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SPECIAL ISSUE
The Telegraph
50 OUR GUIDE TO THE
GREATEST hOTELS IN THE wORLD
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SOMMEtOutE - fusiodesign.com
Where dreams live and emotions are born
From dreams & inspiration springs the royal mansour From the exquisite mosaics adorning its palatial interiors to the mesmerising murmur of the fountains in the courtyards, the Royal Mansour refects the beauty, grace and indeed, the very soul of Morocco. A frst glimpse of this sensual luxury makes the heart beat faster, awakening the senses. But the true relaxation offered by this paradise in the centre of bustling Marrakech can only be experienced by a stay amidst the elegant tranquillity and attention to detail of the Royal Mansour. You and those you love will leave refreshed in mind, body and spirit.
TEL.+212 (0) 529 80 80 80
www.royalmansour.com
JAMAICA
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SAINT LUCIA
BAHAMAS
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BARBADOS
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Sunset Bluff Millionaire Butler Villa Suite w/Private Pool Sanctuary at Sandals Regency La Toc
A Sandals Luxury Included® Holiday caters to your every desire at the most decadently romantic resorts in the world. And best of all, it’s all included, all unlimited, all the time. Endless land and water sports, including scuba diving* and golf^. Gourmet Discovery Dining at up to 16 outstanding restaurants per resort and premium drinks including Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wines served at up to 11 bars. At Sandals, love is all you need, because everything else is included!
For more information Call 0800 742 742 Visit sandals.co.uk | See your local travel agent *Free for certifed divers. ^ Manadatory caddies at cost
a
traveler review
SECLUDED TROPICAL OASIS joeysal77, New York
St. Regis Bahía Beach Resort, Río Gra Grande
Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park, Orocovis
Old San Juan
P U E R T O R I C O AWA I T S ! With so many world class attractions to explore and enjoy, your days and nights will be filled with unforgettable experiences: • Breathtaking beaches perfect for relaxing or enjoying your favorite water sport, including Flamenco in Culebra, one of the most award-winning in the world • Historic and unique Old San Juan, with structures that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites • 3 of the world's 6 bioluminescent bays are in Puerto Rico • El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the United States Forest System • Toro Verde, nature adventure park with the tallest and longest ziplines in the world • Over 20 golf courses with breathtaking views • A vibrant and music-filled nightlife • World famous local cuisine that will enchant your taste buds
Come to Puerto Rico and live your own five star vacation story.
SEEPUERTORICO.COM
See Puerto Rico
@PRTourismCo
SeePuertoRico
JA N UA RY 16 2016
The FAB
50
The George V, Carlyle, Cipriani, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Sandy Lane… the fabulous properties that have not made our fnal cut reads like someone else’s hot hotel list. But I maintain that absence makes the list grow stronger. Starting with a clean slate, our team of editors, luxury travel writers, hotel specialists and destination experts have scoured the globe to bring you only the very best. We have not accepted the status quo, the grandes dames have not enjoyed their usual seats at the top table and nor have we added new properties simply for the sake of freshness. So what do these eclectic hotels have in common? Firstly, they have each earned their place. Every hotel has been tried, tested, rated and cross-compared – and that was just to make the long-list. Secondly, they offer something extraordinary – be it location, service, style, soul, design, seclusion, facilities, romance. But above all, these are properties that will affect the way you feel. Life should be better when you check in. Welcome to the Ultratravel guide to the greatest hotels on Earth. Editor
Doug Rogers
Fiona Duncan
The Telegraph’s expert has been writing about hotels for 30 years, so selecting just a few favourites for this issue was no easy task. A hotel she keeps returning to, though, is Lime Wood. “It’s a sanctuary: a combination of glamorous and homely, welcoming and tranquil, in the middle of the New Forest.”
From his Virginia home, the author and journalist makes regular forays to New York – and the Crosby Street Hotel. “I enjoy it not only for their decadent afternoon tea, but also because you never know who you might see there. On my first visit, it was General Colin Powell at the bar with outré comedian Sandra Bernhard.”
Francesca Syz
Lee Cobaj
After two years in Thailand, this traveller has just moved back to her childhood home of Hong Kong, from where she writes about Asia. A hotel she particularly likes, she says, is in Bali. “I could quite happily hole up at the Alila Uluwatu for months at a time, flitting between early morning yoga classes, sublime seafood lunches and long spa sessions.”
The London-based traveller writes a weekly hotel column for The Telegraph Magazine and is a great fan of Ett Hem hotel in Stockholm. “I love their attention to detail. The chefs treat guests like old friends, rustling up off-plan treats at breakfast based on things they’ve subtly gleaned you like.”
ultratravel
Nigel Tisdall
Our Caribbean specialist was particularly impressed with Belle Mont Farm on St Kitts “because of the way this pioneering hotel is reawakening us to the joys of island produce. Luscious organic avocados, tangy Nevisian honey, fresh guava juice and tuna straight off the boat – get ready for the next big foodie destination.”
Editor Charles Starmer-Smith Creative director Johnny Morris Deputy editor Lisa Grainger Photography editor Joe Plimmer Hotels editor Caroline Shearing Sub editors Vicki Reeve Tim Jepson Executive publisher for Ultratravel Limited Nick Perry Publisher Toby Moore Advertising inquiries 07768 106322 (Nick Perry) 020 7931 3239 (Chelsea Bradbury) Ultratravel, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT Twitter @TheHotelegraph
PLUS
Ariela Bard, Rosemary Behan, Annie Bennett, Adrian Bridge, Michelle Jana Chan, Gill Charlton, Sally Davies, Pippa de Bruyn, Kiki Deere, Danielle Demetriou, Tim Ecott, Lisa Grainger, Doug Gray, Gabriella Le Breton, Lee Marshall, Fred Mawer, Fionnuala McHugh, Johnny Morris, Chris Moss, John O’Ceallaigh, Natalie Paris, Debbie Pappyn, Anthony Peregrine, Nigel Richardson, Caroline Shearing, Charles Starmer-Smith, Nick Trend, Celia Walden and Claire Wrathall ultratravel
COVER IMAGES: ADAM PARKER; THE SARTORIAlIST; MARTIN KREuzER
Our HOTEL ExpErTs
COOL IT The Moroccan chill-out lounge at Finca CortesĂn in Casares
10 ultratravel
europe Our experts Annie Bennett, Adrian Bridge, Michelle Jana Chan, Sally Davies, Kiki Deere, Fiona Duncan, Lisa Grainger, Gabriella Le Breton, Lee Marshall, John O’Ceallaigh, Anthony Peregrine, Caroline Shearing, Francesca Syz, Nigel Tisdall, Nick Trend
FINCA CORTESIN Costa de l S o l - SPAIN It Is all about cool calmness at Finca Cortesín, an andalusian idyll where jasmine and roses scent the air. In the foothills of the sierra Bermeja, between Marbella and sotogrande, this is the Costa del sol without the glitz but with a lot of understated glamour. set in a vast estate with one of the best golf courses in spain and a superb spa, it is actually less than a decade old but looks like a traditional country house, thanks to the renowned interior designer Duarte Pinto Coelho, who sourced antiques from spain, Portugal, Morocco and beyond. there are 67 suites and villas with four bedrooms, all with plenty of space and peace. From the moment guests arrive, they sense that everything will be taken care of as they sink into a chair in the shade of an ancient olive tree or dive into one of the pools – there are four, including one down at the Beach Club. the Kabuki Raw restaurant has just gained a Michelin star and the Mediterranean cuisine at El Jardín de lutz deserves one too. AB Doubles from £280; fincacortesin.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/fincacortesin
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LES FERMES dE MARIE Megève - FRANCE As JeAn-Louis and Jocelyne sibuet strolled in the mountains above stylish Megève, they were captivated by the rustic charm of the ancient timber chalets peppering the Alpine pastures. several years later, in 1989, the duo launched their first Megève hotel, Les Fermes de Marie, made of materials from those very chalets, transported a short walk from the heart of Megève and painstakingly restored. Reminiscent of a rural hamlet, linked by meandering footpaths and burbling streams, the nine chalets contain 70 cosy rooms and suites, three restaurants, a ski shop and the original cowshedchic spa. in the outdoor hot tub, guests soak ski-tired legs, contemplating the blanket of snow settled over wide timber eaves, the fragrant pine swags and neatly stacked logs cut for the countless open fires that warm the hotel’s restaurants, inviting snugs and free-standing chalets. The smallest of the chalets, Mont Blanc, is surely one of the world’s finest suites: picture-perfect, with its own garden, a homely sitting room with a vast open fire and a romantic double room. GLB Doubles from £298; fermesdemarie.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/fermesdemarie
HotEL du CAP-EdEN-RoC Ant ibe s - FRAN CE A ThRowBAck to the F scott Fitzgerald era, this grand 19th-century mansion on cap d’Antibes has 117 rooms and two villas with sumptuous Louis XV and XVi furnishings, gilded mirrors and chandeliers. The gastronomic edenRoc Restaurant has just been renovated and serves classics such as roasted sea bass and lobster with tarragon; the Grill offers Provençal-style gambas at the seafront pavilion. set among nine hectares of landscaped gardens, there are five clay tennis courts, a sisley spa and a seawater pool cut into the natural rock. A seafront diving board and overwater trapeze launch bathers into the Mediterranean and there is a jetty for guests arriving by boat. Best of all are the 33 beach cabins where the illustrious and notorious come to hide: Marc chagall used to paint on these clifftops, Roger Moore waterskied here and Johnny weissmuller used to do his signature Tarzan yell as he dived into the sea. MJC Doubles from £400; hotel-du-cap-eden-roc.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/hotelducapedenroc
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GRESHAM PALACE B u d ape st - H U N GARY If servIce is a hallmark of a great hotel, then Gresham Palace can be said to deliver. A guest wanting to propose to his girlfriend in style asked for her to be given a wake-up call by a bell boy dressed as a Hungarian Hussar. (she said yes.) If style is another criterion, this magnificent building, originally the creation of the London-based Gresham Life Assurance society and a meeting place for Budapest’s affluent and arty, has it in abundance. A €100m renovation in 2004 brought the building back to its fin-de-siècle prime, complete with art-nouveau flourishes, zsolnay tiles and wroughtiron Peacock Gates, and added some extra four seasons pizzazz. When it comes to location, Gresham Palace’s position on the Danube, directly overlooking the twinkling lights of the chain Bridge, also earns it 10 out of 10. The wow factor begins the moment guests set foot in the hotel’s spectacular lobby, extends to the Kollázs Brasserie & Bar and continues right through to the wake-up call the following morn. ABr Doubles from £240; fourseasons.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/ greshampalace
Ett HEM Stoc k ho lm - SWE D E N iT’s noT eAsy to offer immaculate service and be disarmingly down to earth at the same time, but staff at the 12-room ett hem in stockholm’s leafy embassy district manage the trick with aplomb. The name means “home” – in this case, a stylish temple to nordic cosiness. housed in a mansion built in 1910, the hotel’s design shows how it might have looked in its day, with candlelit, parquet-floored drawing rooms furnished with contemporary and vintage scandinavian furniture – one with a grand piano for all to play – that lead into a book-lined dining room. There are plenty of places to curl up, dine or both. The food is exceptional: the chefs – several escapees from Michelin-starred restaurants – rustle up local, seasonal meals on request (beef tartare kimchi was a favourite) in front of guests at the kitchen table. There’s also a pretty conservatory, terraced garden and swedish sauna. each bedroom is decadent and unique, with an antique porcelaintiled wood burner here, a vast free-standing tub there. FS Doubles from £300; etthem.se Full review telegraph.co.uk/etthem
‘Four Seasons has the
AbAdiA RetueRtA LedOMAiNe V a l l adol i d - SPAI N
level of consistency you strive for as a hotelier’ sir rocco forte
Lying in the bath, gazing across vineyards to the mountains beyond while sipping a glass of velvety Abadía Retuerta wine, is a pretty good way to sink into the LeDomaine experience. A Romanesque abbey in the Ribera del Duero region is the spectacular setting for one of Spain’s most sumptuous hotels. Although it dates back to the 12th century, this is very much a 21st-century place, with a Michelin-starred restaurant in the former refectory and a spa where treatments are based on a guest’s taste in wine. Although the building and the surrounding estate are vast, there are only 30 rooms and suites, mostly created from the former monks’ cells, with newer options in the stables. Members of staff outnumber guests but are invariably unobtrusive. Personal butlers are on call whenever anything is needed. The former cloister garden is now a soothing spot for languid breakfasts, while the chapter house has been turned into a bar for after-dinner drinks. The church is an intimate venue for a wedding – and no one would want to go anywhere else for a honeymoon. AB Doubles from £310; ledomaine.es Full review telegraph.co.uk/abadiaretuertaledomaine
LiMe wOOd Hampsh ire - U N Ite d KIN g do m iT’S ALL about attention to detail at this ravishing, deeply luxurious new Forest lair. Oak doors are thick; paint finishes rich; floor lights come on as you walk into the bathroom from your quietly opulent bedroom; stylised sitting rooms, one with billiard table, melt one into another, pale lemon into lilac into sage green, each with an open fire. in the sybaritic Herb House spa, guests can take in the forest views from the massive sauna and eat inspired raw food in the Raw & Cured café. Lime Wood is also home to Hartnett Holder & Co, a heaven-sent partnership between that most grounded of celebrity chefs, Angela Hartnett, and Lime Wood’s own Luke Holder. Their italian-influenced forest dishes and sharing plates are served in a richly coloured velvety dining room that’s as glam as it’s laid-back. it’s how we want to live today, and Lime Wood has captured the mood. its setting at the heart of 145 square miles of ancient heath and woodland only enhances its standing as the epitome of chic rural luxury. FD Doubles from £315; limewoodhotel.co.uk Full review telegraph.co.uk/limewood
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9:47PM
Te moment you defned “personal best time.”
The perfect vacation leaves you with a new perspective, connecting you to those experiences you wouldn’t encounter anywhere else. It doesn’t have to take place at a 32-acre, luxury oceanfront resort along Hawaii’s beautiful Kohala Coast. It doesn’t have to feature a private beach club and a culinary destination like Marcus’ in Hamilton, Bermuda. It doesn’t have to energize you at one of the world’s Leading Spas in a palace in Montreux, Switzerland. But it could. Welcome to Fairmont.
Gateway to your moment in over 20 countries. fairmont.com
GRAND hOtEL A VILLA FELtRINELLI l a ke Ga rd a - italy LAke CoMo is perhaps the best known of the italian lakes, but it’s Garda that is home to the region’s finest hotel. formerly the retreat of lumber magnate faustino feltrinelli’s sons, Villa feltrinelli was home to Mussolini from 1943 to 1945 during the republic of salò. the turreted wedding-cake pink villa is immersed in eight acres of gardens shaded by olive, oak and magnolia trees on the lake’s western shore. with only 21 rooms, decorated with antiques and historic prints, overnighting here is like staying at a friend’s country home. on a summer’s afternoon there’s nothing like a game of croquet on the green, unwinding by the pool or strolling in the lemon garden. with a staff ratio of three to one, service is second to none. And with two Michelin stars, stefano Baiocco makes creative dishes that blend prized ingredients with food from italy’s cucina povera. there’s no need to dash to breakfast as it’s served all day, and can be enjoyed anywhere, just as it would be at a friend’s house. kD Doubles from £798; villafeltrinelli.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/villafeltrinelli
FOUR SEASONS MOSCOW M o s cow - R USS ia A MiXtUre of stalin-era design, cinematic views and contemporary western styling have transformed this 21st-century reimagining of the former Hotel Moskva (1935-2004) into a world-class wonder. four seasons took over the landmark building in 2014 after a multimillion-pound reconstruction, thereby securing one of the most exclusive addresses – between the kremlin and state duma – in the city. this proximity to power adds to the illusion of living like a moneyed local, a notion fuelled by shimmering chandeliers, spa treatments that feature flakes of 24-carat gold, and marble-clad corridors that echo to the click of killer heels en route to the low-lit cocktail bar. the sense of hedonism reaches a climax in the kremlin-facing suites, where the views of red square and st Basil’s Cathedral make these the ultimate post-clubbing party pads. CS Doubles from £213; fourseasons.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/fourseasonsmoscow
CLARIDGE’S lon don - Uni te d K in Gd o M if tHere’s one hotel that would make a perfect, spoiling gift, it’s Claridge’s. once the staid and stately base for royalty and dowager duchesses, it is today at a pinnacle in its 160-year history. slip past the celebrity-spotters outside, through the revolving door and into the glacial marblefloored front Hall, once a turning circle for horse-drawn carriages. take the wrought-iron lift, with sofa and attendant, to your room or suite, perhaps designed by david Linley or diane von fürstenberg. in the wonderful chrome and marble art-deco bathroom, luxuriate in the sunken tub, which fills in seconds. see and be seen at breakfast or tea in the ravishing foyer or for champagne in the showy Claridge’s Bar, or slip into simon rogan’s sylvan restaurant, fera, or the shadowy fumoir for cocktails. Underpinned by continuity and depth of service, Claridge’s is a ribbon-tied gift box of a gorgeous, glamorous hotel. FD Doubles from £420; claridges.co.uk Full review telegraph.co.uk/claridges
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BELMOND hOtEL SPLENDIDO Po r tof i n o - italy Portofino is a theatrically pretty fishing village on the Ligurian riviera, where traditional wooden boats and venerable churches sit beside mighty superyachts and shiny outposts of Pucci and Gucci. Lording over this tripperish scene is the indisputably splendid Belmond Hotel splendido, set high on a hillside, with a glorious wisteria-cloaked façade, terraced gardens with infinity pool, and an abiding sense that this really is one of the great hotels of italy. rex Harrison started it all when he bought a villa nearby in the 1950s, and although this former Benedictine monastery is now filled with photographs of its many glamorous guests, there’s little stuffiness. Life here is all about a lazy lunch on the panoramic terrace, with its lemon trees and views over Portofino Bay, as genial, long-serving staff in café-crème jackets deliver dreamy dishes such as ravioli with walnut sauce and baked sea bream. the 67 charming rooms and suites are spread over five floors. Most have a balcony and sea view – perfect for throwing open the shutters on a sunny morning and feeling in love with life. NTi Doubles from £407; belmond.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/belmondsplendido
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CasTeLLO di CasOLe Tus ca ny - ITA LY Luchino Visconti knew a spectacular set when he saw one, and in the 1960s, at the height of his film-making fame, he choose this 10th-century hilltop tuscan estate as his country retreat. in a land of sublime views, the 360-degree prospect over the countryside between san Gimignano and siena is unparalleled. Four years ago, the castle and the cluster of buildings around it were converted into a hotel, while the old farmhouses scattered around the surrounding vineyards, olive groves and flower meadows have been restored as luxury villas. the owners – timbers Resorts – have done a superb job: the 50-odd bedrooms retain their original beamed ceilings, terracotta floors and exposed stonework, while antique furniture is combined with sumptuous italian fabrics and topnotch facilities. Ristorante tosca – which spills into the central courtyard – hits the right note with outstanding regionally inspired dishes, homemade pastas, local meats and estate-produced olive oils and wine. An Essere spa and a lavish pool top the list of facilities in this idyllic, immaculately run hotel. nt Doubles from £382; castellodicasole.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/castellodicasole
La ReseRve Pa ris - FRA NCE this JAcquEs Garcia-designed hotel feels more like the palatial home of a Parisian millionaire (such as its former owner, Pierre cardin) than a hotel. Located in the eighth arrondissement, in a row of grand haussmann-era houses, it oozes bourgeois decadence, its antique-filled living spaces walled in ruby silk, its gilded library adorned with leatherbound tomes, its floors scattered with Persian rugs. the rooms, though, are light and considered. Walls and doors are solid and soundproofed. Lights can be turned off with one simple switch. Beds are swathed in crisp quagliotti linen and
bathrooms lined in white carrara marble. the views, from wrought-iron balconies, are as romantic as the finest in Paris: over the copper Pantheon domes towards the Eiffel tower. should any guest consider leaving their suite, there’s a candelit spa downstairs, slick, elegantly attired staff to arrange excursions, and fine-dining menus by hot chef Jérôme Banctel to sample. it’s the discreet place for the pretty and powerful to meet, so nothing’s a bargain. But it’s so deliciously French that the only response is a Gallic shrug. LG Doubles from £547; lareserveparis.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/lareserve
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the Gritti PALACe Ven ice - I TA LY “If we want everything to stay as it is, everything needs to change.” So says tancredi in the great twilight-of-the-aristocracy novel Il Gattopardo. It could be the motto of historic Venetian grande dame the Gritti Palace, whose recent £36.5m top-to-toe restoration was designed to make everything look the same – just even more opulently stylish. One example: every sparkling teardrop pendant of every
BAStiDe De GOrDeS Proven ce - FrA nCe PROVenCe’S tOUGH past has long provided the setting for the well heeled and tasteful: hill-topping villages, castles, ramparts. Rip out the ruffians and they’re ripe for luxury. thus, the Bastide de Gordes, clamped to the cliffside of france’s most fashionable perched village. Here, among tight streets and steep stairways, are french media stars, the more discreet billionaires and visitors who like to be cushioned by a five-star experience. the Bastide is their place. Last year’s £18-million refit transformed a fine hotel into a world beater. Its old façades unfold down the drop where once the ramparts stood, in a series of stone terraces bearing grey-green vegetation, swimming pools and sunlit hideaways. Views to the Luberon hills mesmerise. within, the 40 rooms and suites recall the sumptuous side of the 18th century. Corridors and stairs, rich with treasures, rarely arrive at the same place twice. Manorial salons impose elegance. Young staff, dressed as if for a fête circa 1912, have the bounce and smiles of a US musical comedy. and down below there is the Sisley spa. fine dining is in the hands of Michelin-man Pierre Gagnaire; there’s a cheaper brasserie along the same terrace. as you finish the rosé, replete, Provence is at your feet. It’s been there a long time. It will wait. AP Doubles from £141; bastide-de-gordes.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/bastidedegordes
vintage chandelier was detached, repaired or replaced and polished by Murano artisans. the upgrade is most keenly felt in the 82 rooms, their antique décor and fine Rubelli silk fabrics freshened up by designer Chuck Chewning, without forfeiting any romance. Personable GM Paolo Lorenzoni is one of the best in the country – courteous, ever-present, quick to respond to problems – and the staff, in their impeccable vintage liveries, are role models in a city that doesn’t always get service right. a waterside breakfast on the terrace overlooking the shimmering Grand Canal has to be one of the great Venetian experiences – it knocks a Bellini in Harry’s Bar into a cocked hat. LM Doubles from £310; thegrittipalace.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/grittipalace
D-hOteL MAriS Mar mar i s - TU rKeY SURROUnDeD by dramatic volcanic rocks and hillsides lush with almond trees, D-Hotel Maris stands in an unblemished nature reserve and looks towards the aegean and Mediterranean. Repeat guests know to request a harbour-facing room for the best views and to make a point of sailing those turquoise-tinted waters aboard the resort’s 100ft yacht Pasa. Kayaking, diving and more can also be arranged at the watersports centre, five beaches provide variety and a spa offers refuge on rare rainy days. On summer evenings, dinner can be taken at an alfresco outpost of London’s Japanese restaurant Zuma or one of five other dining options. wherever guests end up, service is sincere, the crowd sophisticated and the atmosphere carefree. an additional bonus is that it’s just a two-hour drive, or 25-minute helicopter transfer, from Dalaman airport. JO’C Doubles from £220; dhotel.com.tr Full review telegraph.co.uk/dhotel
BALLYFiN
Magnus Marding; Misseverywhere.coM; getty
Co unty L aoi s - Ire LAnd One Of Ireland’s most lavish neoclassical houses, Ballyfin stands in its own 614-acre demesne, full of delights, including lake (with glorious new water feature), water cascade, Victorian fernery, edwardian rockery and walled garden, not to mention the tower, which has panoramic views of the Slieve Bloom mountains from the top. a Downtonesque knot of neatly uniformed staff awaits each arriving guest, setting the tone for service that is old school, yet full of Irish warmth. the reception rooms are filled with superb antiques and paintings and there is a classically styled indoor pool and two treatment rooms. every bedroom is gorgeous, in classic Irish country-house style. Perhaps the loveliest is Lady Caroline Coote, with its graceful empire-style ceiling, but it’s hard to choose. five more have recently been added, making 20, from the lake-view Lady Kildare, with its delicate chinoiserie, to the subtle Indian accents of Lady Mornington. as for the food, it lives up to the surroundings. Standards are sky-high; this is the sort of place where one jarring note would spoil the show – but it never does. fd Doubles from £407; ballyfin.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/ballyfin
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CAYMAN BRAC LITTLE CAYMAN GRAND CAYMAN
3 of life’s little luxuries
ca ymanislands.co.uk
There’s more than one type of seahorse in the Cayman Islands.
ASIA & AUSTRALASIA Our expertS Gill Charlton, Lee Cobaj, Danielle Demetriou, Fiona Duncan, Lisa Grainger, Gabriella Le Breton, Fionnuala McHugh, Johnny Morris, Natalie Paris, Charles Starmer-Smith
NIHIWAtu Su mba - I N DO NE S I A
Tânia araújo
An hour’s flight east of Bali is sumba: an island of ancestral villages, tribal traditions and, on a forested fringe of long golden beach, nihiwatu. originally a surf resort, it reopened in 2014 under James McBride, formerly of The Carlyle in new York, and soon became known for its simple luxuries and eco approach. Its villas – the largest of which has its own pavilions, kitchen and library – have pointed thatched roofs that are typically sumbanese, private infinity pools and bales set in gardens of banana and frangipani trees. Butlers who attend to the villas are happy to reveal their animist culture to guests, whether that’s the symbols woven into local ikat cloth or the importance of the island’s spear-throwing festival. Experiences include riding ponies into the surf, nudging a paddleboard down-river, diving, and surfing one of the world’s most famous left-hand breaks. It’s a place in which, somewhere between the sea spray and lost-world traditions, it’s possible to lose yourself completely. NP Doubles from £435; nihiwatu.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/nihiwatu
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QUALIA Whi tsu ndays - AU STRALIA
ALILA ULUWATU B uk i t Pe n i n su l a - BALI neW arriVaLS here find it nigh on impossible not to whip out their smartphones and immediately try to capture the hotel’s phenomenal modernist architecture and indian Ocean views. Perched atop cliffs on Bali’s peaceful Bukit Peninsula, alila uluwatu is all straight lines, vivid whites, shimmering blues and black lava rocks. Villas are stylish and soothing, with private pools and butlers who, depending on requests for private, discreet or indulgent service, either lavish attention or flit around like genies, leaving treats on the table or geranium face masks by the bathtub. Morning yoga sessions are invigorating, as are laps of the 164ft cliff-hanging infinity pool. at the spa, warm coconut-oil massages leave guests suspended somewhere between nodding off and nirvana. an added feel-good factor comes from knowing that this is the first hotel in Bali to receive the highest level of certification for environmentally sustainable design. LC Doubles from £615; alilahotels.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/alilauluwatu
When architect chris Beckingham designed Qualia, the 60-pavilion resort perched on the northernmost point of hamilton island, his brief was to “draw the outside in”. When “outside” is the tip of the World heritage-listed Great Barrier reef, home to the world’s largest coral-reef ecosystem, this meant capturing the glorious natural profusion of the island. handcrafted from wood and stone, the buildings blend into the natural terrain as effortlessly as a koala curled in a gumtree. all the exquisitely appointed pavilions face the water, with uninterrupted views over the coral Sea, and some have their own private plunge pools. this is a self-contained haven with relaxation at its heart, so guests are provided with their own golf buggies to move around the manicured grounds between two restaurants serving fine australian cuisine, a cocktail bar, two pools and a private beach, library and spa with a wide range of treatments. Slow mornings might be spent strolling on the beach by a glittering sea or just lying in on soft, downy beds. ABa Doubles from £500; qualia.com.au Full review telegraph.co.uk/qualia
The UPPeR hOUSe H ong Kon g - CH I N A the cLue’S in the name. this is about ascending into a realm that’s more supremely stylish abode than hotel. the city’s babble ceases at the Stone curtain, an entrance wall designed by thomas heatherwick. Beyond, two flickering lanterns (good feng shui) light guests’ path up, up, up… via escalator and lift, past scattered artworks of sinuous curve and tempting texture. rooms – wonderfully spacious, filled with sky – begin on the 38th floor. at this height, hong Kong’s harbour is a glittering distant necklace and, depending on the room, the reach-out-and-touch mountains a vision of tranquillity. Forget the usual trimmings: there’s no check-in desk, no pool or spa and the gym’s tiny; there isn’t even paper – guest information arrives via an iPod touch. elsewhere, though, the amenity bags burst with ren skincare products, there’s a hidden lawn, a library with flickering fireplace, and an enveloping sense of urban respite. and, on the 49th floor, is a single, perfect restaurant called café Gray deluxe, a gem set in the clouds. Fm Doubles from £400; upperhouse.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/theupperhouse
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‘I’m sure heaven
TAJ mAhAL PALAce mUmBAI Mumbai - IN d IA When indian industrialist Jamsetji tata built this glorious indian Gothic confection in 1903, he wanted it to be the finest hotel in india, a place of glamour and faultless service that was open to all. and it was – and it is. it may host a stream of a-list celebrities but everyone experiences the same genuine warmth and courtesy from its devoted staff. rooms with a sea view in the original Palace Wing are the finest, reached via a magnificent cantilevered staircase that climbs five floors to the dome. Butlers arrive in a trice and never
hover in the hope of a tip. the concierges have all of Mumbai at their fingertips, from the best guided tours (my tip: Mumbai by dawn) to seats at the art deco regal for the latest Bollywood blockbuster. and when the city and its traffic become too much, there’s no better retreat than the Sea Lounge for Mumbai street-food (in particular, bhelpuri), cucumber sandwiches for tea, or a cold glass of indian wine as the sun sets over the arabian Sea. GC Doubles from £160; tajhotels.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/tajmumbai
INIALA BEACH HOUSE Ph u ket - THA ILA ND Two years after its opening on the sands of Natai Beach, just north of Phuket, this refined designer property has established itself as one of the most sought-after hotels in asia. and not just because of its fantastical design – there are beds which drop from the ceiling and appear to hover above the floor, turquoise starfish-shaped sofas and swarovski crystalencrusted pool tables – or its exquisite dining,
which is masterminded by eneko atxa, the youngest spanish chef to be awarded three Michelin stars. No, it’s because Iniala delivers the kind of privacy that saudi princesses, russian oligarchs, Californian tech giants and Hollywood royalty require. with just three three-bedroom villas, a penthouse suite and associated children’s hotel, fronted by plenty of private sand, it’s ideal for an exclusive
buy-out. Not that the four-villa mini hotel is a gilded cage. activities include everything from Muay Thai boxing classes with worldclass coaches and otherworldly spa treatments in mother-of-pearl-clad cocoons to yachting around the ancient sea-stacks that scatter the waters of the glass-green andaman sea. LC Doubles from £1,765; iniala.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/iniala
won’t look that dissimilar to Alila Villas Uluwatu. I cried when I had to leave’
naomie harris
AmAnsArA Sie m Rea p - CA MBOD IA AmAnsArA wAs originally a 1960s French modernist villa commissioned by King sihanouk as a summer retreat for his VIP guests. The Aman group restored the building in 2002 and later brought its signature minimalist style to bear on a spa, a lap pool and 12 new suites furnished with terrazzo floors, hardwood fittings, sandstone reliefs and private courtyard plunge pools. This refreshed architectural gem is now run with sparkling efficiency by sally Baughen and her staff and provides a perfect sanctuary from the booming streets of downtown siem reap. more importantly, the hotel lies on the threshold of the Unesco world Heritage site, home to Angkor wat and the jungle-clad ruins of the Khmer Empire. Guests are provided with their own tuk-tuk and driver to explore the rich heritage on their minimalistic doorstep. After a day of templetrotting, visitors are welcomed back by the cheery hotel staff with afternoon tea served to the sounds of traditional Khmer music in the swish sixties dining room. mid-century architecture meets 10th-century culture – a heavenly combination. JM Doubles from £609; aman.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/amansara
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THE PENINSUlA
lAUCAlA
Sh an g ha i - CH IN A
FI JI
The Peninsula experience starts at the airport, where a customised BMW whisks guests downtown to this handsome modern take on art-deco design. attention to detail is evident everywhere, from the beautiful mosaic floor of the 82ft indoor pool to the free international calls at the press of a button. The usual chocolate-on-thepillow is here a multi-drawered lacquered box filled with different treats. an intuitive iPad controls lights, curtains and much else. The River Rooms are sensational: a wall of glass provides views across the busy huangpu River to sleek towers designed by the world’s leading architects. On balmy nights, there is nowhere better in the city for cocktails than sir elly’s bar on the rooftop terrace, watching the evening light show play across buildings old and new. unless, that is, it’s time for a spin on the river aboard the hotel’s own motor yacht. GC Doubles from £247; shanghai. peninsula.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/ peninsulashanghai
This 3,500-acre private island has been owned by two multi-millionaires (Malcolm Forbes and red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz) who have turned a natural paradise into a holiday heaven. amid flower-strewn forests, there’s a David McLay Kidd golf course, a thatched spa in the cool jungly forest, stables of thoroughbred horses, a panoply of pools, and a dive centre with 14 boats and a submarine. Five restaurants serve delicious dishes from teppanyaki wagyu beef to exquisite morsels created using ingredients from the island’s farm. With only 25 villas – the most romantic perched above crashing waves and the biggest set atop the island’s peak – each guest feels as if they have the island to themselves. every inch is looked after by 350 Fijian staff who, when they aren’t smiling or proffering fresh fruit juice or a martini, are delivering warm banana cake or justcleaned shoes before vanishing to leave you watching distant waves phosphoresce in the moonlight. LG Doubles from £4,000; laucala.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/laucala
MANDARIN ORIENTAl TOkyO To kyo - JA PAN WhiLe The Mandarin Oriental offers sleek design mixed with cutting-edge technology and an astonishing level of intelligent service, it is the feeling of being in an aerial cocoon of calm that distinguishes this hotel. it occupies the top floors of the Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower in Tokyo’s business and shopping district, with astounding views from floor-to-ceiling windows in all 179 rooms and suites. among a dozen bars and restaurants, the classy Mandarin Bar is a favourite, while gourmands struggle to choose between cantonese cuisine at sense and the Tapas Molecular Bar, where cutlery is swapped for pipettes and syringes. in the meditative 37th-floor spa and its pool, nothing but glass comes between swimmer and the sight of snow-capped Mount Fuji bathed in the red glow of sunset. FD Doubles from £317; mandarinoriental.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/mandarinorientaltokyo
ASABA BaMBOO FOresTs, lakes, blossoming trees, hot-spring baths, dancing fireflies, the scent of tatami… if there is one place where the unpoetic might feel inspired to write a haiku, it’s asaba. The 15th-century family-run ryokan, on the edge of the hot-spring town shuzenji, is just two hours south of Tokyo by train. The entrance is marked by a split cotton noren curtain hanging above a monochrome pebble entrance, behind which elegant kimono-clad staff usher guests to one of 17 minimal guestrooms. each is designed in signature ryokan style, with tatami mat floors, sliding screens, deep cypress baths, futons, paper lanterns and asymmetric flower arrangements, as well as windows with views of pretty lakes and gardens. Guests can soak in the restorative outdoor hot-spring baths before indulging in a private in-room kaiseki dinner: a banquet of a dozen dishes fit for an emperor. The harry Bertoia chairs in the lounge best sum up the asaba experience – it may be rooted in heritage, but the atmosphere is fresh and modern. DD Doubles from £660; relaischateaux.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/asaba
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Andrew rowAt; jenny zArins
I z u Pe n i n su l a - JAPA N
UMA by COMO Pu n a kh a - BH U TAN PeelING BAcK the layers of this hotel is much like discovering Bhutan itself. Uma’s ochre walls, broken by grand double doors, are reminiscent of the country’s dzongs, or fortresses, albeit softened by bougainvillea, poinsettias and camellias. Pass through doors and courtyards, past smiling staff in traditional Bhutanese dress, and views of densely forested hills unfold, with terraced rice paddies cascading to the meandering Mo chu river below. Throughout the eight-bedroom, two-villa property, floor-to-ceiling windows and low-slung cream furnishings retain the focus on the views. Traditional Bhutanese art, hand-knotted rugs from Nepal and Indian cotton bed linens complete the simple, authentic aesthetic. While the menu at the intimate restaurant is global, spanning local specialities, gnocchi, cassoulet and wagyu beef burgers, dishes are crafted from local organic produce. Best of all, the property is also available on an exclusive-use basis. GlB Doubles from £440; comohotels.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/uma
SOUTHERN OCEAN LODGE Ka nga roo Is land - AU STRALIA PeRcHed ABOve Hanson Bay, this Kangaroo Island retreat offers a ringside seat to witness the South Ocean in all its elemental glory. With no land mass between here and Antarctica to dampen the swell, waves pound its sugar-white sands – a fact that did not escape the designers of this low-rise, sensitively crafted luxe resort. The limestone-clad lobby has a wraparound screen of floor-to-ceiling glass, while views from the 21 contemporary suites, named after shipwrecks, are equally impressive. cantilevered, with glass-walled bathrooms and sunken lounges, the design directs you to the wild exterior. The lavish 1,290sq ft Osprey Pavilion is the pick, with a hand-crafted free-standing bath offering a panorama that takes some beating. Add to this the fauna of Australia’s answer to the Galápagos, fresh native produce (foraged samphire, freerange lamb), friendly service and a fine wine list and there can be few better places to be shipwrecked. CSS Doubles from £1,050; southernoceanlodge.com.au Full review telegraph.co.uk/southernoceanlodge
OBEROI VANYAVILAS Ra ntham bore - IN d IA THe OBeROI’S bush outpost lies just outside Ranthambhore National Park, where tigers sunbathe on old Raj ruins beneath a towering 1,000-year-old fort. Although the bedrooms are made from canvas, this is no jungle camp. Rather, it’s the grandest spot in India from which to watch wildlife while being looked after by some of the country’s most gracious hoteliers. Beturbaned staff, in jewel-coloured kurtas, are on hand when needed (invisible when not) to serve Indian feasts in candlelit courtyards, proffer orangeflower-scented face-towels after a safari or serve rosewater iced tea by the fringed colonial-style pool umbrellas. Naturalists offer lectures and take private safaris through the park’s loveliest areas to see spotted chital deer, rich birdlife and – with luck – tigers. And the rooms are so sumptuous that it’s criminal not to take time to recline on the carved four-posters, soak amid rose-petals in lion-claw baths or take tea on a silver tray while watching kingfishers diving into waterlily-strewn ponds. LG Doubles from £645; oberoihotels.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/oberoivanyavilas
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The MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN
Martin Kreuzer
Our experts Rosemary Behan, Pippa de Bruyn, Tim Ecott, Lisa Grainger, Johnny Morris
Royal MansouR Ma rra ke ch - M O RO CCO PEOPLE DON’T cOmE to this hotel for a buzz or to be part of a scene. It was built at the behest of morocco’s king, mohammed VI, as a garden oasis and a showcase for moroccan craftsmanship, and is a palace of calm. What sings out loud, though, is the beauty of the buildings: intricately carved domed ceilings, walls adorned with zellij tiles, elaborate stucco detail and charming, homely mud-walled riads with fireplaces, characterful bedrooms and roof terraces for sundowners. For those who do want to see other people, there’s a glam cigar lounge and a cocktail bar, the best hotel boutique in marrakech, and a cathedralsized white spa and hammam in which to steam. Or there is exquisite food to savour: French and moroccan morsels by the Parisian michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, and a perfect breakfast served outdoors beside lemon trees, from thick orange juice and crisp French pastries to sweet moroccan figs and honey. If you ever wanted to know how kings lived, this is where you find out. LG Doubles from £550; royalmansour.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/royalmansour
noRTH IslanD SEYCH EL LES IT’s NO coincidence that Hollywood chose North as the real incarnation of Thunderbirds’ Tracy Island for the film. Guests, a mixture of potentates, oligarchs, celebrities and royals, arrive by helicopter from mahé to stay in just 11 totally private villas. They’re so spacious that 10 are labelled Presidential and the biggest simply called Villa North Island. North redefines beach chic, with sumptuous natural fabrics and acres of polished driftwood furniture and doors. Guests set their own dress code, and order whatever they like from the chef. This isn’t simply a smart hotel and spa beside a beach covered in fine sand the colour of spun sugar. It has some of seychelles’ best diving and fishing, kite-surfing and hiking. Nesting turtles regularly come ashore, and on the long west beach there are flying foxes, fairy terns, whimbrels and crab plovers: evidence of the owners’ pledge to make it a Noah’s Ark. TE Doubles from £4,435; north-island.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/northisland
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FOUR SEASONS LANDAA GIRAAVARU ThE firsT ThinG you notice is the scale, as this Maldivian island resort in the remote Baa atoll is unusual in offering nearly two million square foot of exotic tranquillity. Plenty of room for the wide palm-lined boulevard leading to the heart of the hotel and beyond to extensive cycle paths cocooned by mature gardenia and lantern trees. Plenty of scope for privacy in the coral-fronted villas complete with traditional open-air rooms, a 39ft pool and a secluded walkway to the sugar-soft beach. Then there is the award-winning three-acre spa – a serious health centre with an ayurvedic retreat providing up to three-week holistic programmes. Best of all are the resort’s sustainable initiatives, including a well-established turtle conservation scheme, a coral-reef regeneration programme (4,500 coral frames to date) and a pioneering manta-ray research project – all managed by a team of marine scientists. add to this an exemplary service style led by the Zen-like calm of general manager armando kraenzlin and you have perfect hospitality in one of the world’s most alluring environments. JM Doubles from £756; fourseasons.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/fourseasonsmaldiveslg
kerry de bruyne
Baa Ato l l - M A L DI V ES
BURJ AL ARAB Dubai - UAE
QASR AL SARAB DESERT RESORT Ab u D h a b i - UAE Thanks in no small part to its location on the edge of the Empty Quarter, a 250,000sq mile expanse of dramatic desert, this ambitious property (imagine building a five-star hotel’s foundations in sand, and the logistics of water and electricity) leaves visitors with a real sense of the romance of arabia. This is also achieved by the architecture and attention to detail shown both in the hotel’s main building (beautifully lit at night) and in the fine individual villas, which command soul-enhancing views. The fortress-style structure appears like a mirage, from which one can take in the stillness and silence, momentous sunsets and black, starry nights. There are five excellent restaurants, a fullservice anantara spa and plenty of activities to choose from. Guests can also arrive by helicopter. RB Doubles from £233; qasralsarab.anantara.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/qasralsarab
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EvEr wanTEd to live like an oligarch? There’s nothing subtle about the Burj al arab, from its name (meaning “tower of the arabs”) to its bold 1,053ft-high sail-shaped structure (still, at 15 years old, this is the third tallest hotel in the world) built on its own small artificial island. inside, all 202 rooms are duplex suites; the smallest is 1,819sq ft. The 590ft-high atrium is a showstopper. it’s a combination of the luxurious rooms (with thick, heavy doors, marble floors, winding staircase, personal office with an iMac, Burj al arab-branded wine, massive bathrooms with Jacuzzi baths, unique and panoramic views of dubai) and the service that makes this an exceptional place to stay. There’s a staff-tosuite ratio of eight to one and every floor is equipped with a desk of two butlers, staffed 24 hours a day. They’ll address you by name and escort you through the gold-plated lifts and corridors. There are nine bars and restaurants; breakfast is a choice of three enormous but very different buffets. and all the time you feel wonderfully and exhilaratingly insulated from reality. RB Doubles from £1,076; jumeirah.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/burjalarab
MNEMBA ISLAND Zan z iba r - TAN ZAN IA IT Takes JUsT 15 minutes to circumnavigate this tiny island, a mile off the northeast coast of Unguja, known to most as zanzibar. after the first lap – a blissful stroll on powder-soft sands encircling a casuarina forest that sticks up like a tuft of unruly hair – one starts to feel proprietary: a bizarre emotion but one, so staff assure, that is normal. each of the 10 large bandas – castaway shacks hidden in the dappled forest shade, with a sandy walkway to the beach and striated blue horizon – is open to the breeze and ocean sounds. Comprising an enormous raised bedroom with steps down into a coir-carpeted lounge-cum-dining room
with plush sofas, the luxury in this context feels decadent, as does the privacy – the only visitors are the delicately boned suni antelopes and, at sundown, a barefoot butler who brings cocktails and lanterns to light the walkway. delicious meals are served while you dig your toes into the sand, and snorkelling amid gem-like fish is a few strokes from the shore. Mnemba is punted as a perfect honeymoon spot – I think it’s even better for couples seeking to reignite smouldering embers. This island is one powerful aphrodisiac. PDB Doubles from £1,052; andbeyond.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/mnemba
SINGITA SASAKWA LODGE Gr umeti Res e r ve s - TAN ZANIA
‘Mnemba was like a Robinson Crusoe island: so simple and so beautiful. We showered outside and woke up to doves cooing’ a ma n da wa ke ley
There are dozens of safari camps as romantic as this, and sited in places as rich in wildlife. But sasakwa isn’t a camp. It’s the most elegant boutique bush hotel on the african continent: a glamorous colonial-style, no-expense-spared Tanzanian outpost for those who want to see wildlife without giving up an ounce of comfort. rooms are little villas, with plunge pools and sumptuous modern interiors by south african style gurus Cécile & Boyd. Food is as delicate and fresh as any fine-dining establishment (orange-yolked eggs benedict, norwegian smoked salmon, mango crème brûlée), but served under trees, on lamplit verandas or in silver-strewn dining rooms. When guests don’t fancy going on safari with expert guides, there are spa rooms, tennis courts, infinity pools and, for proficient riders, fine horses on which to gallop alongside giraffe or mingle with tens of thousands of wildebeest as they snort and chomp. or there are planters’ chairs, festooned with feather cushions, from which to soak up the spectacular views of the serengeti, and the privilege of being one of only 98 guests within 350,000 hectares of private reserve. LG Doubles from £1,895; singita.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/singitasasakwa
ELLERMAN HOUSE Ca pe Tow n - S O uTH A FRI CA PerChed hIgh above the atlantic, in a 1.5-acre terraced garden carved out of the Bantry Bay cliffs, ellerman house enjoys perhaps the most spectacular location in Cape Town, a city not short on views. With just 13 rooms and suites sharing the sprawling grounds, and outsiders welcome by prior arrangement or guest invitation only, ellerman house is also the most private hotel in the city, a secluded retreat with the kind of hushed atmosphere that suits the many regular visitors who treat it as their Cape Town home. Urbane owner Paul harris is also one of the foremost collectors of south african art: every wall here is testament to his great eye and deep pockets. even harris’s enormous wine collection, displayed in an innovative “wine gallery” and described by many as a work of art in its own right, is – along with the 24-hour guest pantry (chock-full with delectable home-baked savoury and sweet treats), sumptuous rooms, Cape riviera views and intuitive service – part of the sum that sets this house apart. PDB Doubles from £310; ellerman.co.za Full review telegraph.co.uk/ellermanhouse
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The AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN
Our experts Debbie Pappyn, Doug Gray, Fred Mawer, Chris Moss, Nigel richardson, Douglas rogers, Nigel Tisdall, Celia Walden, Claire Wrathall
AMANGIRI Ut a h - USA A stone’s throw from the famous Lake Powell and the invisible border between Arizona and Utah, the almost secret location of Amangiri at Canyon Point is not easy to find in this extreme desert landscape. the clever design is inspired by the rugged nature of the Utah landscape and the distinctive entrada sandstone. Guests come here to relax around the swimming pool that curves around a rock formation or to recharge in the 25,000sq ft Aman spa with sweeping desert views and unique navajo-inspired treatments. executive chef Jacob Anaya translates the regional new American cuisine into an agreeable mix of light but hearty dishes, such as fish tacos, served on a private terrace with a glass of chilled Californian white. All 34 rooms and suites extend from the main building like an eagle’s wing, with views over the untamed landscape from the bath or bed. the large folding windows can be completely opened on to the private terrace, with low chairs and fireplace – the perfect spot from which to marvel at the starry skies in the intensely black nights of southern Utah. DP Doubles from £1,000; amanresorts.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/amangiri
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‘Amangiri looks like a futuristic hotel that’s been built on the surface of the Moon’ moby
SHUTTERS ON THE BEACH Lo s Ange le s - USA THIS IS the hotel where every celebratory event could be spent, with the same cocktail in hand (a dirty martini; hold the vermouth). From the moment guests pull into the famous Santa Monica hotel driveway there’s an old-school attention to service that, unlike so many Californian hotels, never borders on overfamiliarity. A preposterously handsome, preppy young valet helps guests out of their cars and carries their bags past the collection of Hockney, Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns art works lining the walls of the living room and up to one of the 186 guest rooms. Unless they book one of the hotel’s 12 ocean-view suites, some visitors may find the
view disappointing. But interior decorator Michael S Smith (who also decorated the White House) has made up for this by turning even the smallest room into a miniature beach house, complete with oak floors and hand-stitched Indian throws. In any case, the best view is accessible to all, from the bar balcony, where brunch, lunch or tea can be ordered from the hotel restaurant, 1 Pico (the homemade corned beef with biscuits and gravy is out of this world) and watch the sun go down over Santa Monica Pier. CW Doubles from £382; shuttersonthebeach.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/shutters
FASANO R io de Janei ro - B RAZ IL
Joe Fletcher
WHEN YOUR hotel occupies the most fashionable corner of Rio, where the sugary sands of Ipanema and Arpoador meet, there is some pressure to do justice to its location. Fortunately, it was to São Paulo’s master of luxury hospitality, Rogério Fasano, that the opportunity fell to inject some much needed pizzazz into a tired Rio hotel scene. Today, the Fasano is the hotel to which everyone flocks, to witness invigorating sunrises and sunsets, to take front-row seats to the most outrageous carnival blocos and to witness action on the world’s most beautiful urban beach. Inside, the sophisticated gloom of Philippe Starck’s corridors is punctuated by Gaetano Pesce’s voluptuous, spotlit La Mamma chairs, while designer touches in the rooms are rendered almost obsolete by the flawless views. The hotel is crowned by a rooftop bar so in demand that Paulistanos book rooms for whole weekends to sip the moreish caipirinhas and, downstairs, enjoy the best restaurant in town, Fasano al Mare, helmed by award-winning chef Paolo Lavezzini. DG Doubles from £480; fasano.com.br Full review telegraph.co.uk/fasano
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INKATERRA LA CASONA Cuzco - PER U
BELLE MONT FARM St K itt s - CA R I BB E AN set A thoUsAnd foot up in the rainforested hills of northern st kitts, Belle mont Farm opened just over a year ago and strives to be a gamechanger in the world of sustainable luxury. Created by the charismatic trinidadian entrepreneur val kempadoo, and built and staffed by islanders, it sits on a 400-acre organic farm, with uplifting views across to the neighbouring island of st eustatius. the 84 wooden guesthouses designed by star architect Bill Bensley come in a grand, Caribbean-colonial style with a majestic four-poster bed, private plunge pool and outdoor bath. Activities include mountain hikes and
golf (on a pioneering organic course), but the most compelling reason to visit is the groundbreaking cuisine served in the kitchen restaurant. here, French chef Christophe Letard is not only rethinking ways to use local ingredients such as sorrel, christophene and guava, he’s also teaching kittitians how to follow his innovative style. the result is a banquet of farm-to-table treats, including a delightful tropical breakfast served in the nursery gardens and a sunday brunch served with free-flowing Bollinger. NT Doubles from £731; bellemontfarm.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/ bellemontfarm
CUZCo, imperial capital of the inca, was adopted by the conquering spanish as the ideal location for their grandest palaces, churches and mansions. La Casona, on a beautiful plaza in the san Blas district, is thought to be the oldest colonial building in the city and was briefly the home of liberator simón Bolívar. Carefully restored before opening in 2008 – it became Peru’s first relais & Châteaux hotel a year later – it still feels like a conquistador’s private residence. the old World darkwood furniture, faded frescoes and antiques harmonise well with the earthy hues of Andean throws and exposed stonework. eleven sumptuous and spacious suites overlook the plaza or inner courtyards, and all have private dining spaces as well as stone fireplaces, heated wooden floors and marble bathrooms. Plaza suite two, the largest, was occupied by conquistador diego de Almagro. the in-house restaurant serves quinoa pancakes and coca tea for breakfast and Peruvian fusion food (guinea pig confit, Andean trout in Brazil-nut tempura) for lunch and dinner. the small Yacu spa has an ecclesiastical calm. staff are low-key, courteous to a fault, and speak impeccable english. on the doorstep is the museum of Pre-Columbian Art and most major sights as well as many of Cuzco’s best restaurants. CM Doubles from £280; inkaterra.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/inkaterralacasona
MASHPI LODGE Ch o có - ECUADO R
THE RANCH AT ROCK CREEK M o nt an a - USA investment BAnker James manley saw 500 ranches before he found one that matched his wishlist. A valley to ensure privacy: check. A mountain he could ski on: check. “A cool Western town” nearby: check. he didn’t want grizzlies, rattlesnakes or cougars (though there are elk, moose, deer, less dangerous bears and wolves). the altitude needed to be not so elevated as to cause mountain sickness. And he wanted a river teeming with trout. eventually he settled on 6,800 acres of the Anaconda-Pintler wilderness, restored its 19th-century buildings and added a granite lodge, some long cabins (the loveliest are Bluebird and eagle’s Perch) and a row of riverfront tents. the real appeal, however, is the activities: all the riding, shooting, fishing, archery, mountain biking and, in winter, skiing, skating, snowmobiling, sledding and sleigh rides you have the energy for are included, as are three meals a day and drinks, even in its silver dollar saloon, where you sit on swivelling saddles at a bar encrusted with real silver dollars. there’s nowhere better to connect with your inner Jesse James. CWr Doubles from £1,290; theranchatrockcreek.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/ranchatrockcreek
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When this modern, minimalist, glasswalled jungle lodge opened in 2012, it changed the accommodation game in south America. Architect Alfredo ribadeneira’s “protective cocoon” would impress in a modern city; in the depths of the Andean cloudforest, it is wild, audacious and beautiful. though only 70 miles from Quito, mashpi Lodge sits in splendid isolation, perched on a cliff at the end of an unsealed road. sensitively tucked into the canopy, you don’t see it till you arrive. inside, grey tiled floors, natural hues and exposed tubing mean nothing detracts from what guests are here to experience: the greenery that wraps around the hotel’s huge walls of clear tempered glass. the 22 rooms maintain the clean design lines, featuring bamboo-and-glass décor, soft rugs and plush armchairs. three Yaku suites are more spacious, and come with Philippe starck baths. days kick off with pre-breakfast birdwatching, before heading to the butterfly sanctuary, observation tower, aerial canopy ride and jungle trails. Biodiversity is breathtaking in the Chocódarien region, and the olinguito – the first carnivorous mammal discovered in 35 years – can be observed here. Adventures completed and species ticked, a Jacuzzi, cocktail and Peruvian fusion food await. CM Doubles from £864; mashpilodge.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/mashpilodge
FOGO ISLAND INN N ewfo un dl a nd - CA NA DA Dusk, when the windows glow through the subArctic gloom, is when it looks most extraordinary – like a visitation from Planet hip. Perched on a rocky island foreshore off newfoundland, on Canada’s Atlantic seaboard, the Fogo Island Inn draws inspiration from the remote fishing community that surrounds it. Its oblong exterior may look like a boho slice of London or new York, but is modelled on Fogo Island’s clapboard houses, while the minimalist décor is handcrafted on the island to the designs of top north American and european designers who were in turn inspired by local traditions. In the kitchen, chef Murray McDonald puts newfoundland on a plate by using foraged berries and greens and “wild things from the north Atlantic”, and every one of the 29 suites has an ocean view and a woodburning stove. It may stand on stilts but the inn is far from aloof. In a unique example of social entrepreneurship, pioneered by local woman-made-good Zita Cobb, all profits are ploughed back into the local community. NR Doubles from £468; fogoislandinn.ca Full review telegraph.co.uk/fogoisland
SUGAR BEACH St Luci a - CAr ibb e AN sugAr BeACh’s location is arguably the most memorable of any hotel in the Caribbean. The former sugar plantation sits in the cleavage of st Lucia’s landmark Pitons, a pair of verdant volcanic spires that soar steeply out of the deep blue ocean. A crescent of dazzlingly white (imported) sand completes the multicoloured picture. The Viceroy hotel group has invested around £65 million in a complete, tasteful revamp of the property that used to be called The Jalousie Plantation, and the results are impressive. supremely elegant bedrooms have a neo-colonial look, with furnishings and shutters in white, as if not to distract from the surroundings. Much of the accommodation takes the form of clapboard villas set up the hillside of the 100-acre estate, with astonishing views from their terraces and plunge pools. Other highlights include a spa set in treehouses above the forest floor, stylish restaurants and bars, fantastic snorkelling and diving just offshore, plus butler service (you’re provided with a mobile phone to stay in touch). FM Doubles from £342; viceroyhotelsandresorts.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/sugarbeach
CROSBY STREET HOTEL New Yo rk - USA In The heArT of fabulously fashionable soho, but on a discreet cobblestone street, this red-brick façade and blue-lit exterior promises a flashy boutique hotel. Inside, though, it’s all sumptuous elegance: soaring ceilings, dark-wood furniture, subtle grey, mauve, red and white tones, and contemporary art on the walls. The english influence in the only American hotel of the uk’s Firmdale group is evident in the popular afternoon teas – steak and stilton Cornish pasties, spiced gingerbread english trifle – and in the floral-patterned wallpaper and decorative sofas of designer kit kemp’s fresh, light-filled interiors. The 86 rooms all have floorto-ceiling warehouse windows (the upper floors with stunning Lower Manhattan views); the second-floor Meadow suite also has a private terrace garden. Downstairs, the spacious Crosby Bar goes from serving english breakfasts and those teas to cocktails and dinner, some ingredients coming from chef Anthony Paris’s 12th-floor rooftop garden and urban chicken coop. Another highlight is the swanky state-of-the-art 99-seat cinema used for film-festival screenings and a sunday-night film club. DR Doubles from £400; firmdalehotels.com Full review telegraph.co.uk/crosbystreet
ultratravel 35
‘Setting up camp in caves – with damp sleeping bags, baked-bean air, sand everywhere – cured me of any desire to travel rough again’
S
ince starring in the 1987 cult film Withnail and I, the Swazi-born actor has appeared in more than 80 films, and directed one, Wah-Wah, about growing up in post-colonial Africa.
In 2012 he became a modern hotel inspector in Hotel Secrets, in which he explored the hospitality world, from Soho to Shanghai. How many holidays do you take a year? Since buying a small farmhouse in Provence when my daughter was born, we have spent six weeks there every summer for the past 26 years. I adore that summery dose of sunshine, garlic, olive oil, brocantes and badminton. To avoid the drizzly post-Christmas doldrums, we’ve been flying to the Caribbean for as long as I’ve been able to afford it: at first to the Coral Reef Club (coralreef barbados.com) in Barbados, then to Mustique. What do you need for a perfect holiday? My family. Luckily, our daughter still wants to share holidays, so no matter where we go, we are Your best holiday ever? Friends flew us in their jet to Cape Town for a few days, then to Swaziland for New Year’s Eve, where we danced under the stars at the House on Fire open-air theatre (house-on-fire.com), then on to Mauritius where we played tennis and snorkelled on coral reefs, then to Singita Lebombo (singita. com) in the Kruger National Park, where we slept
PAL HANSEN/CONTOuR BY GETTY IMAGES
guaranteed to have a good time.
Travelling life Richard E Grant
The actor on his childhood in Swaziland, jaw-dropping weekends in Rome, glorious stays at Ballyfin and summers in Provence in glass-fronted lodges above a waterhole
A favourite stop-off is Da Felice (feliceatestaccio.
Manhattan, which cost an eye-watering £30,000
1960s. The variety of game, including endangered
populated by crocs and hippos. It was luxury on
it), for the finest plateful of cacio e pepe, which is
a night, with a grand piano and a bath that filled
rhino and elephant, makes for an unforgettable
a scale we’ve never experienced before or since.
usually followed by a sorbet on the Piazza Navona.
in 60 seconds! My first choice, though, would
experience. The stone cottages, open-air baths,
Earliest memory of travelling?
Favourite restaurant abroad?
be Ballyfin (ballyfin.com) in Ireland. The level of
mosquito-netted beds and campfire food create
In 1964 I flew on my own from Swaziland on
La Petite Maison (lapetitemaison-nice.com) in
comfort is unsurpassed. It’s as if you’ve stepped
a wonderfully intimate feel, and the smell of
a BOAC plane to meet my parents in London: an
Nice, presided over by Nicole, who, depending on
back into the very best of the 19th century with
paraffin lanterns and sounds of wildlife as I drift
incredible adventure. Mbabane, where I grew up,
her volcanic mood, is apt to greet you like a long-
21st-century amenities, like the grand country
off to sleep make me feel like I’m five again.
got its first traffic light that year, so London left
lost friend or ignore you. The food is consistently
house of good friends who have just popped out.
Travel essential you won’t do without?
an indelible impression. I went on a rollercoaster
good, from truffles in various incarnations
The most remote place you’ve travelled to?
All things Apple: the miniature miracle containing
in Battersea Park, saw Peter Pan’s statue in
to a divine mango and apricot concoction.
While filming Hildegarde in Australia, I drove into
books, camera, movies, music, diary, contacts.
Kensington, then tried ice-skating at Queensway.
Favourite place for a drink?
the Outback and kept expecting to see Crocodile
Plus headphones and Jack, my signature scent.
Your most nostalgic destination?
A basket hung beneath a balloon soaring over the
Dundee. Instead, the vast and empty red-soiled
The best airline in the world?
Pigg’s Peak in northern Swaziland. The landscape,
Masai Mara in Kenya. You get a bird’s-eye view
landscape reminded me how insignificant I was.
British Airways (ba.com). Its level of service, food
light, smells and great friends time-warp me back
of the wildlife below, and a sense of what life was
What’s the roughest you’ve ever travelled?
that’s not mucked about with, comfortable flat
to the best aspects of my childhood.
like before man “tamed” the wilderness.
My father had an aversion to camping, which
beds, variety of entertainment and staff’s sense of
Do you travel light or heavily?
The most romantic hotel you’ve ever been?
made me want to sleep in a tent all the more.
humour are a winning combination. You feel you
Hand luggage only – since “losing” my luggage on
One in the Seychelles, on honeymoon 29 years
A school trip to Lesotho in 1975 finally answered
are almost home the moment you step on board.
a couple of flights some years ago.
ago, that no longer exists. We spent the days
this call. As thrilling as it was to see dinosaur
The best places to stay in the UK?
Your favourite city for a weekend away?
learning to scuba dive and gawping at fish and
footprints, the experience of setting up camp in
The Savoy (fairmont.com), overlooking the
Rome. I check into Hotel d’Inghilterra (niquesa.
the nights between the sheets. We were the only
caves – with damp sleeping bags, smelly socks,
National Theatre and Southbank, has exceptional
com) near the Spanish Steps, then walk until my
Brits among all the German guests, so felt even
baked-bean air and sand everywhere – cured
service, and the fish and chips elevate that gastro
feet seize up and my jaw stops dropping. There’s
more cubbyholed away in this tropical nirvana.
me of any desire to travel rough again.
partnership to a new level. And there’s the bonus
always something to savour, be it the citizens
The most glamorous room you have stayed?
Favourite spots in southern Africa?
of being able to stroll into the Savoy Theatre.
promenading, the plethora of delicious restaurants
The most expensive room was the penthouse
The Mkhaya Game Reserve (mkhaya.com) in
With Nails (Picador), Grant’s film diaries, is out now.
or the gasp-inducing perfection of the Pantheon.
suite at the Four Seasons (fourseasons.com) in
southern Swaziland, founded by Ted Reilly in the
Interview by Lisa Grainger
© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2016. Published by TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT, and printed by Polestar UK Limited. Colour reproduction by borngroup.com. Not to be sold separately from The Daily Telegraph. Ultratravel is a registered trademark licensed to The Daily Telegraph by PGP Media Limited
36 ultratravel
Upgrade, on us.
Enjoy a complimentary stateroom upgrade when you book a Mediterranean Cruise or Transatlantic Crossing. Or, travel further afield on an Exotic Cruise or World Voyage to receive complimentary on board spending money.* Then sit back and look forward to the many pleasures of a holiday with Cunard – lavish theatrical productions, renowned guest speakers, exquisite dining and our famous afternoon tea – all delivered with White Star Service.
To discover more visit cunard.co.uk, contact your travel agent or call 0843 373 4090.
*Offers applicable to new Cunard Fare bookings only. Upgrade offer valid on selected 2016 departures on selected stateroom grades and varies by ship. Make your choice of stateroom and pay the fare of a stateroom at least one type lower - e.g. book a Balcony and pay for an Inside or Oceanview. On board spending money offer is valid on selected 2017 Full World Cruises and Exotic Cruises departing January – May 2017. Amounts vary by stateroom type and cruise duration and are applicable to the first two passengers sharing a stateroom. Both offers expire 29 February 2016.
4CORNERs
ground. Here, Queen Elizabeth will call at the key cities such as Stockholm, surrounded by green islands, picture-perfect medieval Tallinn and the treasure-flled city of St Petersburg. Should you wish to venture south to the balmy Canary Islands, there are several sailings from Southampton. And if you have never cruised and want to try, both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2 undertake short breaks to Germany and Belgium. During the summer and autumn, Queen Victoria will be based in the Mediterranean. There’s an intriguing mix of combinations and routes available as she will efectively has four “home” ports – Barcelona, Athens, Venice and Civitavecchia, near Rome, with itineraries from one to three weeks. Depending on itinerary, on each voyage you will not miss out on the major cities but may also be treated to less-discovered destinations such as the eastern Italian city of Trieste, the lively Greek island of Mykonos and the spectacular landscapes of Corsica.
SPECIAL OFFERS Cunard has very special ofers for those who book a voyage before 29 February, 2016. First there’s the valuable Ultimate Upgrade ofer: Book a Balcony stateroom and you will pay the price of an Inside stateroom. Book an exclusive Princess Grills suite and pay for a Club Balcony stateroom. Book an ultimate Queens Grills suite for the cost of a Princess Grills suite. These upgrades apply to selected voyages from May to December 2016
to the Mediterranean, Baltic or Norwegian fjords as well as Transatlantic Crossings to or from New York on board Queen Mary 2. The other ofer is extra complimentary on-board spending money for those booking a 2017 World Voyage or exotic cruise – double the usual Cunard fare allowance. You could use this gift in the ships’ speciality restaurants, on fne wine or champagne, in the on-board boutiques or towards luxurious treatments in the spa.
Dream destinations Clockwise from main picture, New York at night; Queen Mary 2 in Geiranger fjord; Queen Mary 2 in Sydney Harbour; Queen Elizabeth in Santorini
you have always wanted to explore South America, take in a large slice of the Far East, or cruise around Australia and New Zealand. You could join Queen Mary 2 in 2017 for a 49-night voyage from Southampton to Sydney, via the spectacular Panama Canal. Or why not fy out to Australia to visit friends and family, then come home over 56 nights on Queen Victoria via New Zealand, Hawaii and the Caribbean? Still too long? There are plenty of exotic shorter voyages. On Queen Mary 2’s 28-night itinerary from Sydney to Hong Kong, you will also visit Japan, South Korea and China. And Queen Elizabeth takes a leisurely 23 nights to sail from Dubai to Southampton, passing through the Suez Canal. F o o d , m u s i c A n d FA s h i o n This year Cunard is presenting a collection of specialevent cruises. On 23 June, Queen Elizabeth will sail out of Southampton to circumnavigate Great Britain, exploring its food heritage. The 12-night British Isles Culinary Discovery voyage includes several calls in Scotland as well as Belfast, Liverpool and Guernsey. There will be all sorts of on-board and on-shore activities with a food theme, including visits to famous distilleries. The voyage will be joined by wine guru Jilly Goolden and Charles Sichel of winemaker and merchant Maison Sichel. Grand balls are a Cunard hallmark and three voyages in November deserve special mention. On each, a Big Band Ball will be the highlight, with a gala performance coinciding with founder Sir Samuel Cunard’s birthday. Featuring music from the big band and swing eras, the events will echo the glittering nights of the Twenties. Look out, too, for leading lights of music performing on board this year, including legendary bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock, celebrated jazz man Gregory Porter and former Ultravox star Midge Ure. Transatlantic Fashion Week takes place on Queen Mary 2 in early September. This voyage to New York will be a joy for followers of haute couture. British design luminary Zandra Rhodes will be among the guest speakers, as will New York Fashion Week founder Fern Mallis and fashion commentator Colin McDowell. Guests can also look forward to hosted dinners and catwalk shows featuring emerging faces from Storm model agency showcasing collections by graduates of the Royal College of Art.
For more information visit cunard.co.uk
e xoTic j ou rn e ys A full World Voyage is the epitome of cruising, an unmatched achievement in travel. Crossing between continents unveils an ever-changing tapestry of cities, landscapes, islands, climates and cultures. If the several months required for such a journey are not possible for you, there is a host of exotic cruises from which to choose, of varying durations. Perhaps
Terms and conditions: Ofers applicable to new Cunard fare bookings only. Upgrade of er valid on selected 2016 departures on selected stateroom grades and varies by ship. Make your choice of stateroom and pay the fare of a stateroom at least one type lower - eg book a Balcony and pay for an Inside or Oceanview. On board spending money of er is valid on selected 2017 Full World Cruises and Exoctic Cruises departing January–May 2017. Amounts vary by stateroom type and cruise duration and are applicable to the frst two passengers sharing a stateroom. Both of ers expire 29 February 2016.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY CUNARD
A refned way to see the world With Cunard sailing all over the globe, you can explore exciting new places, revisit favourites and enjoy specialevent cruises, says Arthur Forrest
T h e w o r l d AwA i T s With so much to enjoy on board a Cunard ship, it is easy to forget the other tremendous advantage of a holiday at sea – the wonderful array of destinations visited. Having sailed the world’s oceans for more than 175 years, Cunard has an unrivalled depth of experience to call upon. This year and next, the majestic Three Queens have diferent but equally compelling roles in introducing guests to exciting new places and taking them back to cherished favourites. And at each port into which your Cunard ship proudly sails, the on-board team will present a wide selection of shore excursions and activities, so there is always something to appeal. Perhaps you’d enjoy a walk around a city with a guide who can tell you the stories behind what you see, a tour to see the surrounding countryside, or something more individual such as wine tasting or an authentic cookery demonstration. Or, for the most energetic, there are often the likes of kayaking, helicopter fights and jungle treks. The clAssic journey Cunard’s most famous voyage has just one destination – New York. Sail from Southampton on Queen Mary 2 and you will be following in the wake of famous names whose photographs adorn the walls of this magnifcent ship. Imagine the thrill as Queen Mary 2 sails into
New York harbour, with the Manhattan skyline in its full cinematic glory. Cunard can arrange hotel accommodation in the Big Apple for as long as you like before fying home, and you can do the journey in reverse to bring home all that shopping with no luggage restrictions. Yet your Cunard adventure need not end in New York. There are opportunities this year to stay on board to sail up the eastern seaboard into Canada, completing the journey at Quebec, or come back to Manhattan after visiting characterful Boston and wild Nova Scotia. If you’re yearning for sunshine, Queen Mary 2 has a spectacular 26-night itinerary in late November that crosses to New York then tours the Caribbean, calling at tropical gems such as Dominica and Tortola. europeAn mArvels Cruise from the UK or fy straight to the region that most appeals – Cunard ofers plenty of opportunities for both. In general, Queen Elizabeth embarks on round trips from Southampton with superb itineraries to the Mediterranean, taking in historic gems such as Venice and less-visited jewels such as the Croatian island of Korcula. Queen Elizabeth is also the perfect platform from which to view the Norwegian fords and even continue on to Iceland, where the breathtaking setting of remote Isafordur is an inspiring reward. The Baltic Sea is another marvellous cruising
Cunard has a fascinating history of transporting animals – including a hippo on one voyage – and the remastering of Queen Mary 2 will double the number of kennels available for dogs or cats. U n PA r A L L e L e d L U X U r Y More than a century in the making, today’s Grills experience aboard Cunard ships is the ultimate way to travel by sea. Earlier Cunard vessels, starting with Aquitania and especially including the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, needed to satisfy the exacting requirements of a clientele that included royalty, statesmen, global business leaders and Hollywood stars. The same level of privilege can be enjoyed on all three Cunard Queens today. An exclusive domain on each ship, the Grills ofer guests luxurious suite accommodation, separate dining rooms, a private concierge and even an exclusive outdoor deck. There are two distinctive choices: Queens Grill and Princess Grill, the former benefting from the most
spacious suites – including magnifcent duplex apartments – and butler service. Arrive at your departure point and, as a Grill guest, you will be escorted through priority boarding. In your suite, chocolates and a bottle of bubbly will be waiting – perhaps for you to enjoy while your butler unpacks your luggage if you have chosen Queens Grill. Look around your suite and you’ll notice the generous walk-in wardrobe, marble bathroom with bathtub, soft seating area, private verandah, DVD player, fridge and comforting touches such as a pillow menu. In the exquisite Grills restaurant, your reserved table awaits, immaculately set with Italian linen, Wedgwood china and Waterford crystal. Cunard’s most talented chefs will tempt you with delectable dishes, from the classic to the contemporary. If you can’t see exactly what you would like, something will be created especially for you. A concierge is on hand to book your appointments in the spa, reserve the best seats in the theatre or
Timeless luxury Clockwise from left: Queen Mary 2 arrives in Sydney Harbour; exquisite dining is one of the hallmarks of a Cunard voyage; artists’ impressions of the remastered Queens Grill and the new Carinthia Lounge
arrange a tailor-made shore excursion, such as private wine-tasting session or a chaufeured drive around a destination’s highlights. Of course, Grill guests have free access to all the ship’s facilities – the many swimming pools, designer boutiques, extensive library, wonderful ballroom, speciality restaurants, diverse entertainment and unrivalled enrichment opportunities. If you are travelling on Queen Mary 2, the Grill experience is about to become even more indulgent as part of her refurbishment. All the suites are being given a new look and reconfgured to cleverly maximise space. Fresh carpets and furnishings will refect the rich heritage of Cunard and its famous ships of yesteryear. Particular attention will be paid to textures and highlights, such as artworks that illustrate the striking designs of Cunard buildings around the world. In the Grill restaurants, a greater sense of space will be provided. The decor throughout will be richly updated and the menus enhanced with more options. In short, the best will be even better.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY CUNARD
Redefning elegance for today’s travellers The superb Queen Mary 2 is about to undergo a luxurious refurbishment. Arthur Forrest fnds out what Cunard guests can look forward to enjoying
Q
ueen Mary 2 is not only the most magnifcent ocean liner ever built, she is the only true ocean liner sailing the ocean today. That doesn’t mean Cunard’s fagship can rest on her laurels. She has a cherished status in the world that needs to be maintained, which means she’s about to become even more glamorous. For some years Queen Mary 2 has ofered the only luxury scheduled passenger service between Europe and the US, continuing an unbroken tradition since 1840. Her hull is unique, designed specifcally to slice smoothly through Atlantic waves. She also takes guests on the most illustrious world voyage each year and on several specially devised sailings. Although Queen Mary 2 is relatively young, Cunard will ensure she retains the accolade of the grandest ship on the seas with a series of enhancements this year. Her inherent design is a superb blueprint. She already ofers an unrivalled amount of space per passenger and her levels of luxury and service are unmatched by any other passenger vessel of this size. Early this spring, Queen Mary 2 will enter dry-dock for a “remastering”. This major refurbishment will create a new look and exciting innovations in many areas, not least in the ultimate cruise experience, the Cunard Grills. After what’s going to be much more than a simple spruce-up, she will relaunch with considerably enhanced accommodation, a fresh take on casual dining and a wonderful new lounge that’s sure to become a favourite spot for guests old and new. The hallmarks of the ship will remain intact: the glorious theatre, exquisite Canyon Ranch Spa, 3D cinema, memorable dining, the priceless artworks, the only planetarium at sea and the renowned White Star Service. A considered conversion The biggest infuence on the remastering of Queen Mary 2 is her “mother”, the original and legendary RMS Queen Mary, launched in 1936. In May, craftsmen will board Queen Mary 2 for
almost a month to bring her thoroughly up to date while echoing the best of the past. Furnishings, decorations and details from the frst ship will be carefully intertwined with the state-of-the-art luxury of today’s liner. Expect delightful art deco touches and highlights, with features picked out in the traditional Cunard colours of red and blue. The premium Grills Suites will receive a fresh new look, reconfgured to maximise space and reftted with even more opulent furnishings (see below). Britannia staterooms, already some of the plushest of any ship, will be reftted under a programme that starts this year and concludes late next year to minimise impact on the ship’s operations. Again, they will have designs inspired by Cunard’s history, such as geometric carpet patterns refecting those of the original Queen Mary and highlights in imperial blue and antique gold. A total of 30 new Britannia Club balcony staterooms will be added to meet demand for those preferring personal outdoor space. New single cabins will ofer space and privacy to those travelling alone. A revised layout is planned for the popular Kings Court casual restaurant. Warm timber fooring, chandeliers, dramatic artworks and mirrors that accentuate the sea views will create an enticing mood, and cooking demonstrations are planned in viewable kitchen areas. There is a completely new venue – the Carinthia Lounge – that has been remastered from the former Winter Garden in response to a request from passengers for a refned space for light daytime dining and sophisticated evenings. The elegant, airy Carinthia Lounge will serve healthy breakfasts and lunches, along with speciality teas and cofees, a dedicated patisserie counter and a champagne afternoon tea as an alternative to that served in the Queens Room. Later in the day, the lounge transforms into a welcoming venue to enjoy premium wines with platters of food and relaxed entertainment. Close to the promenade and Canyon Ranch Spa, this lounge will provide the perfect setting to catch up with friends or read a book. It will also beneft from an impressive wine wall, walnut dance foor and a suitably muted decor of powder blue, cream and pale gold.
More than a century in the making, it’s the ultimate way to travel by sea
SPECIAL OFFERS The unique story of Cunard continues to evolve, and this year the line is riding the crest of a wave with some exciting improvements and ofers. In early summer, fagship Queen Mary 2 will undergo a remastering that will enhance her already considerable appeal, with refurbished accommodation, a fresh take on casual dining and a divine new lounge. See pages 4-5 for details.
Several exciting themed cruises are taking place this year, so book early if your passion is for fashion, food or music. There are also special ofers for early bookers including stateroom upgrades and extra complimentary on-board spending money. Turn to pages 6-7 to fnd out more.
An elegant adventure Clockwise from top: Queen Elizabeth sails into Venice; world-class dining on board
with an eminent guest speaker on a subject that has always captured your imagination. The foundation upon which Cunard’s reputation is built is also a precious luxury – the renowned White Star Service. Cunard’s crew is specially trained not just to satisfy but to anticipate your desires. Respectful yet amiable, personal yet discreet, the level of service is a major infuence on the creation of those lifelong memories with which every passenger leaves. tHree MAJestiC sHiPs Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth are distinctive and full of character. Grand in scale yet stylish down to the last detail, each is a self-contained world that invites you to discover, relax, indulge, learn, enjoy – and smile. Each ship ofers a kaleidoscope of activities, entertainment and dining options that entice and enlighten. No two days on board need be the same. Authenticity is the keyword, whether you’re sipping a glass of bubbly in the chic Veuve Cliquot Champagne Bar or supping a pint of beer in the classic British pub. Stroll through the decks of a Cunard ship and you’ll fnd surprises around every corner. A swimmer bobs gently in an inviting blue pool on a teak deck. Friends huddle over an atlas in the library. The door of the theatre swings open and you hear thunderous applause. There are several traditions that have long been cherished. Prestigious evenings, on which so many guests love to dress up in their fnest for cocktails, dining and dancing, are always a huge pleasure. Ballroom dancing is another hallmark. You can take to the largest dancefoors at sea to the sounds of a live big band or swing ensemble. And if your moves aren’t quite up to Strictly standards, a few lessons will soon have you doing the quickstep. The Queens Room, in which the dancing takes place, is also the refned setting for afternoon tea. A choice of fne blends and dainty treats are served by white-gloved waiters, often accompanied by a string quartet. HiGH-CAliBre sPeAKers Another way in which Cunard makes a statement is in the calibre of the guest speakers on its Insights programme. Over the years, historians, scientists, authors, entertainers, naturalists and broadcasters have inspired audiences. Previous years’ presentations were given by, to name just a few, travel writer Bill Bryson, motor-racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart and former Bank of England governor Lord King. Dining is a cornerstone of a Cunard holiday. Each ship has a diverse collection of restaurants, with the grandly appointed Britannia Restaurant and – exclusively for Grills suite guests – the exquisite Queens and Princess Grills restaurants being the main focus. Here Grill guests can enjoy the pinnacle of Cunard dining augmented by one of the most extensive cellars at sea. Otherwise, your mood dictates where you eat. A full English breakfast, a healthy light lunch, an imaginative French afair, the spices of Asia and India, a succulent steak… these are just a few of the options. A voyage with Cunard is rewarding, enriching and exhilarating – a luxurious adventure. And at its very centre is you.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY CUNARD
See the world in grace and style
Cunard has been redefning luxury for more than 175 years with its magnifcent ships and peerless White Star Service. Arthur Forrest discovers its passion for the extraordinary
A
sense of occasion all day, every day. That’s what Cunard guests have come to expect. And this year there is even more to anticipate, indulge in and love. When a passenger ship sails into a Norwegian ford, past Venice’s St Mark’s Square or into New York Harbour, many watching from the shore will quickly identify the distinctive black-andred funnel and acknowledge, with a subliminal sense of respect, it’s a Cunard liner. For those on board, the feeling of pride is even higher, for they are the benefciaries of more than 175 years of rich history and a mode of travel that’s without compromise. Cunard can take you, in grace and style, to an array of the world’s most fascinating and exciting destinations. Wherever your Queen docks – from Iceland to India, from Stockholm to Sydney, from Barcelona to Brazil – you will feel part of an everevolving story, one that continues to demonstrate the heritage of the world’s most famous ships. A voyage with Cunard is special. On board, guests are indulged and pampered. The atmosphere is civilised and glamorous, yet laughter is the most common sound. You can be the centre of attention or left to relax in peace – how you engage with your holiday is always entirely up to you. Much of this ambience is to do with the Britishness of Cunard. This infuences everything from the stately elegance of the ship’s architecture to the nurturing of timeless traditions. In an age where many cruise ships try to incorporate a bewildering assortment of attractions, Cunard has no need for gimmicks. Everything on the three magnifcent Queens is designed and operated with you in mind, whether that’s opportunities for learning, the chance to relax deeply, a supreme level of fne dining or entertainment that will keep you in your seat. DeFinitions oF luxury Cunard is a luxury line, yet its luxury comes in many forms. Sumptuous staterooms, an exquisite spa, beautiful decor and grand public spaces can be taken for granted. The attention to detail is phenomenal, from the way in which your favourite cocktail is mixed to the stitching on the elegant soft furnishings. Luxury also means appreciating those less tangible qualities. The way in which a waiter remembers the way you like your steak cooked. The chance to chat
AN ILLUSTRIOUS H E R I TA G E No other passenger line has such a distinguished history as Cunard. Last year the company celebrated 175 years since founder Samuel Cunard set out across the Atlantic aboard the ship Britannia on the frst scheduled service between Britain and America – a service that, remarkably, continues to this day on the unsurpassed Queen Mary 2.
Since those early days, Cunard ships have been called upon to rescue survivors of the Titanic, transport large numbers of troops in times of war and set ocean speed records. They have hosted royalty and many household and historical names, from Charles Dickens to Clark Gable and Nelson Mandela to Rod Stewart. Cunard’s current ships are a result of this remarkable breeding, infused with a tradition of excellence. The adventures may be diferent today, but the company’s passion for the extraordinary remains the same.
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CUNARD’S MAJESTIC VOYAGES 16 JAN uAry 2016 T E L EG R A P H .CO. U K /C U n A R d
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b r o u G h t to yo u by