafe buffet choices. The food was fresh and tasty, and there was ample variety for every taste. Desserts were excellent as well, and I have to admit I ate more than my fair share of ice cream on this trip.

When we did dine at the World Cafe (usually evening’s when we’d had a tour that day) we would take our plates out to the Aquavit Terrace where staff were extremely pleasant and attentive.

Final Thoughts This was a cruise experience that we would definitely love to have again, and I can’t really believe I’m saying this. We love what Viking has achieved; blending the best attributes of the large cruise liners (excellent choices in cabins, restaurants, tours) with those of the more intimate cruise liners (intimacy, personal service, quality of experience and food). We also like that the heritage and history of the Scandinavian lifestyle is celebrated. We loved seeing the displays of Viking history, the family recipes faithfully followed at Mamsen’s, and the focus on carefully curated native artwork lining the walls and the nod to Norse mythology with themes of nature, forests and sculptures. We especially loved the two ravens perched in the Wintergarden Tearoom, “Huggin and Muninn”, who symbolize the mythical God, Odin and represent his eyes on the world.

To be honest, we felt more like we were at an exclusive, intimate boutique hotel instead of being on a cruise ship – with the fabulous benefit of exploring a new port every day and sleeping blissfully in the rocking embrace of the ocean.

Viking Star’s Manfredi's

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet Continued from page 85

Viking Star ‘s The Restaurant

Viking Star ‘s Mamsen’s

Vegetables of every colour and size from Asparagus (white, of course) to carrots, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red cherry peppers and green peppers with cheese; speaking of cheese, just about every variety you could ask for seemed to be tucked in here and there on the brimming tables. Black olives, green olives, stuffed olives, oven-roasted beet-root and French beans. Fresh “Kaymak Clotted Cream” stood next to mounds of country-whipped butter, and an enormous display of whole Honeycomb, dripping with sticky gooey goodness, a basket of Turkish baked buns and various jams begging to unite in an explosion of deliciousness in your mouth.

Tables were beautifully dressed for the elegant crowd that would soon assemble; we went onto the adjoining terrace where hot items were being served with panache. air redolent with mouthwatering aromas. Chefs in tall white hats filled plates with morsels of chicken, beef and lamb, prawns, and their specialty, seasoned sausages.

Next to this was an enormous pasta station; what caught my eye was the beautifully displayed pasta itself.

The pasta had been dyed into pastel Easter shades, rolled into colourful circles and tucked into shallow drawers that delighted the eye. Bowls overflowed with every possible herb and vegetable you might desire to have added to your pasta dish; fchopped green onions, fresh peas, parsley, tomatoes, cheese, white onion, mushrooms – I could go on and on!

Later – much later – I made it to the dessert table.

I’m sure your imagination is at work now! Tarts and tartelettes, cobblers and cakes, pistachio-laden doughnuts, chocolate and almond-stuffed croissants, puddings in tall glasses with candy straws, mousses and whips, frostings and layers of sweet, creamy wonderfulness. Of course, brightly foil-wrapped easter eggs nestled on tables and added splashes of Easter colour .

Let’s just say we shall not ever forget this incredible brunch, made even better by the attentive kindness of the staff who went out of their way to seat us outside on the terrace at our request, even though it was quite a chilly day.

Steaming Turkish Coffee was made all the better when the staff insisted I try their traditional, amazing dessert consisting of a large biscuit, liberally laden with fresh churned country butter, a tablespoon of thick, strawberry jam, drizzled with honeycomb-fresh honey and heaped with heavy, clotted cream. I believed for a moment or two that I had died and gone to heaven.

We also enjoyed a fabulous traditional Anatolian dinner at Seasons prepared by talented Chef Savas Aydemir. This time we sat inside the main restaurant, a cozy, intimate space. Blending elements of his Turkish culinary heritage with locally sourced, seasonal produce, Chef produces some incredible regional specialities. Every bite was wonderful, from Homemade Salmon, Gravlax and Marinated Jumbo Prawns in a delish Cucumber Cream sauce with Mango Salsa and Baby Gem, the Vegetable Soup, a savoury treasure of spinach, carrot, potato and mushrooms to a Roasted Fillet of Salmon with sautéed celeriac, sweet scallion and pumpkin puree with lemon essence, shallot and wine sauce. Dessert was a gorgeous nut-laden Chocolate Sphere. This was a dinner we shall not soon forget.

The Lounge is beautiful; soaring ceilings and tall windows add a luminous light to the area by day, reflecting off the rich, egg-yolk walls. A piano adds character, as does the small, cozy bar tucked into the corner, glimmering chandeliers and original Turkish art on the walls.

A few steps up at the back you enter yet another appealing room. A high ceiling once again adds a tranquil airiness, the walls painted a robins-egg blue, makes this part of “The Lounge” feel like a drawing room in an elegant mansion. A large fireplace, tall windows draped in soft white sheers, dark furniture and a sofa and armchairs in rich brocade all add to the appeal of sipping a classy cocktail under a sparkling chandelier.

Sadly, the grand and exotic city of Istanbul and indeed Turkey itself is undergoing a stressful and terrible chapter in their history yet again. Recent terrorist attacks have rocked this beautiful country to its ancient core, causing tourists to cancel plans to travel in Turkey and stay away from major cities like Istanbul. Our hearts ache for the stress and strife being inflicted on these people; we found nothing but gentle smiles of welcome and a warmth and beauty of character while we were there. Although there such a short time, we feel a bond with the people we met, and the events that are unfolding in this part of the world seem much closer and more personal to us now.

This is a city, a country and a people who rely heavily on tourism for their living with the rich, historic beauty of its key architectural, natural and religious sights attract visitors from all over the world. With terrorism on the rise and the recent attempt at a coup by the Military to overtake the current Erdogan presidency, who knows what impact this will have on the future of Turkey. We do know a few things, though.

We do know that the people of Turkey are strong beyond belief. Turmoil and unrest is what made this country what it is today, and this generation has not forgotten what it takes to overcome situations that the rest of us in North America would never survive.

We do know that this short stay in Istanbul is one we will never, ever forget. We dearly hope that the unstable situation will right itself and people from all over the world will return with enthusiasm and interest to learn about this incredible country.

For those whose curiosity and desire to explore Turkey overwhelms the caution of others who would stay away, Istanbul is a city that envelops you in a warm embrace, imprinting the faces of her people, the mystery of her architecture, the sounds of her prayers and the vibrancy of her culture on your soul forever.

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