SUMMER 2022
THE JOY OF DISCOVERY
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IN THIS ISSUE 13 • Editor’s Letter
29 • Bay of Plenty
4 4 • The Greens Agenda
Time to reflect and ruminate
Checking in to a refurbished St Lucian gem: Sugar Bay,
New global golf happenings. By Tom Mackin
a Viceroy Resort. By FH Darafshian
15 • GHA Reports
48 • California Cool 33 • Time Travellers
From Chiang Mai to Shanghai, an update from Global Hotel Alliance. By Rob Crossan
Ten reasons why you should visit the Greater Palm Springs area, right now! By Nigel Tisdall
Watches for discerning globetrotters. By Chris Hall
20 • On Our Radar
38 • Charting a New Course
52 • Town and Country
A compilation of Ultratravel must-haves, must-dos and must-sees. By the Ultratravel editors
The ultra-luxe cruise ships that are sailing to a greener future. By Gary Buchanan
Which has the stronger pull – buzzing metropolis or rural idyll? By Mark Jones and Jon Burbage
54 • The Great Escape
62 • Back-Seat Driver
A lesser-known Mayan Riviera town that’s bursting with local charm. By Farhad Heydari
The new, all-electric BMW i7 is all about the passenger experience. By Will Hersey
SUMMER 2022 C OV E R P H OTO : A N A N TA R A B O P H U T KO H S A M U I R E S O R T
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Farhad Heydari Farhad@ultratravel.com @MrFarhadHeydari
CHAIRMAN Nick Perry Nick@ultratravel.com @MrNickPerry
SENIOR EDITOR Vicki Reeve
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Cowan
CONTRIBUTORS Gary Buchanan, Jon Burbage, Rob Crossan, FH Darafshian, Duncan Forgan, Chris Hall, Will Hersey, Mark Jones, Tom Mackin, Christina Makris, Nigel Tisdall
ultratravel.com
@Ultratravel
© 2022 Published by PGP Media Limited on behalf of UHC Cayman Holdings Limited, Northside House, Mount Pleasant, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN4 9EE, England, UK. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork submitted. The information contained in this publication is correct at the time of going to press. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or UHC Cayman Holdings Limited. Ultratravel is a registered trademark.
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EDITOR'S LETTER
SUN, SEA AND SAND DUNES The 15th green at the Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw-designed Te Arai South Course in New Zealand
Currently Cogitating
Farhad Heydari EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ultratravel
SUMMER 2022
We travel for many different reasons – to experience, to explore, to confront, to find ourselves, as well as new places, people and things. We also travel to discover – it’s the tagline of our title, after all – and to seek out the unexpected, around the corner, up a hill or down a valley, whether that’s in our usual whereabouts or in a faraway land. For some, the notion of perpetual movement – being aloft, at sea or gliding along on rails – is the impetus for ideas, for inspiration and for creativity, be it in a notebook, a sketchbook, on a canvas or on a backlit screen document that will herald the arrival of a great new enterprise. For others, summertime indolence breeds innovative concepts and ideas, germinated beneath cloudless skies as one ruminates and reflects on a poolside lounger,
beachside cabana or in a mountainside chalet. We hope that, wherever it finds you, this edition of – replete with dispatches, reports, round-ups and features that will enhance, improve and enlighten journeys already undertaken and those to come – will be a source of unhurried cogitation. And we hope you enjoy it. As for me, and in no particular order, I’ll be lighting up a few cigars, practising my short game, listening to the music of the Great American Songbook and chalking up the miles on open country roads, not only daydreaming about when I can get to New Zealand to play the spectacular golf course in the photo above but also working on the many new projects and initiatives we’ve dreamed up for you. Feel free to follow the journey on Instagram @MrFarhadHeydari
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We travel to discover and to seek out the unexpected, around the corner, up a hill or down a valley, in our usual whereabouts or in a faraway land
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HAU TE PROPERTIES PHOTO: ADAM PARKER
New openings and developments demonstrate how Global Hotel Alliance continues to evolve and expand. By Rob Crossan
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PREVIOUS PAGE: DOWNTOWN DELIGHTS
NEW HORIZONS
Iconic skyline views are standard at Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
Ocean’s Edge, a relaxed lounge bar at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort
TO THAI FOR
NH Collection Chiang Mai Ping River is the brand’s first property in Asia
Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam has its own pier on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal Canal
A
romatic street markets, golden-hued temples, elephants galore and a fully blossomed creative scene have long made Chiang Mai one of Thailand’s more irresistible draws. And the forthcoming opening of the NH Collection Chiang Mai Ping River (nh-hotels.com) only adds further allure to the beguiling city. Located on the picturesque bank of the Mae Ping River, this is the very first NH Collection property in Asia and it blends seamlessly into the verdant riverside landscape with its low-rise nest of 79 rooms and suites. Expect antique curios and lamps in the McGilvary Bar (named after the 19th-century American scholar who lived in the city 150 years ago), contemporary Thai art in the archway-shaped Ping Hill Gallery and a grassy campsite by the river, strewn with ancient maps and folding chairs. Over in Koh Samui, there are new pool suites at the Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort (anatara.com), a mere throw of a baht coin away from the demure Bophut’s Fisherman’s Village. The low-rise shingle retreats boast
PALATIAL SURROUNDINGS
Royal Suite with view of Dam Square at Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
views out over gently sashaying palms and a lily pond, as well as giving easy access to the Bill Bensley-designed Anantara Spa. The 5.5m x 2.6m plunge pools with shaded sundeck in a landscaped garden surrounding each suite are all imbued with warm earth tones and are perfectly dappled in that gorgeously honeyed Thai sunlight. The brand has been busy with new and novel debuts, paramount among them the opening of Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel (anantara.com). Located in the fulcrum of one of the Gulf’s most exciting cities, the hotel is within easy distance of Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Opera and the Museum of the Future. This is a city that rarely does things by halves and the property – with 252 rooms and suites, and an Anantara spa – is no exception. Another recent, highly anticipated opening in June was that of the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam (anantara.com). Overlooking Dam Square and the Royal Palace, the hotel has its own private pier for boats on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal Canal. The building itself is a captivating piece of historic Amsterdam, dating back to 1866 when Polish
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TURKEY SIZZLER
A restaurant and six new villas have been added to Kempinski Hotel The Dome Belek
CALM IN THE STORM
Head for The Sukothai, Shanghai’s new ZUK Bar for respite from the fast-paced city life
DEEP THINKING
tailor Adolph Wilhelm Krasnapolsky opened a humble coffee house on the site and slowly developed the building. Adolph’s legacy lives on in the hotel bar, called The Tailor. Fine-dining restaurant The White Room serves up the creations of Michelin-star chef Jacob Jan Boerma, while the Wintergarden is the scene for breakfast, served under a magnificent 19th-century glass roof. Meanwhile, over in Turkey, six new villas and a restaurant have augmented Kempinski Hotel The Dome Belek (kempinski.com), a property fêted by golfers and sybarites alike. Guests staying in the seriously smart three-bedroom Sultan Villas – think lake views, manicured lawns, palm trees and private pools that are heated in winter – have special access to Sofra by the Lake, where healthy yet utterly delicious salads, seafood, burgers and grills are in keeping with the Mediterranean vibe. Another GHA property introducing a new corner of beatific tranquillity is Shanghai’s Sukhothai (sukhothai.com), with its bucolic garden terrace and new ZUK Bar. Located in the heart of the Jing’an district, this is an intimate spot rich in innovative cocktails and Mediterranean-style small-plate dining. Bistro by day and bar by night, its chic, white and walnut-coloured furnishings, huge settees and views out over the leafy Weihai Road combine to create a winningly bucolic yet urban retreat. Try a ‘tea twist’ Jasmine Flower Fields or Himalayan Foothills cocktail followed by the bistro’s roasted bone in short ribs, garlic prawns, and napolitan rice salad rounded off with a ‘torta della nonna’ mascarpone ice cream and indulge in a well-earned break from one of the world’s fastest-moving cities.
ABOVE AND BEYOND
An aerial shot of the pristine Vakkaru Maldives
Nestled deep within the Baa Atoll, in the Unesco Biosphere Reserve, it’s no wonder that divers have long prized adventures in the reefs surrounding Vakkaru Maldives’ (vakkarumaldives.com) pristine environment. Now, you can plunge into the depths with pioneering ocean explorer and conservationist Oliver Steeds for company in a week-long immersive experience from 27 August to 2 September this year. Manta rays and sharks call the area home, and this tour gives visitors the chance to see them with Steeds, founder and mission director of Nekton, the sciencebased organisation that works to protect the seas. With workshops, cinema screenings and two expeditions, as well as sustainably sourced dinners and cocktail evenings, this is an ideal opportunity for all ages, with workshops for budding coral-reef scientists aged between seven and 15 at the resort’s Parrotfish and Coconut Clubs. It’s a unique chance to explore this atoll and learn about the vital marine conservation work taking place to help precious species continue to thrive in one of the most beautiful and fragile parts of the earth. As Steeds himself proclaims: “The ocean is the beating heart of our planet, it’s the most important part of the planet, but it’s the least known. There’s never been a more important time to explore the ocean.”
For more information or to join the programme for free, visit ghadiscovery.com or download the GHA DISCOVERY mobile app.
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With every harvest, new memories are planted.
FOREVER YOURS Our luxur y hotels around the world Bintan | Maldives | Mauritius | Tunis | Zanzibar
cenizaro.com
BA R N EC E S S I T I E S
Artfully Crafted Maison Hennessy’s Editions Rares are masterpieces of imaginative inventiveness, says Christina Makris Over its 257-year history, Maison Hennessy’s name has become synonymous with premium cognac, making it the market leader in more than 160 countries. The house’s unparalleled savoir-faire provides a solid foundation for developing its Editions Rares cognacs. These assemblages use the finest and rarest eaux-de-vie stored in the maison’s Founder’s Cellar in Cognac, where the oldest spirits date back to the early 19th century. The eaux-de-vie are selected for their unique expressions and are preserved over the years by Hennessy Master Blenders, who use them to create extraordinarily precious blends, such as the Richard Hennessy and Paradis cognacs. Aficionados enjoy bottled history in their glass, as these Editions Rares are released in very limited quantities, when each blender knows the time is right. The maison is currently on its eighth-generation Master Blender, Renaud Fillioux de Gironde. The Editions Rares are bottled works of art, but they also become celebrations when the maison collaborates with contemporary artists, designers and architects. The starchitect Frank Gehry designed a golddipped bronze decanter for the 150th anniversary of Hennessy XO in 2020. Earlier this year, to mark the NBA’s 75th anniversary, jewellery designer Lorenz Bäumer created a limited-edition Paradis decanter in the shape of a Baccarat crystal basketball; just 75 were made. This summer, the maison revealed its latest design in luxury decanters: a Dame Jeanne designed by French plumassière Nelly Saunier, exclusively on sale in the new Hennessy luxury editions boutique in Harrods. This surreal object of desire – there are only 10 in the world – draws on Saunier’s love of ornithology and how the natural world informs design. The decanter is decorated with feathers of the finest birds, including kingfisher and Abyssinian roller, and boldly demonstrates how nature and art come together, just as in the finest cognac. hennessy.com
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IN A G L A S S O F T HEIR OW N A quintet of the finest elixirs from distilleries of distinction
Angostura Zenith Aged in charred American oak casks, this blend of Angostura and Caroni rums ranging from 20 to 23 years old is limited to 195 bottles globally. angostura.com
The Dalmore 21-Year-Old Uniquely matured in exquisite 30-year-old Matusalem oloroso sherry casks, this elegantly refined release is another layered whisky from the Highland distillery. thedalmore.com
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Royal Salute Platinum Jubilee An intricately layered bespoke blend finished aptly in Tawny Port casks, commemorating wines served during a Coronation Banquet in 1953. royalsalute.com
The Macallan M Copper
Courvoisier Mizunara
A vibrant and elegant throwback expression and an ode to flavours created in stills of yesteryear by the renowned Speyside distillery. themacallan.com
Limited to just 500 bottles, this floral release by the famed cognac house is aged in barrels of the special so-named Japanese oak tree. courvoisier.com
U LT R A T R A V E L
SOURCE BOOK
P R E S E N T P E R FE C T A tip sheet of must-have novelties as compiled by Ultratravel editors
Wheels in motion Iconic British motorcycle brand Norton Motorcycles has debuted its highly anticipated and newly re-engineered V4SV: the most luxurious British superbike ever created. nortonmotorcycles.com
Book smart With more than 500 images, the third official volume in its eponymous series, The Millennium Watch Book focuses on the essential companion to the depths of the seas: the mechanical dive watch. the-watch-book.com
Twinkle stars Comprising 25 highly sought-after pieces, including this ring with yellow diamonds, the Peace of Mined collection by Boodles features a significant, fully traceable stone from the Cullinan Mine in each dazzling creation. boodles.com
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SOURCE BOOK
Gifts with purpose Inspired by oyster-regeneration projects that are helping to clean Britain’s coastal waters, the latest print from LOVE BRAND & Co is aptly dubbed ‘World is Your Oyster’. Featuring organic linen shirts with corozo-nut buttons and recycled-plastic trunks it’s the perfect punchy look for your next adventure. lovebrand.com
Take a bow Equipped with an optional electric hybrid system, enabling silent boating in marinas and sheltered coves, the Say 52 is the newest boat by SAY Carbon Yachts Marbella, the most technologically advanced manufacturer for carbon-built luxurious day boats. saycarbonyachts.com
Home front A trio of original floral rugs comprises the newest collection for Tai Ping, designed by Sam Baron for a unique installation at this year’s Fuorisalone in Milan entitled ‘Floræ Folium’. taipingcarpets.com
Top tee shirts Having firmly established itself at the pinnacle of premium golf-equipment manufacturers, PXG is now moving the needle in the world of golf fashion and beyond with its unique take courtesy of Renee Parsons, president and executive creative director of PXG Apparel. The women’s long-sleeve stripe mock neck (below left), made from ecofriendly material, features a back quarter zip, mesh side panels and plenty of performance benefits: UPF 50+ sun protection, two-way stretch and sunscreen resistance, to name a few. Contrast stripes give a sporty look to this game-ready shirt. For men, the intricately detailed athletic-fit short-sleeve bonded polo (right) features natural wrinkle release, four-way stretch and a textured fabric and collar placket detail that add sophistication and sharpness. pxg.com
Balm to the soul Born in Madurai and crafted in Grasse, LilaNur Parfums is India’s scented love letter to the world, bridging tradition with innovation in seven eaux de parfums and three Attar Absolu perfume oils expertly composed around India’s array of iconic flowers, spices, herbs and woods. lilanur.com
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O N T H E R A DA R
E FFE C T I V E A LT RUI S M Benevolence is back, as a trio of star-studded European events demonstrate
St Moritz Celebrity Golf Cup Following a two-year hiatus, a roster of elite former and active sportsmen and women, together with notables from the worlds of media, the arts and finance, gathered in the rarefied air of this legendary lakeside resort in June to play the great game in support of the Ryder Cup European Development Trust and to raise much-needed monies for the Klitschko Foundation. The festivities kicked off with a performance of the alphorn on the terrace of the rustic Italian restaurant Chesa Veglia, a farmhouse dating to 1658 that today purveys Italian pizzas and grilled specialities, where the captains of Team USA and Team Europe rallied their respective players, including Ultratravel editor Farhad Heydari, all under the watchful eye of event organiser and superwoman, Susan Smith Feaster.
Monaco Red Cross Ball Commemorating 40 years as its president, Prince Albert of Monaco welcomed donors and dignitaries to the 73rd Monaco Red Cross Ball this July and paid tribute to the tireless work that the organisation undertakes each year, supporting close to 58,000 people in the Principality and worldwide. A multicourse meal on the Terrasses du Soleil, between the majestic façade of Opéra Garnier Monte-Carlo and the Mediterranean Sea, was followed by a raffle of astounding prizes and a concert featuring the artist Alicia Keys. montecarlosbm.com
GIRL ON FIRE
Alicia Keys (above left and right) performed to a 2,200-strong crowd on the Place du Casino
SUMMER 2022
ALL SET
Beautifully dressed tables await diners on the Terrasses du Soleil
Prince Albert of Monaco welcomed donors and dignitaries to the 73rd Monaco Red Cross Ball 24
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O N T H E R A DA R
Boodles Boxing Ball
SWING TIME
Returning for the first time in three years, the eagerly anticipated eighth iteration of this high-society London event drew together a host of high-profile celebrity guests, all of whom had come together to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause: Hope and Homes for Children. In all, £1m was raised for the charity, which works to close harmful overseas orphanages by supporting children to live with loving families, by preventing family breakdown and by establishing foster networks. Guests feasted on a dinner created by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, which was followed by a moving performance from Calum Scott and five amateur boxing matches. A total of £2.5m had already been raised for the charity over the previous seven Boodles Boxing Balls. boodles.com; hopeandhomes.org
From far left to right: Susan Smith Feaster, president of St Moritz US Celebrity Golf Cup; captains Ian Randell (Europe) and Jerry King (USA); alphorn players; Farhad Heydari (Team USA and Ultratravel editor)
Over the course of the following two days, golfers of all abilities tackled the fairways and greens of ZuozMadulain and Samedan, the pair of courses that comprise Engadine Golf Club, Switzerland’s oldest, for a competition that was anchored by conviviality and centred on boundless generosity. Each day would be interposed with music-filled barbecues, decadent lunches and a multitude of happenings as the crepuscular light descended. At the event finale, a black-tie awards gala, 100,000CHF was raised at auction to benefit children in war-torn Ukraine and featured a moving speech by the former Heavyweight Boxing World Champion Wladimir Klitschko. It was a night many won’t soon forget. stmoritzcelebritycup.com
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOXING
Guests at the Boodles Boxing Ball at Old Billingsgate, including Rachel Stevens (below left) and Gary Lineker (bottom right), helped raise £1m for Hope and Homes for Children
PAG E T U R NE R
Beard was the original 20thcentury enfant terrible: an adventurer and a bon viveur Wild: The Life of Peter Beard He counted Jackie Onassis, Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon among his friends. Yet when Peter Beard died in 2020 after mysteriously disappearing from his Montauk, Long Island, New York home, he remained an enigma to even his closest friends. Now, journalist and author Graham Boynton, who was Beard’s friend for more than 30 years, has written, says Tina Brown, “a riveting portrait of a man of adventure”, which is sure to become a must-read. Out on 11 October (available for pre-order). macmillan.com
SUMMER 2022
Guests feasted on a dinner created by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge 25
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O N T H E R A DA R
M O U N TA IN HIG H An ancient pilgrimage route has been painstakingly restored and newly unveiled in a fêted Himalayan Kingdom. Duncan Forgan reports
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n legend-rich Bhutan shapeshifting deities are reputed to flit between remote locations by transforming into birds, tigers or spirits. Earthly beings, though, have always had to content themselves with traditional modes of travel. And for centuries — before the advent of paved roads — the easiest way to traverse the country between its eastern and western extremities was via the Trans Bhutan Trail. Twisting between dramatic Himalayan valleys and isolated communities, the trail helped unite the tiny Buddhist kingdoms that eventually led to the birth of Bhutan. And the ancient route of pilgrimage and trade is forging new connections in the country after reopening in March. The trail, which extends for over 400km between Haa in the west and Trashigang in the east, fell into disrepair as Bhutan introduced roads. Now it has been painstakingly restored and reimagined as an outdoor adventure through the world’s first carbon-negative country. The Royal Government of Bhutan, the Tourism Council of Bhutan and the Bhutan Canada Foundation combined forces to oversee the restoration of 18 major bridges, 10,000 stairs and hundreds of miles of pathways. Travellers can hike, bike or camp along the entirety of the trail or its choicest sections: joining dots between stunning mountain vistas, mighty fortresses and remote monasteries. Unfortunately, a shapeshifting option is unavailable, but it promises to be an otherworldly travel experience nonetheless. transbhutantrail.com
The trail, which extends for over 400km between Haa in the west and Trashigang in the east, fell into disrepair as Bhutan introduced roads SUMMER 2022
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CARIBBEAN QUEEN
Bay of Plenty Restored to its former glory, Sugar Beach more than matches the most spectacular of Caribbean surrounds, says FH Darafshian
LIFE IS SWEET
Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort, lies between St Lucia’s famous Pitons
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F
ar too often, words like ‘dramatic’ and ‘picturesque’ are appended to travel dispatches when such language is either extraneous or simply exaggerated. But not here, not
as one descends a steep valley on a series of switchbacks beneath a drenched tropical canopy between – and in the shadow, quite literally, of – St Lucia’s vertiginous Gros and Petit Pitons. The two lush peaks, guardians and symbols of this verdant West Indies island, loom large and flank a cobalt bay where a crescent of sand shoulders the former Jalousie Plantation. While the volcanic spires and the waterside setting remain as timeless and eye-catching as ever, this 18th-century sugar mill, situated amid 40 rainforested hectares, recently benefited from a three-year, $100m-plus rebuild and is now dubbed Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort. Gone are the wicker chairs, stuffy oversized furnishings and omnipresent buff colourscape that was
BELOW
Grand Beachfront accommodation has an airy, contemporary feel
predominant previously, replaced by clean, contemporary cabana-style trappings that give the entire property an of-the-moment feel. Accommodations now comprise a community of 80 ingeniously constructed whitewashed wooden houses, situated behind pristine picket fences which either rise up into the rainforest or are staggered down the hillside and onto the seashore where four one-bedroom beachfront bungalows have been newly created, as well as five luxury cottages. Each of these, together with another 11 revamped rooms, with either sizable terraces or private walled gardens just steps from the new-look pool, are accessorised with four-poster beds, freestanding baths and plunge pools. But, for the ultimate in solitude, nothing surpasses the 25 multi-bedroomed private residences, each with panoramas of the Caribbean and the Unesco-protected peaks, which frame every view.
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CARIBBEAN QUEEN
LEFT AND BELOW
The palm-fringed, beachside main pool at Sugar Beach has recently been refreshed
The hub of the property is the former plantation house in which public spaces are commodious and colonial in style, and where the hotel organises a bevy of culinary activities – the rum and chocolate tasting, which you can work off in the new gym pavilion afterwards, is highly recommended, as is grazing the themed buffets with live cooking stations where there are plentiful menu options for younger palates and enough variety to keep most guests happy and well fed. For the more somnolent, there is the 876sq m Rainforest Spa, which comprises seven thatched, treehouse-style gazebos beneath the natural parasol on the valley floor. Connected by raised wooden walkways, they are the perfect setting for an endless list of welcome and restorative treatments that, after the innumerable watersports diversions, as well as a multitude of classes (be they aerobics, yoga or Pilates), offer welcome respite
ABOVE
Inside one of the new private poolside cabanas BELOW
The Great Room restaurant, where regional fare is served
– very much like one’s arrival at this now rousing coastal retreat. sugarbeachviceroy.com
OVER AND ABOVE
A bird’s-eye view of Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort
SUMMER 2022
Sugar Beach’s clean, contemporary cabana-style trappings give the entire property an of-the-moment feel 31
U LT R A T R A V E L
The world’s most exclusive hotels, resorts and palaces. Now in one collection.
Patina Maldives, Fari Islands
Close your eyes and imagine your paradise. What do you see? A heritage-filled city … an aquatic escape … a treetop hideaway … an alpine retreat? Whatever your dream, it's waiting for you inside Ultratravel Collection, an elite circle of GHA DISCOVERY hotels for visionary travellers. When you stay at any Ultratravel Collection hotel, you can rest assured you’re enjoying a level of luxury that goes beyond thread counts. Breathtaking surroundings. Location-inspired dining, spa and leisure. Insider access to local culture. Timeless elegance and attention to detail. All with GHA DISCOVERY's generous benefits and rewards. You've seen the world, yes. But have you seen it like this? Explore Ultratravel Collection today and find your paradise.
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UP TO THE MINUTE
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TIME T R AV EL L ER S A sextet of new watches that are the 1 Grand Seiko SBGE275 GMT watch with textured dial resembling snow
SUMMER 2022
epitome of quality for the refined globetrotter, outlined by Chris Hall
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he Rolex GMT-Master first entered the world in 1955, as a direct response to the needs of Pan Am pilots who (mistakenly, it turned out) thought that maintaining some kind of awareness of the time at both their origin and destination would help combat the thennew phenomenon of jet lag. It has gone on to become one of the most enduringly popular designs, even by Rolex’s high standards, attracting nicknames as colourful as its two-tone bezels and a cult following far beyond that of other aviationinspired timepieces. At such a fundamentally conservative watchmaker, it has stood out in the past as home to less conventional ideas, such as the pairing of an ostensibly toolish watch with only the fancier ‘Jubilee’ bracelet in 2018. In Geneva, at this year’s Watches and Wonders annual horological jamboree, it was the GMT-Master II that stole the show, thanks to Rolex’s completely unexpected decision to launch a left-handed version (ie, one to be worn on the right wrist, hence the misleading ‘destro’ nickname attached to such watches). Combined with an of-the-moment green and black ceramic bezel, it shot to the top of wish lists and provoked endless passion across social media. It is just one, however, of a veritable fleet of travel-time watches to have launched this year. Despite the watch industry’s long lead times, you cannot escape the sense that this was no accident, as the planet finally emerged from the grip of lockdown. Rolex’s sister brand Tudor was not going to be left behind, launching the Black Bay Pro, a 39mm stainless-steel model that drew comparisons to a much-loved Rolex of yesteryear, the reference 1655 Explorer II, thanks to its backto-basics fixed steel bezel and yellow GMT hand. It’s hard to criticise Tudor for emulating such a successful look, however. And no one has a monopoly on the concept of a differently coloured central hand for the second time zone – something Grand Seiko has developed to great effect over the years. It bolstered its range with no fewer than seven GMT-equipped watches, the pick of which is reference SBGE275, with a dial textured to resemble melting snow on Japan’s central mountains. The complication has been a mainstay at Grand Seiko for some years but the recent designs, which include a two-tone bezel, bring it to the fore. Meanwhile, at Montblanc, the launch of the 1858 GMT Automatic Date came as part of a bigger shift towards adventure and activity (the brand also launched its first dive-watch collection), and eschewed the typical third hand for a peripheral ring indicator, which shows the second time
zone with a rotating red segment – a neat, restrained solution that maintains the clarity of the main timekeeping hands. But perhaps you’re looking for a more upmarket travel watch – something that can’t be faulted for legibility or wearability, but which plays in more refined waters. Enter the Patek Philippe reference 5326G, a stunning fusion of Patek’s usual finery (a hand-finished micro-rotor movement; the case with its tiny hobnail pattern all along the sides) with an unexpected aesthetic led by the grainy, charcoal-coloured dial and sandy nubuck strap that echoes the beige hands and numerals. Intended to evoke vintage camera bodies, there’s a powerful sense of nostalgia running through it, resulting in a watch that’s about as utilitarian as a Patek Philippe ever can
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be, without compromising on the quality of the finished item. Perhaps, though, we should save the last word for Hermès, whose Arceau Le Temps Voyageur elevates the concept of globetrotter watchmaking to whimsical new levels. Present are the signature elements of a world-time watch – a ring of cities, a map of the world – but you’ll soon notice it’s not our world, rather a fictional, equestrian-inspired land. And the time itself is displayed on a miniature dial – so far, nothing too surprising, but then you go to adjust the time zone and realise that this entire dial rotates as the hours pass, describing a full transit of this imaginary chart every 24 hours. Now that’s a watch to make you fall in love with the idea of travel all over again.
2 ROLEX GMT-Master II in steel with crown on the left and green and black ceramic bezel 3 TUDOR Black Bay Pro in steel with black fabric strap with yellow band
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PHOTOS: ©JOEL VON ALLMEN
The GMT-Master II stole the show, thanks to Rolex’s decision to launch a left-handed version 34
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UP TO THE MINUTE
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4 PATEK PHILIPPE Ref 5326G in white gold with anthracitecoloured dial inspired by vintage cameras
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5 HERMÈS Arceau Le Temps Voyageur in steel with fantasy map with equestrian theme
The Arceau Le Temps Voyageur by Hermès elevates the concept of globetrotter watchmaking to whimsical new levels
6 MONTBLANC 1858 GMT Automatic Date in steel with red square indicating second time zone
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Australia • Bangladesh • Canada • China • Indonesia • Japan • Malaysia • Myanmar • Singapore • Thailand • United Kingdom • United States • Vietnam
A luxuriant haven in the city where you set your own pace 80 HOUNDSDITCH, LONDON, EC3A 7AB PANPACIFICLONDON.COM
GREEN PASTURES
Explora I is the first of MSC Cruises’ ultra-luxe ships; the brand has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
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AT S E A
CH A RTING A NEW COURSE PHOTO: SILVERSEA
All aboard the vessels that are cruising to a greener future. Gary Buchanan reports
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AT S E A
OCEAN COLOUR GREEN
Debuting next summer, Silver Nova will be the world’s first low-emissions ‘multi-hybrid’ cruise ship
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rue luxury and sustainability may not appear the most likely bedfellows, but some seriously stylish cruise ships are meeting the challenge of an ecologically sound future head-on. In an industry that was once a lightning rod for disquiet around the environmental impacts of travel, recent breakthroughs have resulted in ships forging a trail to decarbonisation. Spearheading the quest for a zero-emission future is Silversea Cruises (silversea.com), whose forthcoming ship Silver Nova, is set to become the world’s first ‘multi-hybrid’ ship when it debuts next summer. While several expeditionstyle cruise lines have devised eco-friendly technologies, Silversea is unrivalled with its notion of a triple hybrid fuel system, an ingenious technology that underscores the company’s commitment to a cleaner maritime ecosystem. Far from greenwashing, this cutting-edge concept is at the vanguard of the pursuit of sustainable fuels and alternative propulsion systems. The largest ship in the Silversea fleet, the new 728-guest Silver Nova’s trio of sustainable power sources comprises a fuel cell system, battery technology to optimise the ship’s propulsion mechanisms, as well as dual
forefront of the creators of Explora Journeys (explorajourneys. com), a new ultra-luxury brand from MSC Cruises – the fourth-largest cruise company in the world. Set to launch operations in the Mediterranean next May, the 922-guest Explora I will be a lodestar of luxury. Two billion euros have been committed to building the four ships that will comprise the initial fleet. Even before the ink was dry on the contract, Explora Journeys announced the construction of a further duo of even more innovative ships. Explora V and VI, slated for delivery in 2027 and 2028, will be fitted with a newgeneration powerplant that will enable the vessels to burn liquid hydrogen. The design of Explora I through IV incorporates provision for battery storage to allow future hybrid-power generation,
as well as the latest selective catalytic reduction technology, which will enable a 90 per cent reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions. The vessels will be powered by marine gas oil with a sulphur content of less than 0.1 per cent, thus complying with MSC Cruises’ pledge to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Created for devotees of leisure and exploration, the vessels’ onboard ambience will be that of a luxurious grand European hotel with a residential vibe – with 461 cabins and staterooms and no fewer than nine distinct culinary experiences, plus a trio of swimming pools and 64 private cabanas on deck. Equally punctilious in its endeavour for carbon neutrality is Ponant (ponant.com), the foremost Frenchregistered cruise company. Specialising in mapping voyages
MAKING WAVES
An indoor pool on board the 922-guest Explora I
fuel engines, principally using liquefied natural gas – the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel currently available. The LNG will be reformed to create hydrogen for the fuel cells which will supplement the power supply and allow the main engines to be switched off in port. Combined with multiple energy-efficient technologies, these pillars of sustainability will achieve a 40 per cent overall reduction in the ship’s greenhouse-gas emissions. The imaginative design also includes technical adaptability in anticipation for the next generation of sustainable propulsion options such as net-zero fuels. “Sustainability without compromise is a cornerstone of our vision,” says Silversea Cruises’ CEO Roberto Martinoli. “We are part of Royal Caribbean Group, whose aim is to have a net-carbon-neutral ship by 2035, with the ultimate goal of a net-carbon-neutral fleet by 2050.” The path to net-zero carbon emissions is also at the
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Experience
SUITE MOMENTS
LO N D O N | B U DA PE S T | S T PE T E R S B U R G | L I S B O N | M A LTA | PR AG U E | K H A R TO U M | T R I P O L I F U T U R E O PE N I N GS: N E W YO R K | R O M E | B R U S S E L S | B U C H A R E S T | M A LTA | D O H A
CO R I N T H I A .CO M
AT S E A
to sea lanes less travelled, the company’s six sleek ‘Ponant Explorer’ superyachts convey just 184 guests and exude oodles of French élan. Ponant’s ethos is “the more technologically advanced the equipment, the less it pollutes”. The pursuit of reduced emissions has been achieved by eliminating the use of heavy fuel oil in favour of LNG and biofuels whenever they’re available. By activating the ship’s catalytic converter, the nitrogen oxide emission rate is reduced by a factor of four. Ponant is the only company in the world to adopt this measure. And the 245-guest Le Commandant Charcot is the first LNG-powered hybrid electric ship. As the world’s only passenger vessel with an ice-breaking hull, it follows in the footsteps of Polar Explorers. Also imbued with pioneering spirit, Hurtigruten (hurtigruten.com) has been navigating Norway’s coastline since 1893. More recently, its expedition ships set the compass towards Polar regions. Named after heroes of the golden age of exploration and with a revolutionary raked
Ponant’s ethos is ‘the more technologically advanced the equipment, the less it pollutes’
PHOTO: OLIVER CORET
PHOTO: PONANT-NICK RAINS
bow, Roald Amundsen and sister ship Fridtjof Nansen are charting a course not just off the beaten map but to the outermost reaches of charted tracks. Both 500-passenger vessels operate mostly on liquefied natural gas; however, for up to 60 minutes at a time, they can switch to battery power. This allows passengers to enjoy captivating natural scenery in silence. This groundbreaking technology not only reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 20 per cent, the ships also use less gas oil. The company is also considering a range of new, green fuel options, including biofuels made from organic waste. All of which means that the next time you step aboard, you can enjoy your voyage knowing that the conveyance of choice is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also doing its utmost to respect and protect the natural world for future generations.
PIONEERING PONANT
This picture: Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot is the first LNG-powered hybrid electric ship. Above left: a sauna with a view aboard a Ponant Explorer
POWERING AHEAD
PHOTO: ANDREA_KLAUSSNER
Hurtigruten’s MS Roald Amundsen can switch to battery power for up to an hour
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WHEN THEY ASK WHERE YOU’RE FROM. THE WORLD Each day aboard The World, you awaken in the most remarkable home you will ever own. As one of the few international adventurers who live this incomparable lifestyle, you explore each continent and sail every sea surrounded by unrivaled anticipatory luxury service on the planet’s largest private residential yacht.
Learn more about ownership opportunities. aboardtheworld.com | +44 20 7572 1231
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GAME PLAN
The Greens Agenda Teeing off in New Zealand, Tom Mackin recces six of the world’s newest destination golf courses
HIGH HOPES
Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore’s course at Point Hardy Golf Club will open for preview play later this year at the Cabot Saint Lucia development
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GAME PLAN
BUNKER BEAUTY
The 17th green at Coore & Crenshaw’s Te Arai South Course in New Zealand
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f anything beats the anticipation of standing on the first tee with an unblemished scorecard, it may be doing just that on a brand-new course. With golf booming more than ever, it’s no coincidence that worthwhile layouts of various lengths continue to appear on the golf destination radar. On two islands some 8,600 miles (c13,840km) apart from each other, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have crafted a pair of stunning new courses. At Te Arai Golf Links (tearai.com) a 90-minute drive north of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island, those design-company partners maximised a seafront location to create a dazzling routing on the South Course, with eight holes along the water and 16 overall with views of the Pacific Ocean. During its first year of operation, tee times will be available only to members and visitors who stay in one of 48 on-site suites. “At Te Arai Links we have been given a great gift, a uniquely special site for golf, comprised of sand dunes and landforms sculpted by the wind, adjacent to the sea,” Coore has said. The views are expected to rival – and perhaps surpass, in some instances – those found at Tara Iti, the nearby private club that’s home to a spectacular Tom Doakdesigned course. Both courses at Te Arai Links will be open for public play. That’s right, there will be two courses: in addition to the South Course opening this October,
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‘Te Arai Links comprises sand dunes and landforms sculpted by the wind, adjacent to the sea’ construction has begun on a Doak-designed North Course, which is scheduled to open in October 2023. On the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, the artistry of the Coore/Crenshaw duo will be on display at Point Hardy Golf Club (cabotsaintlucia.com) with a routing that flows around a 375-acre (152-hectare) peninsula on the island’s northern edge. “The oceanside stretches to close each nine will likely be most discussed, and I think the closing stretch of 14-18 is as strong as any I have seen, but the other nine holes all have views of the water and some of those continue to be favourites among all who have toured, including Bill and Ben!” said Ben Cowan-Dewar, co-founder and CEO of The Cabot Collection, which includes the much acclaimed Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Point Hardy
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is a centrepiece of the Cabot Saint Lucia development, which will include luxury accommodations for members and guests, including hillside townhomes, single-family homes and customisable beachfront lots. The course opens for preview play in late 2022 before a grand opening in early 2023. While a decidedly less exotic destination, Nebraska can still claim endless miles of superb potential golfcourse topography, as epitomised by the iconic Sand Hills Golf Club located in the heart of the state. Other notable layouts have followed since that famed private club debuted in 1994, the latest being Landmand Golf Club (landmandgc.com) a public facility located in rural Homer, Nebraska, just southwest of Sioux City, Iowa. Built and designed by Tad King and Rob Collins, creators of the highly regarded nine-hole Sweetens Cove Golf Club in Tennessee, the course moves its way up, down and over a sprawling 580 acres (235 hectares) of former farmland, with an estimated two million cubic yards (1.53 cubic metres) of dirt moved during construction. The massive scale is reflected in the design, with a handful of massive greens: at 30,340sq ft (2,819sq m), the multi-tiered 17th green falls squarely in the must-see-it-to-believe-it category. Anticipation is high that the course will immediately acquire coveted
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RENOVATION PROJECT
PHOTO: BRIAN OAR
Left: the 16th at Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club in St George, Utah
worthy journey status. “Right now, I multiply the feeling I had early on in my gut about Sweetens by about 1,000x, and that’s how I feel about Landmand,” Collins wrote on his company’s website. St George, Utah, is better known as a base to visit national parks such as Zion, Bryce Canyon and even the Grand Canyon in neighbouring Arizona, but it’s also becoming a golf destination. Two new reasons to stop by involve golf. The first is found at Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club (golfentrada.com), which completed a thorough renovation by David McLay Kidd earlier this year. The work touched every aspect of the course, originally designed by Johnny Miller in the 1990s, all the way down to the tee markers. A number of template greens were created (such as the Biarritz on the par-3 12th and a Punchbowl on the par-5 16th), while a trio of holes set in a lava field on the back nine were made much more playable, a theme found throughout the course. Although part of a private club, guests staying at the on-site Inn at Entrada can also play the course. For Kidd, it was a chance to satisfy his ongoing curiosity about elevating one of the many courses that came online during a building boom throughout the US in the 1990s. “Can you take all that effort into those courses built then and change those into something better than they are? Is there untapped potential?” he said. “Entrada was a poster child for that. Beautiful landscape. The routing was OK, but not great. Behind the scenes some of my peers were asking why I was thinking about
I’ve yet to see a place as unique as this.” More than half the holes will be pure golf without any development, but the property will eventually feature a hotel, residences, spa and commercial space. In the Scottish Highlands, Castle Stuart Golf Links is being rechristened as Cabot Highlands (cabothighlands. com/golf) after being acquired this past June by Cabot, a Canada-based developer of golf-resort communities led by Ben Cowan-Dewar. While a new Tom Doak-designed course is slated to debut on the property in 2024 ( joining the highly regarded original course by late owner Mark Parsinen and Gil Hanse), a nine-hole short course is currently open for preview play with a grand opening planned for 2023. Co-designed by Parsinen and general manager Stuart McColm, the layout measures 765 yards in total without a single bunker. It’s currently open only to those playing the main course on the same day, making for a very memorable 27 holes. “The layout takes you in to Punchbowls and out to infinity-edge greens where shot-making imagination is required at all times,” said McColm. “Continuing the Mark Parsinen design ethos, this is fascinatingly fun, endlessly enjoyable, utterly unique in its concept and a great way to start or finish your Castle Stuart experience.” DESERT ROSE
Above: stunning Utah lava fields are home to Black Desert Resort
that. I wanted to find out what would happen. Why not? If the club let me take it on as a raw site, I could make it something much better.” Mission accomplished. The second area attraction is a brand-new course at Black Desert Resort (blackdesertresort.com), a collaboration between Tom Weiskopf and Phil Smith. Every hole has a lava-rock feature adjacent to it, remnants left behind by volcanoes dating back more than a few millennia. That’s the prime reason for generous fairways, ranging from 45 to 60 yards wide in some landing areas (afternoon winds also played a factor in that design element). “The Black Desert lava fields are reminiscent of the most beautiful courses in Hawaii combined with distant views only rivalled by the red-rock region of Sedona, Arizona,” said Smith. “This canvas will set the scene for one of the most visually stunning golf courses I have ever been involved with. In my 33 years as a golf-course architect,
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NEBRASKA MASSIVE
Landmand Golf Club, designed by Tad King and Rob Collins, is huge in scale
GREAT SCOT
Left: the bunkerfree short course at Cabot Highlands
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California cool Ten reasons why Greater Palm Springs should be on every Ultraveller’s wish list. By Nigel Tisdall
2 MOVIE STARS The city of Palm Springs became famous due to a Hollywood rule that required actors to stay within two hours of its studios – and this was as far as they could get away. Elvis honeymooned here, Sinatra built a pool shaped like a grand piano, Walt Disney played polo, and everyone dined at old-school Melvyn’s (inglesideinn.com), which still serves a superlative steak Diane. Expect a wave of nostalgia when the 1950s-era thriller Don’t Worry Darling (dontworrydarling.movie), which was filmed here and stars Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, is released on 23 September.
VINTAGE CHARM
Above: Palm Springs is mecca for midcentury modern fans MOVIE NIGHT
Right: follow Hollywood royalty and dine at the legendary Melvyn’s restaurant
PHOTO: CHRIS MILLER, D.TINDIO
1 ETERNAL SUNSHINE Some 100 miles east of Los Angeles, the Coachella Valley is a stark desert edged with lofty mountains that has blossomed into a paradise of palms, pools and partying. Four of the nine cities that make up Greater Palm Springs (visitgreaterpalmsprings.com) are less than 50 years old. Blue skies, year-round sunshine, midcentury glamour and liberal attitudes make good times almost guaranteed.
MAKING WAVES
Below: Palm Springs Surf Club, opening early next year, will cater to beginners and pro surfers alike
3 MIDCENTURY MAGIC In the 1950s and 1960s Palm Springs became a focus for desert-inspired modernist architecture that today sees fans swooning over a sun-kissed world of yuccas, canasta, vintage automobiles and orange lipstick. The adulation peaks during Modernism Week (modernismweek.com), held in October and February, but there are also guided and
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PA L M S P R I N G S
HIS KIND OF TOWN
This picture: Sinatra House, with its piano-shaped pool AESTHETIC APPEAL
Far right: The E Stewart Williams-designed Palm Springs Art Museum
pays homage to fashion photographer Cecil Beaton, serves a celebrated Fifty Dollar Martini that features hand-crafted Jean-Charles Boisset vodka and a caviartopped devilled egg. 7 PARTY BY THE POOL Pack your best swimwear – there are more than 50,000 pools in the Coachella Valley and, for many, they’re the stars of the show. Weekenders driving up from LA and San Diego spend hours in them drinking and chatting while the big resorts roll out the DJs and fire pits. There’s even an app, Swimply (swimply.com), via which you can rent a private pool by the hour. Surf resorts will be the next big thing, with three wave pools in the planning, including Coral Mountain in La Quinta, backed by champion pro Kelly Slater.
HEAD FOR HEIGHTS
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway travels up to Mount San Jacinto State Park
drive-yourself tours. Plan your fun at the triangular-roofed 1965 Tramway Gas Station, now the Palm Springs Visitor Center (visitpalmsprings.com). 4 SPORTY TIMES Tennis led the way with stars such as Lucille Ball and Kirk Douglas hanging out at the Racquet Club in Palm Springs where a 22-year-old Marilyn Monroe was discovered in 1948. Now some 400,000 fans flock to the BNP Paribas Open (bnpparibasopen.com) held in Indian Wells every March. Golf took off in the 1950s, centred on the Thunderbird Country Club. Today there are more than 100 courses along with – well, this is California – the National Museum of Golf Cars in La Quinta (cartmart.com). 5 WORLD-CLASS ART
HIKING COUNTRY
Joshua Tree National Park is about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs
The 48,000 residents of Palm Springs are super-proud their hometown boasts a top-notch art museum worthy of any major city. Opened in 1976 in a masterpiece building by E Stewart Williams, Palm Springs Art Museum (psmuseum.org) features works by Henry Moore, Andy Warhol and Anish Kapoor, with a companion outpost devoted to design and architecture. And, of course, the people-watching is fab… 6 COCKTAILS GALORE You won’t go thirsty in this desert thanks to an undying devotion to happy hours, fine Californian wine and dimly lit, speakeasy-style bars. Cocktail connoisseurs should seek out Truss & Twine (trussandtwine.com) to savour its formidable sugar-rimmed Brandy Crusta (cognac, curaçao, maraschino), while Bar Cecil (barcecil.com), which
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8 TAKE A HIKE Built in 1963, Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (pstramway. com) whisks passengers to 8,516 feet (almost 2,600 metres) in an exhilarating 10-minute, 2.5 mile (4km) ascent. Up in Mount San Jacinto State Park the air is cooler, the views over the valley spectacular and winding trails lead into enchanting pine forests. There’s more rewarding walking amid the magnificent fan palms of Indian Canyons (indian-canyons.com) and in Joshua Tree National Park (nps.gov/jotr), an hour’s drive northeast. 9 FLY IN A VINTAGE PLANE The star surprise in the Coachella Valley is undoubtedly the vast Palm Springs Air Museum (palmspringsairmuseum.org) where more than 50 historic planes and helicopters are displayed, including a mighty B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and a sinister Nighthawk stealth fighter. For a sky-high adventure book a private flight in one of its six classic aircraft, ranging from a 1941 Stearman biplane once owned by hotelier Barron Hilton to a 1950s T-33 Thunderbird jet that’s so treasured it costs $4,995 to take out for a spin. 10 AND RELAX… Blessed with abundant hot mineral-water springs, it’s no surprise wellness resorts are to the fore in the area. The greatest concentration is in aptly named Desert Hot Springs, a city that’s won multiple ‘Best Tasting’ medals for its tap water. At the new Azure Palm Hot Springs Day Spa Oasis (azurepalmhotsprings.com) the beneficial liquid emerges from the rocks at 167-174°F (75-79°C), and therapies include a detoxifying Desert Sage clay wrap and a facial using sun-charged citrine gemstones.
U LT R A T R A V E L
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Town and Country Both have their charms in our ‘post-pandemic’ world
Bucolic Being Mark Jones on why he left the Big Smoke to become a contented countryman
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alispell, the county seat of Flathead, Montana, is not a well-known town. Founded in the 1890s, it grew to be a small city and has pretty much stayed that way. But at the end of 2021, Kalispell briefly achieved fame. It had seen the biggest increase in property prices in the USA. People weren’t moving there for the economic opportunities (the biggest employer is the local medical centre). They were moving for the Glacier National Park, the Blacktail Mountain ski fields, the Rockies – to be close to some of America’s most wide-open places and biggest skies. Covid numbers rose and fell, but the numbers of people working from home went in only one direction: upwards. UpWork estimated that as many as 23 million Americans would end up relocating because of remote working. And if you could work remotely, Kalispell, Montana, was plenty remote enough. My lockdown move was to go further and deeper. I moved from a house in the Chiltern Hills, north of London – surrounded by fields and woods, but still 10 minutes’ drive from the Underground. But London didn’t require me any more, and the feeling was mutual. I’m now in a Berwickshire farmhouse (that’s Scotland, folks!) and blissfully happy. Best move ever. The leading urban theorist of today, Richard Florida, calls it the ‘Great Unmooring’. But for those of us who did
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up-anchor, we find our new berths far more secure than cities, which seem to be getting stickier and more fractious by the day. Americans and Britons have always had a romantic hankering after the country life. But if the patterns are reflected elsewhere around the globe, maybe the ceaseless and damaging migration from province to urbanisation can finally be reversed. My partner and I also have a humble village casita in the mountainous hinterland between Malaga and Granada. This white village is surrounded by paths worn smooth by the feet of villagers since Roman times. But it’s struggling: for decades, only second-homeowners like us have been moving here. The young people have fled. The situation is
Maybe the ceaseless, damaging migration from province to urbanisation can finally be reversed 52
even more acute in Asia. In Japan, a desperate government tried to incentivise people to leave Tokyo and Osaka. Many did: to live in a suburb and commute to the city. I thought of those packed Tokyo trains as I did my new daily commute. It had to be a fleeting thought: it takes about 15 seconds to reach the writing shed at the bottom of the garden. It was a busy morning in the office, mind. A young hare appeared. (It’s been a summer of hares.) The dog wandered down to paw furiously at a tasty root. The robin – who resents anyone muscling in on his space – hopped furiously from fence to path. I lived in London and elsewhere, and love the occasional blast of my old city existence. So it was that when New York opened up again, I found myself at the top of Edge observation tower at Hudson Yards. As we took in this latest Manhattanscape, my friend said, “What do you think?” I said, “I’m thinking how much I’d like to go to Montana.”
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AN APPRAISAL
City Slicker Jon Burbage on why he’s Mr Metropolitan, devoted to an urban existence
ILLUSTRATION: FREEPIK
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ell, that didn’t last long. You doubtless remember all those peak-pandemic stories about people fleeing cities for a better, healthier, more spacious existence in the country. They weren’t made up. Where I live – London – 14 per cent of us wanted to leave the capital in 2020. Online searches for village houses by urban residents rose by 126 per cent in the summer of that year. Lockdown was pretty gruelling for urban people. Why do we live in cities? To work together, socialise, have a rich cultural, intellectual and social life. Take all that away and we are left with the same TVs and the same supermarket deliveries – only with less room to stretch our legs when we get bored. Yet you may have missed another story, from the autumn of 2021. With lockdowns beginning to ease, cities were already bouncing back – and fast. The migration from US cities has “largely ceased”, said a UBS survey. Permanent and temporary moves away from urban centres were back to normal levels. In New York, there was a “scramble for apartments” as businesses wanted their people back at their desks. There may be some ‘exurbans’ who are suffering buyer’s remorse now the streets are full, the bars open and their old friends in the city are
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again stepping out. I hope not. There’s a lot to be said for the countryside – it’s a great place to visit. But to LIVE there? Your neighbours are older (and more intrusive), the number of household ‘chores’ you have to do substantially greater and the choice of dining options significantly reduced. For those of us who stayed, it’s like the period after the summer holidays or the winter festivals, when everyone comes back and it’s party time again – except multiplied many times over. Sure, some places have closed, but lots have opened and are roaring. That’s cities: Darwinian. In 1970 the science-fiction writer John Christopher wrote a book called The Guardians. A future England is divided between brutal, high-rise ‘Conurbs’ and a bucolic
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‘County’ where everyone has gone back to riding horses and pretending it’s the 18th century. Like most dystopias, this one hasn’t come to pass. The opposite: cities are becoming greener and more livable all the time. In Singapore, they talk about becoming not a garden city, but a ‘city within a garden’. Its rival, Hong Kong, is already set within one big country park. Near where I lived in Happy Valley, you could walk for 20 minutes and be perfectly alone with the birds and the breezes, within sight of the most densely populated urban area on the planet. One of my favourite small cities is Adelaide. It’s got a terrific, rowdy dining scene – but after dinner you can head for dessert in a tiny hillside hamlet in the time it takes to make your espresso. Australia is interesting. Again, here there’s talk about a ‘mass migration’ from its major cities. Sydney and Melbourne did indeed lose people; but Brisbane, Perth and Darwin actually grew. Perhaps what we’re seeing is a greater diversity in city living, where you’ll seriously consider Bordeaux over Paris, Edinburgh over London, Portland over San Francisco. If spreading the creativity and talent away from overmighty cities and overcentralised societies is a consequence of Covid, that’s a good thing. But send all that creativity and talent to live in a converted barn miles from other like-minded souls and you may lose it forever.
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T H E G R E AT ESCAPE Perched at the edge of the Yucatán, Puerto Morelos eschews the overdevelopment of its glitzier neighbours and offers an insouciant small-town escape that tourists to Mexico may often miss, as Farhad Heydari found out
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THE POSTCARD
PIER APPROVAL
PHOTO: LUIS GARCÍA
By the old pier at Puerto Morelos, the leaning lighthouse tilts towards its replacement
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WATER WORLD
PHOTO: LUIS GARCÍA
Much of life in Puerto Morelos is centred on the sea, from fishing and beach life to spectacular snorkelling at the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
You’ll find quaint self-catering villas surrounded by bougainvilleas and brightly coloured B&Bs with waterside views
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o hear Mauricio Soriano Cante, the hammock hawker, describe it, Puerto Morelos hasn’t changed much in the 27 years he and his family have called it home. “The only difference now is we have better roads,” he says stooping over his intricately woven wares at a craftwork collective constructed from corrugated steel just a few blocks from the beach. Gazing out at the potholed street, though, it’s not clear just how much the infrastructure actually has changed in all those years. But in this part of the Yucatán, along what is dubbed the Mayan Riviera, where overdevelopment is rife and anything remotely resembling the authentic impossible to stumble upon, this postage-stamp settlement of just a few thousand inhabitants on the Caribbean Sea comes as a most welcome revelation. Located some 20km south of Cancún, on the same broad sugarcane littoral that stretches all the way down to Belize, Puerto Morelos is an improbable holdout, thanks
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to its geography (it is sandwiched between the ocean and wildlife-heavy mangroves) and to artisans like Mauricio, who, alongside other local creatives, has managed to keep development at bay. So instead of the anonymous big box hotels that are omnipresent elsewhere and blight parts of coastal Quintana Roo, here you’ll find quaint family-run self-catering villas surrounded by bougainvilleas, locally owned apartments tucked above ceramics studios and brightly coloured B&Bs with waterside views. And instead of the nameless neon-signed restaurants and lager-fuelled bars of Playa del Carmen down the coast, where the fare, scene and clientele are all somehow fallible, here there are wine bars specialising in vintages from Baja and diminutive eateries where the fish is fresh-caught and the local organic meat is prepared in front of you. And all of it is anchored by a petite palm-studded plaza ringed by handicraft shops, thatched bars, open-air restaurants and a midcentury church, a stone’s throw from
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Here there are wine bars specialising in vintages from Baja and diminutive eateries where the fish is fresh-caught and the local organic meat is prepared before you a beach dotted with tidy wood-clad cafés, white massage tents, a leaning lighthouse, an old pier where children frolic and a promenade where locals turn out for sundowners and saunters. In short, unlike the hippie hangout of Tulum farther south, where the boho-chic only congregate for holidays, Puerto Morelos has a small-town soul, and one that has managed to inveigle a fair few internationals – everyone from Roberto, the Hungarian waiter-cum-resident and hitherto postgraduate student to Calgary natives Rob and Joanne Birce, who, for 15 years, ran Alma Libre Books, a newand-used-bookshop on the plaza. “The big joke with Puerto
Morelos is how little it’s changed,” they say. “Empty lots now have homes or business on them and we have a lot more good restaurants, but the essence of the town itself has remained laidback and unbelievably quiet.” For many locals and visitors alike, the seashore itself remains Puerto Morelos’s pièce de résistance. On the same stretch where the daily tableau includes bronzed fishermen heading out at sunrise in search of their bounty and snorkellers making for the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef offshore – which stretches over 1,000km from these waters down to the Bay Islands of Honduras and comprises the
SERVICE WITH A SMILE
Whether grabbing a beer or dining alfresco, visitors find Puerto Morelos and its inhabitants relaxed, friendly and with ‘small-town soul’
LEANING IN
PHOTO: LUIS GARCÍA
The old lighthouse (opposite) and quiet beach at the unassuming Mayan Riviera town
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PHOTO: LUIS GARCÍA
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GOOD CATCH
Local crafts, fish(es) of the day and boat trips are some of the simpler delights at the unchanging town
‘It’s a safe, warm community with a nice integration of locals, expats and Europeans’ THE DETAILS Though easy to navigate, most establishments lack formal addresses, building numbers and sometimes even telephones. Many do not accept credit cards, though all welcome US dollars and, of course, Mexican pesos. And the atmosphere is more downhome than downtown. Where to shop Whether it’s hammocks or embroidered wares, they can all be found at the artists’ creative Hunab-Ku Artesanía on Rojo Gómez. On the square, Alma Libre Books (almalibrebooks.com) sells guidebooks but is also a great source of information about the town itself (its website has a handy guide). Where to eat With a smoking-hot parrilla centre-stage, Al ChimiChurri (chimipuerto.com) serves up succulent cuts of beef, done Uruguayan-style and paired to a surprising selection of better wines. Over at John Gray’s Kitchen (Avenida Niños Héroes, +52 998 871 0665), the menu is more American.
second-largest reef system in the world, after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – a morning yoga class is under way with downward dogs aplenty; sun worshippers, meanwhile, choose their plot beneath the equatorial light as sybarites head for one of the handful of salubrious massage purveyors for a relaxing alfresco rubdown, with birdsong and ocean waves as the natural soundtrack. But by evening time, it’s clear that Puerto Morelos’s greatest appeal – the one that has engendered its tightly knit multicultural populace – is its deep-rooted sense of community. As the unhurried scene moves to the square
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and the little roads that diverge from it, with music and patrons spilling out onto its unmanicured streets, children and adults continue to socialise harmoniously long after dark. For visitors to the beach resorts of Mexico, who are often sheltered and cloistered in their holiday villas and hotel encampments, it’s an eye-opening outlook. “We’re very lucky,” says Joanne Birce, “in that we live in a safe and warm community where there is a nice integration of locals, expats and Europeans. And that welcoming and inclusive vibe is felt by the few tourists that come here.”
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What to do Make for Massages Violeta (fb.com/massages violetapuertomorelos), the tent adorned with blue lettering at the far end of town (from the square, head left) for a relaxing beachside deeptissue. For reef exploration of the scuba and snorkelling sort, Wet Set Diving Adventures (wetset.com) is a good bet.
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Contact your travel agent or call 0808 23 43 802. Non- contractual document. PONANT all rights reserved. ©Studio PONANT
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Back-Seat Driver You might prefer to be the passenger in BMW’s all-electric saloon, says Will Hersey
S
ince it launched as BMW’s range-topper back in 1977, the 7 Series has always been something of an early adopter – the model in which the gadget team likes to show off its very latest bells and whistles for its most demanding, and indulged, customers. Features which eventually filter down to the rest of the range. Back at the start, it had a car phone and heated seats. This new i7, however, can claim to mark a new era altogether. It’s fully electric, for starters – not just the first 7 Series to be so, but, claims BMW, the first luxury saloon, full stop. From the outside, it’s not hard to imagine it affixed with oval CD or CC stickers, a fender-mounted flag and some motorcycle outriders. It’s tall and stately, if a little blocky, and we’d bet the limousines of Bentley and Rolls-Royce were on its mood board. The front lights feature Swarovski crystal elements, and that still divisive oversized grille completes the ‘get out of my way’ impression. If you’d prefer a sportier silhouette, you’re probably not the target customer. This is a car for people who prioritise being inside, preferably in the back. Of all its many gizmos, the showstopper is the 31.3in cinema screen for back-seat passengers, which can be moved forwards and back on a rail
PHOTO: BMW GROUP
and folds into the roof when not in use. In the rear-door panels, smartphone-like controls allow interior settings and themes to be changed, each introduced by a soundtrack overseen by one Hans Zimmer. There’s built-in 5G internet via Amazon Fire TV and the option of a 36-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system. Oh, and blackout blinds. Throw in improved headroom and floor space, and it makes a first-class airline cabin look a little lame in comparison. Except for the drinks service, of course. In the front, the mood is decidedly minimalist: the 14.9in display screen is the only way to access all the car’s settings and even the air vents are
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LUXE LIMO
hidden. BMW’s designer chief, Adrian van Hooydonk, calls the approach ‘shy tech’, an attempt to keep the wealth of options as discreet as possible by reducing visible buttons. He’s a close follower of trends in interior design and ‘new luxury’, as illustrated by the cashmere seats, which add a little old-world warmth amid the new-school digitisation. If you can peel yourself out of the back and want to drive the thing yourself, the 7 Series is a car that suits electric power; its instant acceleration, smooth ride, hushed cabin and direct steering should keep drivers and passengers happy. The quoted range of 387 miles should also keep service-station stops to a minimum. Given this car’s obsession with passenger experience, it’s no surprise to learn that it’s also the first BMW offering level 3 autonomous driving. That means the i7 is probably better at driving than you are. It won’t be long before you can stay in the back seat for good. (bmw.com)
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