Journeys Magazine - Edition 7

DISCOVER THE WORLD WITH MINOR HOTELS

VIVA ITALIA! VINTAGE CARS IN FULL GLORY AT THE ANANTARA CONCORSO ROMA

A LEGACY OF LUXURY

ANANTARA AT 25

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YOUR PARADISE MALDIVES

A MUSIC FESTIVAL LIKE NO OTHER

URBAN HYMNS

SUPERB SURPRISE CITY BREAKS

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Waterproof compartment

Moss backed waterproof suede

Veg tan Tuscan leather

Protective laptop sleeve Solid brass hardware

Waterproof compartment

Carry yourself well.

Every good adventure starts with a bag. A chance to shed all surplus and live with just the things you can carry, if only for a few days. The tools that make the cut are those that add seamless momentum to the trip. Objects of soul and purpose.

Our mission is simple; to build the most enduring products we can from the finest materials in the world.

The Bennett Winch Suede Weekender is handmade in England from our uniquely waterproofed suede and designed for a lifetime of service in the hands of those who carry themselves well, whatever the adventure.

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Manyara Headquarter: Alexander - Bretz - Straße 2 D-55457 Gensingen Tel. 0049-6727-895-0

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info@bretz.de

bretz.de

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FOUNDER’S LETTER

A JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME THERE’S SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR, INCLUDING THE INAUGURAL ANANTARA CONCORSO ROMA AND ANANTARA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY

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hen we began our Minor Hotels journey in 1978, I could never have imagined how far – or how rapidly – it would grow. Today, it sometimes still takes me by surprise how much we have achieved.

Nevertheless, 2026 promises to be a standout among our many memorable years.

From 16 – 19 April, we will host the inaugural Anantara Concorso Roma, celebrating Italy’s finest classic automobiles. As a car enthusiast myself, I look forward to admiring some of the world’s rarest Maseratis and Lamborghinis, showcased against the beautiful backdrop of the Villa Borghese.

We’ll also be enjoying the best of Italian hospitality and cuisine, including at Anantara’s own Palazzo Naiadi overlooking the historic

Piazza della Repubblica and its magnificent fountain. I invite you all to join me for what promises to be a truly memorable occasion.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Anantara Hotels & Resorts. As the first of our homegrown hotel brands, Anantara holds a special place in my heart, and building it from the ground up has indeed been an extraordinary journey.

From its beginnings in Hua Hin – in my adopted home of Thailand – to more than 50 hotels and resorts across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and soon the Americas, Anantara continues to immerse guests in the world’s most remarkable destinations.

Enjoy this issue of Journeys, and I hope to see you all in Rome. Until then, arrivederci.

WILLIAM E. HEINECKE FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN – MINOR INTERNATIONAL

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CONTENTS MOMENTS 10. From Abu Dhabi to Zambia, via the coast of Thailand: stunning Minor Hotels resorts in all their exquisite glory.

EXPLORE 18. Discovering the Maldives.

24. Lisbon through new eyes.

26. A luxury classic car

celebration in central Rome.

32. Seven kinds of freedom to suit all free-spirited adventurers.

34. How to age well.

38. Cultural hotspots and mustmake trips for April, May and June.

STYLE 41. Shining a light on all that

glitters in fashion and interiors.

42. Feel the difference with

design’s delightful textures.

44. The architecture of Lecce.

FEATURES

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Anantara at 25

Celebrating the first quarter-century of worldbest hotels and resorts.

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CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS

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Pierre De Villiers

John Naughton

A London-based editor, journalist and photographer, Pierre has more than 30 years’ experience in news, sport, entertainment and travel. Clients include The Times, BBC, Culture Trip, Virgin Atlantic, France Magazine and ITV.

John is a freelance journalist whose career highlights include staying at Keith Richards’ private villa in the Turks and Caicos and driving a Bentley Continental through Monument Valley – but nowhere beats Runswick Bay on the Yorkshire coast.

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Morgan Rees

Paul Wilson

Look beyond capital cities for superb urban experiences and adventures.

Currently at the helm of Journeys, Morgan is a highly respected journalist who has edited many publications, including titles as varied as Men’s Health and Empire.

He is also a former winner of Editors’ Editor of the Year at the BSME awards, aka the

A one-time professional video games reviewer, Paul has written and edited for Esquire, Club Ciné and The Observer, and for brands including Red Bull, Nikon and Investec Private Bank.

His work has taken him to 20 countries and counting.

FEATURES 54.

The Shape of Water

Whether pool, spa, river or ocean, the stuff of life defines our leisure.

62.

Intentional Leisure

How to practice the joyful art of noticing (it pays to pay attention).

Second Cities

ON THE COVER

SUNDOWNER

One of the many classic cars on show at the Anantara Concorso Roma

74. Khao Lak, Thailand: the most

restorative beach vantage point.

Editor Morgan Rees Creative Director Tan Parmar Associate Editor Paul Wilson Contributing Editor Fergal Barry-Murphy Art Director Craig Baxter, Isabella Fernandes Picture Editor Tracey Griffin, Katie Byrne Sales Director Patrick Dunne Advertising & Media Partnerships Jennifer Brown Head of Finance Phil Mcilwaine Head of Ad Operations & Logistics Jamie Rabey Reprographics KFR Pre-Press Ltd Chief Executive Officer Michael Keating Chief Operating & Financial Officer Jim Campbell Managing Director, Ink Studio Jonny Clark Director of Strategy & Innovation Ric Stockfis Account Lead Jade Smith TO ADVERTISE IN JOURNEYS, EMAIL patrick.dunne@ink-global.com Or telephone +44 (20) 7625 0700

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MOMENTS AMAZING VIEWS

FROM THE WORLD OF MINOR HOTELS

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DISCOVER GREECE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ANANTARA SANTORINI ABU DHABI RETREAT Comfort, privacy and an overwhelming sense of calm await visitors to Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat. As the name suggests, this adults-only plot of paradise takes its inspiration from the classic Greek isle and this is reflected in both the cool, white architecture reminiscent of the Aegean island, as well as the sea views which seem to stretch to infinity and are enjoyed by every room in the resort. Hedonists will make use of the fitness centre (possibly allowing themselves a lava shell massage afterwards). The worldclass spa also offers cryotherapy, which is apt, because this is most definitely a place to chill.

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MOMENTS

SUMMER PALACE ANANTARA HUA HIN RESORT Gentle waves, no rip tides, sunsets that arrive punctually at six. Fourteen acres designed as a Thai village of teak pavilions, lotus ponds and seven superb restaurants. Freshly reimagined after a recent renovation to include new pool access rooms and a minifarm for children who’ve never seen a water buffalo. Thai kings have summered for generations among the lagoons and frangipani of Hua Hin’s royal coastline. The pace here is your own: Muay Thai in the morning if you’re ambitious, Thai silk flower arranging if you’re not, swim-up bar either way. The spa sits within its own lagoon garden, faithful to local traditions that go back centuries.

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AMAZING VIEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MINOR HOTELS

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AMAZING VIEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MINOR HOTELS

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MOMENTS

EMBRACE YOUR INNER CALM NH COLLECTION SAMUI PEACE RESORT You are never too far away from the relaxing sound of waves lapping at golden sands at this idyllic resort in Thailand. Located on Koh Samui’s northern coast on Bophut Beach – a 2km stretch famous for its historic Fisherman’s Village with wooden Chinese shophouses and boutique shops – NH Collection Samui Peace Resort does exactly what it promises: offers complete peace of mind. Feel work stress melt away as you unwind in a spacious room or bungalow, kick back at the outdoor pool, sip cocktails in the oceanfront bar or dine at the restaurant which is (you guessed it) right on the beach. Adding to the charm is the resort’s architecture that pays homage to Thailand’s culture with beguiling wooden structures and the use of natural materials. Feel you need to get away from it all? A stylish oasis of calm awaits at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort.

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AMAZING VIEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MINOR HOTELS

SCOPE FOR PURE PLEASURE ANANTARA TENTED CAMP KAFUE RIVER Zambia’s Kafue River carves through Africa’s oldest parkland, supporting ecosystems so diverse that each bend reveals a different theatre. Anantara’s first tented camp claims a privileged stretch three hours from Lusaka, elevated on timber platforms that let wildlife pass beneath. Ten villas and three Horizon Terrace Suites, each positioned for river views bursting with life as you breakfast: puku antelope grazing the floodplains, fish eagles overhead, occasionally a leopard slipping between termite mounds. The deck telescope exists for magnifying what distance obscures, bringing Kafue’s periphery into sharp focus.

Elephant herds at the treeline, or the particular way light catches a crocodile’s back at four o’clock. Sights never to be forgotten.

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MOMENTS

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The dreamy Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort is one of many options in the archipelagic country for a restorative holiday

ISLAND TIME WHETHER IT’S BLISSFUL SOLITUDE, MOVING AT YOUR OWN PACE OR A HOLIDAY THE KIDS WILL LOVE, THERE’S A RESORT IN THE MALDIVES THAT’S PERFECT FOR YOUR NEXT RELAXING GETAWAY

WORDS BY ANDY HILL

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EXPLORE MALDIVES • LISBON • ROME • PHUKET

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ISLAND TIME

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ISLAND TIME

Left: An ocean house with pool and beach cabana at Naladhu Private Island Maldives

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hat does ‘island time’ mean to you? Is it a hammock?

A horizon? A wristwatch casually discarded in a drawer? It depends on who you are, who you’re with, and what your expectations are. It might simply mean hush, the whole mad world reduced to soothing sea breeze and breathwork. Or a simplified setup just so your big family holiday feels just a little less like being on a school run with a nice tan. Most of us, in truth, don’t like ‘doing nothing’. We just want fewer demands on our attention. Fewer decisions disguised as leisure.

Imagine breakfast turning up whenever you fancy, not when the schedule says so. No crowds, no sense of being watched. A quiet that soothes like a dimmer switch. Noticing what you might otherwise miss: water lapping against a jetty, light shifting across a lagoon, tension slowly leaving your muscles. That particular flavour of unstructured calm is what Naladhu Private Island Maldives does so well.

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ISLAND TIME

Left: Enjoy the freedom to drift at Naladhu Private Island Maldives.

Below: Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort is great for parents

With only 20 houses, each one more akin to a private residence than a showy villa, it offers that rarest luxury: autonomy. No curated programme, just freedom to drift, with no tiresome to-do list.

Of course, for others, reality often intervenes in the shape of a small person asking for a snack. Travelling with children, hush becomes an exotic commodity, occasionally glimpsed between sunscreen applications and wet clothes. Stillness can’t always be enforced. It has to be coaxed, smuggled into the gaps. Remove enough friction and calm will appear, like an unexpected patch of shade.

That’s where Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort comes into its own. The design does something deceptively simple, making outdoors the default. Villas open straight onto sand. The lagoon is always in view. The wider world does most of the entertaining.

Children fan out towards water and light as if following instinct, while adults rediscover the lost art of doing not very much. The rhythm becomes selfmaintaining: swim, eat, rest, repeat.

Not a grand escape, just a forgiving

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ISLAND TIME

loop in which everybody, at some point, exhales.

Across the water, the vibe shifts again. Take away the family logistics and you don’t just remove noise, you remove interruption. Meals lengthen.

Mornings stretch. Conversations aren’t constantly getting snapped in half.

The island becomes an edit: fewer competing energies, more continuity.

Clinking glasses in an open-air restaurant. A seabird carving a lazy arc on the breeze. The sea looking entirely different at 4pm than at 9am. That’s the adults-only proposition of Anantara Veli Maldives Resort. It works.

And yet, not everyone wants the dial turned all the way to ‘quiet’.

That’s why Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, in the UNESCO-listed Baa Atoll, makes sense. It holds multiple moods at once and lets you self-sort: convivial without being overwhelmed, private without feeling marooned.

On 11 – 16 May 2026 it hosts Your Paradise music festival, celebrating electronic dance music, culture and wellness. Two days of world-class performances by globally renowned artists (with three days of curated relaxation before, and one after), make for an exhilarating experience.

Finally, there’s an older, more elemental version of island time, one set not by schedules or demographics but by tide, heat and appetite. Bare feet. Long swims.

The slow pleasure of being governed by weather rather than notifications.

NH Collection Maldives Reethi Resort leans into that nature-first tempo: reef, sand, sky, repeat, until the mind settles into a more relaxed rhythm.

Taken together, these islands make it plain. ‘Island time’ isn’t a slogan. It’s a spectrum. The real luxury is not slowing down, but the freedom to slow down in the way that feels more ‘you’. J

Above: Adults only at Anantara Veli Maldives Resort. Left: Sharing the love at Your Paradise music festival.

Below: Dining at NH Collection Maldives Reethi Resort

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LISBON

WORDS BY KATIE MULLOY

FROM LISBON WITH LOVE

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et on the northern shores of the River Tagus as it winds its way towards the Atlantic, continental Europe’s westernmost capital is also among its oldest cities – and most captivating. While a sun-kissed climate makes Lisbon a wonderful year-round destination, it comes alive in spring and summer as rising temperatures allow its alfresco spirit to shine through. Here we plot a course through this majestic maritime city.

PORTUGAL’S CAPITAL ENCHANTS ALL-COMERS WITH RICH INTERTWINED LAYERS OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND CREATIVITY THAT SHAPE ITS CHARMING NEIGHBOURHOODS 24

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EXPLORE MALDIVES • LISBON • ROME • PHUKET

IN PRAISE OF THE OLD From the seafaring heritage of the atmospheric waterfront to the medieval streets that lead to its seven hilltops, Lisbon’s eventful past informs an equally evocative present. A thriving port and trading post for Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Moors at various junctures, this diverse history can be traced across a stunning cityscape defined by tile-fronted landmarks, pastel-hued townhouses and myriad gardens and parks.

In its historic heart, Lisbon’s languid daily rhythms unfold as locals sip a café pingado (espresso with cold milk) at old cafés and buy newspapers from Art Nouveau-era kiosks. Among the medieval façades of the Alfama district and the elegant squares of Baixa and Chiado, city workers disembark the iconic yellow trams and traditional tascas plate up time-honoured dishes for lunch. Later in the afternoon, locals and visitors alike gather at miradouros (viewpoints) to see the sun set over the sparkling Tagus, after which the city’s centre of gravity switches to the bars and restaurants that define the dynamic districts of Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodre.

foliage and rooftop bar with sweeping views set the scene at a favourite fixture on this storied boulevard.

A SONG AND A DANCE After dark, an amble into nearby Alfama provides a glimpse of Lisbon’s cultural heritage. Emerging from the working-class communities living on the city’s waterfront during the 19th century and defined by its lyricism and melancholia, fado has become known as the Portuguese blues. Its haunting sound can be found across a characterful seam of iconic bars including Mesa de Frades and Tasca do Chico, whose live performances are

Clockwise, from below: Lisbon tram at night; Pastéis de nata, the city’s most famous edible treat; The Sky Bar at Tivoli Avenida Liberdade

steeped in drama. Further afield the genre has also proved a springboard for Lisbon’s music scene, with a modern wave of artists melding the classical sound of fado with influences from Portugal’s African diaspora.

EAST MEETS WEST Blessed with rich traditions, buzzy markets and an abundance of firstclass produce, the city has long ranked among Europe’s top food destinations, where pioneers including José Avillez and Henrique Sá Pessoa have elevated Portugal’s culinary reputation. Another influential figure is Olivier da Costa, who – with a legacy spanning three decades – has done plenty to redefine his country’s culinary credentials. His outpost at Avani Avenida Liberdade, Yakuza by Olivier, sees him skillfully combine Mediterranean flavours with Japanese techniques. J

A LUXURIOUS LANDMARK Extending northwest from the great Rossio square to the green expanse of Parque Eduardo VIl, Avenida Liberdade is Lisbon’s most sophisticated stretch. Here, amid its wide cobbled pavements, Neoclassical façades and luxury shopping outlets, Tivoli Avenida Liberdade stands out as one of the city’s statement addresses. Dating back to the 1930s and reimagined by architect Pardal Monteiro in the 1950s, it sits within easy reach of Lisbon’s most compelling corners. Along with 264 refined rooms and suites, an Anantara Spa and pool set amid lush

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ANANTARA CONCORSO ROMA

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME THIS SPRING, AT THE INAUGURAL ANANTARA CONCORSO ROMA, THE ETERNAL CITY WILL PLAY HOST TO THE MOST INCREDIBLE COLLECTION OF ALL-ITALIAN AUTOMOTIVE MASTERPIECES EVER ASSEMBLED. THAT’S AMORE!

WORDS BY PAUL HENDERSON

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EXPLORE MALDIVES • LISBON • ROME • PHUKET

Left: Anantara Concorso Roma Concours Director Jeremy JacksonSytner drives a 1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet in Rome’s Piazza della Repubblica.

Facing page: the Colosseum, part of the backdrop for the concours.

Below: The classic Lancia Aurelia B24 S Spider America that will feature at the event.

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f ever there was an event to encapsulate la dolce vita, it is the new Anantara Concorso Roma, presented by UBS. A spectacular collection of automobili Italiane from around the world, from 16 – 19 April the event will offer guests a lavish luxury lifestyle experience, showcasing the finest Roman hospitality and impeccable Italian cuisine while celebrating over a hundred years of the country’s storied automotive history. And as the setting for this new and spectacular concours, there really is no place like Rome.

A breathtaking city of monumental buildings, ancient ruins and historical sites,

it has a timeless allure and a metropolitan energy that is unmatched anywhere.

Wherever you go there are architectural and artistic reminders of the past, from the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, right through to the modern day, each offering a romantic glimpse at the cultural heritage and elegant evolution that has shaped it into the ‘Capital of the World’.

Occupying pride of place at this celebration of magnificent motorcars is Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel, in the very heart of the city. A landmark Neoclassical building built over the ruins of the famous Diocletian Thermal Baths dating from AD 29 and located

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Right: Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel. Below: The hotel’s Akwa Bar. Facing page: A 1946 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet in full glory, up close and outside Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel

in the Piazza della Repubblica overlooking the Fountain of the Naiads, it is as grand, luxurious and palatial as any hotel in the city. As a backdrop to the precious metals that will be on display, it is simply unmatched and the perfect venue in which to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the very first concours d’elegance in the Eternal City – the Concorso Romano delle Carrozzerie, which took place in April 1926.

Now, regular readers of Journeys: do not be alarmed if you are experiencing a sense of déjà vu. You aren’t mistaken. The inaugural version of the event was originally scheduled to welcome visitors in late April 2025. After many months of detailed planning and organisation, 50 cars had been carefully selected, hotel rooms booked, spectacular menus created and the date was set. Sadly, Pope Francis passed away and, out of respect, the decision was taken to postpone the concours for a year.

However, there is an old Italian proverb that states, “Chi sa aspettare, ottiene ciò che vuole.” It means, “Those who know how to wait get what they want.” And we can confidently predict that the Anantara Concorso Roma, will be worth waiting for.

“ After having to postpone, people are really excited about the launch event”

William E. Heinecke, Founder and Chairman of Anantara’s parent company, Minor International, and a self-confessed historic car enthusiast (with an impressive collection of classic Ferraris of his own), remains as excited as anyone to attend the concours’ debut, given the unavoidable delay that led to the rescheduling.

“After the disappointment of having to postpone the inaugural event, the upside, and indeed the irony of the postponement, is that the anticipation is high and people are really excited about the launch event,” he said. “Anantara Concorso Roma has been attracting more interest than ever from all around the world, with many more car collectors and international VIPs keen to join us in Rome in April 2026.”

The delay also means the event will be bigger, better and even more glamorous.

Headline sponsor Anantara has been joined by partners UBS, Richard Mille and Lockton.

With the support of Roma Capitale, the city’s local government, there will be a larger showfield in which to display the automobiles.

Now extending beyond the original Casina Valadier, it encompasses the Piazza Bucarest and the hilltop gardens of Villa Borghese,

THE WHEEL DEAL Five iconic Italian cars confirmed for the Anantara Concorso Roma 2026 1902 FIAT TYPE 12/16HP Designed by Giovanni Enrico, this was the first Fiat model to be exported worldwide.

1938 LANCIA ASTURA 4 SERIE TIPO 41 CABRIOLET With coachwork by Pinin Farina, this is one of the most important pre-war cars ever.

1951 CISITALIA 202 SC GRAN SPORT CABRIOLET Thanks to groundbreaking aerodynamics, this ultra-rare Cisitalia is considered a design classic.

1956 ALFA ROMEO 1900 ZAGATO Crafted from aluminium, only 39 lightweight Zagatos were ever built.

1963 FERRARI 275P Twice a Le Mans winner, this is possibly the most significant racing Ferrari ever made.

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STRAP STYLE - LEVEL DOWN

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ANANTARA CONCORSO ROMA

Left: The Vittoriano monument as seen from NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali. Below right: The stunning pool at Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome.

Below left: NH Collection Palazzo Cinquecento. Facing page: Four views of a 1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale, a car featuring in the Anantara Concorso Roma

“ Cars that people simply haven’t seen for decades would be a huge treat” with spectacular views of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and the Wedding Cake (Altare della Patria). A further addition will be the introduction of a Grand Palazzo dinner, a black-tie evening to be held at Palazzo Brancaccio near Santa Maria Maggiore.

In even better news for automotive Italophiles, instead of 50 vehicles there will now be 70 of the rarest and most beautiful cars on show. And as per the original remit, only Italian marques can enter. It was an idea the event’s Chief Judge and historic car expert, Adolfo Orsi Jnr, came up with, and one that Concours Director, Jeremy Jackson-Sytner, and the organising committee are sticking by.

“The decision to include only Italian

cars was, to my mind, the correct one,” Jackson-Sytner said. “I think you could run the Anantara Concorso in this way every year and you would never run out of incredible Italian cars. You’ve got openwheeled racers from Itala, Fiat and Alfa dating back to the 1910s.

“Then you’ve got the early Ferrari racing cars from the late 1940s and the 1950s.

There are the mid-century Grand Tourers.

Rare prototypes, 60s and 70s Lamborghinis, like the Miura and the Countach. Right up to the Pagani Zondas, Maserati MC20s and a host of modern supercars. The list just goes on and on.”

For visitors staying in the city during the concours, two other hotels are worthy of recommendation. Firstly, NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento, a grand, recently modernised hotel close to the Roma Termini Station and within walking distance of the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain.

Alternatively, NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali is centrally located and sits right by the Imperial Forums and the city’s main shopping street, Via del Corso. It also has the Secret View rooftop cocktail bar, which offers superb cocktails and a truly special panorama of the Eternal City. Jackson-Sytner, meanwhile, is looking forward to seeing sights

beyond the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum and the Pantheon. True petrolheads will no doubt agree with him.

“I am really excited about discovering a few non-traditional concours cars in the line-up,” he said. “I hope there are a couple of old gentlemen who have squirrelled away an old OSCA (Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili) or two in their garage, and we get the chance to display them. They might not have restored something to perfection, but to show cars that people simply haven’t seen for decades would be a huge treat.” J The Anantara Concorso Roma, presented by UBS, runs from 16 – 19 April 2026. For more information, visit: anantaraconcorsoroma.com

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EXPLORE

WILDERNESS FREEDOM Anantara Tented Camp Kafue River sits deep in the Kafue National Park in west Zambia.

From the comfort of your villa, which includes a high-end dedicated wellness space, hear the sounds of the bush and take in views of the luscious woodland and the savannah grassland that goes for miles.

Watch antelope running and over 500 different species of birds flocking between branches. The only agenda here is one set by nature: sunrise yoga on the deck and a cruise along the Kafue River before the sun sets over the camp.

IS IT TIME FOR A LITTLE FREEDOM? IMAGINE BEING SURROUNDED BY ENTICING NEW SENSORY PLEASURES WITHOUT BEING TIED TO A SCHEDULE. JOURNEYS PICKS THE PLACES THAT PROMISE TO DELIVER A SUBLIME SENSE OF ESCAPISM WORDS BY ALICE WILKINSON

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EXPERIENCE FINDER

BELLE EPOQUE FREEDOM

GLAMOROUS FREEDOM

ISLAND FREEDOM

All the glamour of the French Riviera is captured inside Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel, a beautifully restored Belle Epoque landmark in Nice with a façade dating back to 1848.

Boasting spacious rooms, spa facilities and divine restaurants, it’s the perfect perch to watch the sun set, especially at the hotel’s rooftop bar with views of the nearby coastline and surrounding Monaco, Cannes and Saint-Tropez.

As gazelles graze the savannah and flamingos gather at the mangroves, surrounded by other free-roaming wildlife, find yourself watching it all from inside one of 30 glamorous villas. A private, protected and tranquil reserve just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort offers pools, a gym, a tennis court, spa facilities and 4x4 drives to spot animals like the near-extinct Arabian oryx.

Few coastal areas are as sparklingly beautiful as the beaches of Mozambique and Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, which lies just beyond the rolling sand dunes of Ilha de Bazaruto, known locally as the ‘Island of the Mist’. Here, you can soak up the calming sound of crystal-clear waters, swim with dolphins, set sail for the sunset and enjoy the rich and varied culinary flavours of Mozambique.

ADVENTUROUS FREEDOM

SCENIC FREEDOM

FAUNA & FLORA FREEDOM

When you wake up at Elewana Loisaba Star Beds, sunlight beams through the curtains of your four poster bed. You’ll open your eyes to undisturbed views of the Kenyan landscape stretching out before you. By day, explore the bush on foot, by bike or 4x4, and meet the resident wildlife. Then, at night, settle back into your luxurious outdoor bed and watch the African skies come alive with shimmering stars.

Lined by a vast mountain range known as The Remarkables (one of only two ranges in the world that runs directly northto-south), New Zealand’s Lake Wakatipu on the South Island is a popular destination for hiking, kayaking and cruises. Get comfortable on your balcony at Oaks Queenstown Club Suites and enjoy the views over the lake to the mountains. It’s the ideal base from which to explore the scenery on foot.

It’s a scenic journey by car from the airport to reach Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort, in the valleys of China’s southern Yunnan province.

Once there, the magical views over the vibrant green hills won’t disappoint. Just below you is the Luosuo River, which eventually joins the Mekong, and also the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, an incredible display of China’s flora and fauna. J

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EXPLORE MALDIVES • LISBON • ROME • PHUKET

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espite its abundant light and the luxury of its palm-fringed Phuket setting, Layan Life

by Anantara – within Anantara Layan Phuket Resort – takes wellness seriously. This is not a place of passive pampering, but a sanctuary of gentle control. Here, wellness is viewed through the lens of longevity; its fusion of cutting-edge science and holistic ancient wisdom empowers you to create a personalised wellness blueprint, to make the choices now that will help you live better for longer.

A JOURNEY TO WELLNESS

WORDS BY KATIE MULLOY

THE SCIENCE OF AGEING WELL

A COMBINATION OF SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY AT LAYAN LIFE BY ANANTARA MEANS GUESTS DON’T JUST LEAVE WELL RESTED, BUT ALSO WELL INFORMED WITH A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO LIVE HEALTHIER

Ensconced in a lush pocket of Phuket, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort offers a slice of paradise in the form of luxury pool villas, sprawling hotel suites and views to lose days to.

Hop into a resort buggy for the threeminute ride from lively poolside to hushed consultation room, and your wellness journey takes a serious turn.

Here Thai doctors, nutritionists, personal trainers, energy healers and spiritual practitioners work together under Layan Life’s ‘four pillar’ approach.

Their signature ‘Life Method’ combines advanced diagnostics, Traditional Thai Medicine (TTM), complimentary therapies and implementable life habits to create a science-meets-spiritualism sweet spot of holistic wellness.

CLARITY EMERGES Consultations begin at the scientific end of this spectrum – think 3D body scans and epigenetic testing.

Epigenetics looks at how lifestyle and environmental factors – such as sleep, nutrition, stress, movement and exposure to potential toxins – affect the way your genes express themselves.

These insights are used to move guests away from generic wellness

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LAYAN LIFE

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LAYAN LIFE

prescriptions and towards informed, personal choice. And the diagnostics can go deeper still. A partnership with the experts at the Icellaré Lifespan Center means that stem-cell technology can be used to build a biological profile of ageing.

The lab might, for example, identify signs of chronic low-grade inflammation, often associated with prolonged stress or dietary imbalance, both of which are known to accelerate biological ageing.

perfect perch. A sublime collection of 46 residences overlooking Layan Bay near the resort, Kiara uses architecture as a wellness tool.

Here, floor-to-ceiling windows and private infinity pools dissolve the barrier between indoors and out, flooding the living space with restorative natural light. And with the residences sitting above the forest canopy, you’ll have absolute privacy as you embrace an ownership opportunity that, much like Layan Life, is all about long term happiness and health. J

Clockwise from left: A guest enjoys the exemplary service at Layan Life; the outdoor swimming pool; singing bowl therapy is one of the ancient treatments at Layan Life

TIME SLOWS At Layan Life, ancient treatments like Thai massage and sound healing are practised alongside technology-aided healing. For instance, the cryotherapy chamber offers the chance to almost literally freeze the ageing process.

Meanwhile, inside the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy chamber pressure builds gently, as oxygen is delivered to tissues at concentrations breathing alone can’t achieve to fight ageing.

Layan Life’s final pillar – the nutritional habits and physical practices we take home – is confirmation that the agency you find is the most crucial souvenir of all. Most of us, to one extent or another, can choose how well we age. First, we must make that our intention.

FLOATING ABOVE THE TREES Want to have access to Layan Life for longer? Then Kiara Reserve is the

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STRAP STYLE - LEVEL DOWN

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EXPLORE

SEASONS IN THE SUN Tick off magic moments on this Journeys seasonal calendar: from festivals to cities aglow with pride WORDS BY PAUL WILSON

ROYAL APPOINTMENT King’s Day Amsterdam, The Netherlands 27 April Amsterdam loosens its tie for King’s Day. Prepare for an orange tide, as boats drift past, flea markets bloom and the city gets into costume. STAY: Book into Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam and charter a boat as a vantage point.

WHERE NO ROAD TRAVELS Your Paradise Maldives 11 – 16 May

LIGHTING THE WAY Visakha Bucha Bangkok, Thailand 31 May Bangkok adopts a gentler register as temples fill with candlelit processions marking the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing. STAY: Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel offers a suitable calm where the city’s serene spell lingers past nightfall.

PRIDE OF PLACE Pride Vienna, Austria 29 May – 14 June The Austrian capital’s Pride unfolds as a season rather than a single parade. Fashion, activism and nightlife blur as the city’s creative energy surfaces street by street. STAY: For a little respite, retreat to Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel, then rejoin the heat and colour when the mood strikes you. J

KOEN SMILDE PHOTOGRAPHY / AMSTERDAM&PARTNERS; GETTY IMAGES

A six-day celebration of electronic music, culture and wellness in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO-designated World Biosphere Reserve in the island chain’s western area. STAY: Avani+ Fares Maldives Resort, hosting the festival, has soft white sands and crystal-clear waters: the ideal battery-recharging spot after dancing the night away.

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T H E E S TAT E S SA M U I

KIARA RESERVE

A N A N TA R A U B U D B A L I R E S I D E N C E S

Ultra-Luxurious Living Elevate your lifestyle with our collection of award-winning branded residences – now available for exclusive purchase.

From the shores of Thailand’s Andaman Coast to the lush jungles of Bali, these exclusive residences bring you all the privileges and benefits of the world’s leading luxury hotel brands. Our world-leading portfolio includes Layan Residences

by Anantara, Avadina Hills by Anantara and Kiara Reserve in Phuket, Anantara Desaru Coast Residences, Anantara Ubud Bali Residences, Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites, The Residences at St. Regis Bangkok, Residences at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai and The Estates Samui.

Minor Residences, the ultra-luxury real estate arm of Minor International, has more than 25 years of experience in developing branded residences and managing an exclusive portfolio of exceptional properties for private ownership.

T +66 (0) 854 848 752 | E propertysales@minor.com

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STYLE SOUL SEARCHING Handmade in Belgium from stainless and painted steel, Coseincorso’s ‘Mirror of Simple Souls’ is inspired by the medieval stoups at church entrances, and combines spiritual symbolism with stunning contemporary design. $1,760, coseincorso.com

A PRICELESS KALEIDOSCOPE

STYLE SMOKE SHOW Hein Studio’s Reflection Vase New Smoke is made in Denmark from a single, seamless mould, and features intricately carved angles that deliver calmness and understatement amid the shadowy translucence of the smoked glass. $330, heinstudio.com

SEASON OF LIGHT

Harry Winston’s playful Kaleidoscope collection features this stunning green tourmaline pendant with yellow sapphires, pink sapphires, turquoises, paraibas and diamonds.

Price on request, harrywinston.com

LIGHT ISN’T JUST FUNCTIONAL, IT’S EMOTIONAL ALCHEMY. WE ROUND UP THE OBJECTS THAT TURN FLEETING RAYS INTO RITUALS OF STYLE WORDS BY RYAN FOX THOMPSON

CLASSY GLASS This pendant light by Georgiev Kiril – created by artisans in Bulgaria – seems otherworldly, translating the striking filament of the bulb into something metamorphic and pulling in reflections from inside and out. $1,375, oblist.com

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ight: an oscillating electromagnetic field that interacts with everything it touches.

Yet to all of us, it is the maestro that dictates our moods whether we know it or not.

In the rush for brighter and bolder, we’ve forgotten light’s subtler seductions: the hush of reflection, the mystery of translucence, the intimate dance of glow and shadow.

Here, then, is an ode to objects that converse with light on intimate terms, transforming mere illumination into ritual and rapture. These pieces enhance our personal atmospheres without shouting, fostering moments of joy and contemplation amid the seasonal shift. By embracing light’s emotional pull, we reclaim its power to soothe, intrigue and elevate the everyday into something profoundly pleasurable. J

HAVE SEQUINS, WILL PARTY Light has split personalities, diffuse and soft on the one hand, bold and electric on the other. This Dolce & Gabbana sequin mini dress most certainly falls in the latter. $3,895, dolcegabbana.com

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TACTILE TREASURES

Woven Stories

The Lady In Red

Italian luxury house Bottega Veneta has long been known for its tactile ‘Intrecciato’ leather creations, beautifully exemplified by this lambskin minaudière clutch with a knotted clasp and braided metal chain. Made in Italy, this padded style in a rich fondant tone feels indulgently luxurious in the hand.

Ruby red floral-appliqués create a coral-like surface in this stunning dress by Australian designer Rachel Gilbert. Featuring a midicolumn silhouette, an internal corset and embellished with hand-sewn sequins, claw stones and beads, it creates a transformative bodyscape of powerful and seductive femininity.

$5,000 bottegaveneta.com

$3,395 rachelgilbert.us

TOUCH OF CLASS IN A WORLD ADDICTED TO THE SWIPE, TEXTURE HAS EMERGED AS THE QUIET NARRATOR OF STYLE. FROM GLOSSY SILK TO HAND-KNOTTED WOOL, THESE ITEMS CELEBRATE THE TACTILE PLEASURE OF TOUCH WORDS BY RYAN FOX THOMPSON

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hen the single most frequent interaction in your life is that of your finger on a smooth glass touchscreen, embracing texture becomes the ultimate rebellion – a quiet, delicious act of defiance against the inertia of the swipe.

Texture isn’t mere decoration, it’s narrative, weaving concepts of place, style, culture and heritage into everyday items. From the cascade of floral shapes embellishing a

cocktail dress to the supple weave of wool hand-knotted by Indian artisans, tactility whispers stories of human hands, patient craftsmanship and unhurried luxury.

It’s the sensory pull to take us out of our anodyne digital habits. In the very same way that a room or building can reflect centuries of culture and heritage through its design language, tactility as storytelling celebrates objects that ground us in the profound pleasure of touch. J

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STYLE

Time Travelling With Silk A Hermès silk scarf is the ultimate statement of luxury, but it’s also the conduit to the genesis of its design. In the case of this ‘Les Eperons’ double face scarf, the spurs are from the Émile Hermès Collection which inspired Françoise de la Perrière to create this equestrian design in 1976. Let it transport you to the thrill of a gallop.

$875 hermes.com

Resonating Resin Hand-crafted from soft resin, the Pompitu II vase is part of Italian sculptor Gaetano Pesce’s Fish Collection, which comprises a wonderfully insane assortment of vases of the most wildly textural nature. Using acid-rich colours, Pesce’s designs bring an injection of bold and playful avant gardeism to any contemporary space.

From $170 corsidesign.it

Love Is The Rug Founded by Isabella Valenzia and under the creative direction of India Holmes, The Pelican House is a boutique London rug maker that honours timeless craftsmanship. This Serpent rug was originally inspired by a forgotten 1910 Austrian textile fragment, and has been handknotted by Nepalese and Indian artisans using 100% New Zealand wool.

$3,225 pelican-house.com

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STYLE

A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING To celebrate the arrival of Tivoli Palazzo 1880 Lecce Hotel, we explore how architecture in the Italian city it calls home has evolved WORDS BY CHRISTINE OCHEFU

16TH CENTURY Lecce embraces Baroque The late 16th century saw the emergence of Baroque architecture in Italy, an ornate design choice characterised by references to art, culture and religion. This undoubtedly influenced Lecce in Puglia – the city showcasing its own version of this unique form of Italian design. Nicknamed ‘Florence of the South’, the city’s architecture takes nods from design first erected by the Romans as well as Baroque, seen in its Old Town.

It’s visible in dynamic spiral columns, grandiose stone carvings and the muted light-yellow tones of pietra that pepper the city, a type of limestone favoured in this design profile.

2025 Breathing new life into the heart of a vibrant city Tivoli Hotels & Resorts announces the forthcoming opening of a historic palazzo hotel just off Lecce’s main square. Plans for the thorough and modernising refurbishment include new and larger suites, and the addition of a spa and wellness area with Turkish bath.

2000s A living home for art and design

2026 The arrival of a ‘future classic’

In the 2000s, Lecce’s historic centre was revived after government-funded renovation. Buildings mirror the region’s storied past, from the Neo-Gothic marble of the Basilica of Santa Croce and the city’s Roman Amphitheatre, to the Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta e Sant’Oronzo, with its magnificent 15th-century bell tower.

The opening of Tivoli Palazzo 1880 Lecce Hotel signals the arrival of a true ‘future classic’, in which older design elements are reimagined within a landmark venue, seamlessly revamped to feel both modern and archetypal.

Each one of the 48 elegant guest rooms, and the communal areas, stay true to Lecce’s rich design heritage. J

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Anantara Koh Yao Yai Resort & Villas Facing page: Anantara Hua Hin Resort

ANANTARA HAS QUIETLY REVOLUTIONISED THE LUXURY HOTEL MARKET. CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY, THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHTER THAN EVER WORDS BY PAUL HENDERSON

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ard to believe, but the luxury hotel brand, Anantara turns 25 this year. Launched in Thailand in 2001 as the flagship brand of Minor Hotels, its original mission was to deliver an unsurpassed level of hospitality in an authentic manner in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Now, as it celebrates its silver anniversary, it’s fair to say that it has already succeeded on a spectacular scale. There are more than 50 Anantara properties around the world, many of them located in areas previously neglected by the luxury hotel sector. Over a quarter of a century, it has won numerous awards, many of which have been in the fields of human rights, environmental protection and sustainability. From its support for elephant welfare in Thailand to protecting coral reefs in the Maldives, it has shown that a luxury hotel brand can deliver far more than excellence within the usual hospitality parameters and can have a positive influence in the wider world.

Despite all its achievements, no-one at Anantara is resting on their laurels, least of all William E. Heinecke, the 76-year-old Founder and Chairman of Anantara’s parent company, Minor International. Like most things connected with Minor Hotels, Anantara bears the stamp of

its charismatic founder. A natural entrepreneur from his earliest days (Minor gets its name from the fact that Heinecke was only 17 when he founded his first company), he says that his entry into the hotel industry happened quite by accident. “It was 1978, and we bought the Royal Garden Resort in Pattaya with the intention of selling it,” he recalls.

“The only problem was no one wanted to buy it. By default we were suddenly in the hotel business. And once I was in, I was hooked.”

Heinecke developed what he terms a hospitality playbook, a business model that blends leisure facilities, retail opportunities and dining options, and soon Minor had acquired a small portfolio of hotels.

However, he felt that something was missing.

“Although we had Four Seasons hotels and Marriott hotels, I wanted to create something that had a true ‘sense of place’ and make it a real destination experience,” he says. “The answer was Anantara.”

As with all the best ideas, it was a simple concept: build a resort that offered the finest Thai hospitality, give it a traditional design and deliver exceptional, heartfelt service. The name, inspired by the Sanskrit word meaning “without end”, symbolised freedom, cultural immersion and remarkable experiences. And the location they chose was Hua Hin, famous for its patronage by the Thai royal family – who used it as a

Right: The grand staircase at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel.

Left: Old world glamour meets contemporary luxury at Anantara New York Palace Budapest Hotel

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“ We wanted Anantara to represent natural local luxury that feels authentic”

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Left: Relax poolside at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. Below: Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel offers the most spectacular panoramic coastline views

seaside escape – and its year-round appeal. When it opened in 2001, first a steady stream of guests arrived, then came the awards – and the luxury Anantara brand was born. Soon, it began to grow organically.

“Our ambition was clear to us,” Heinecke explains. “We wanted Anantara to represent authentic local luxury that feels natural, not formulaic. Once we tried it and saw how our guests responded to it, we knew we wanted to expand and connect modern travellers to genuine places, people and stories. After a couple of Thai developments – Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Chiang Rai and Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort – we started to look overseas, and the obvious destination was the Maldives.”

This archipelagic paradise in the Indian Ocean is most people’s idea of a heaven on earth, but at the luxury end of the hotel market, it is a challenging place to develop. Guests love its distinctiveness and desirability, but that is not enough. Anantara had already set a high bar,

so when it came to establishing the brand in the Maldives, they knew they would have to elevate their offering, create new and original experiences, and most importantly, deliver it carefully and sustainably.

That presented feasibility considerations as well as environmental challenges such as marine conservation, and those all come with a significant price tag. But none of this stalled the progress.

Having started with Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, each new development has consistently elevated the Anantara offering. From the exceptional wellness programme at the adults-only Anantara Veli Maldives Resort and the multi-award-winning Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas with its own private observatory, the goal is always to improve and enhance the hospitality experience.

Soon, Anantara looked for other opportunities around the globe, always staying true to Heinecke’s original passion and ambitions. It has immersed itself in Omani heritage with Al Baleed Resort Salalah by

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Above: The view of the Mediterranean from Anantara Plaza Nice Hotel.

Right: Enjoy fine dining at Sheesh Mahal restaurant at Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur Hotel

Anantara in the Middle East, created a remarkable safari experience at Anantara Tented Camp Kafue River in Zambia, and taken custody of historic buildings in Europe’s most beloved cities and renovated them respectfully and beautifully, such as Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel and Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel.

There have been challenges along the way, but Heinecke sees them as opportunities for learning and growth. “Having been through so much, people sometimes ask me what keeps me up at night,” he says. “The answer is I worry about the things that I haven’t experienced yet. It hasn’t been easy, but we were able to get through them. Resilience is a big part of business and life, and you learn to keep going.”

Anantara has never slowed down on its ambitious expansion plans. In 2013, it made its debut in China, with Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort, followed four years later by Anantara Guiyang Resort. Future plans in China include the launch of Anantara Xiling Snow Mountain Chengdu Resort and the debut of the brand’s first purpose-built Chinese resort in the shape of Anantara Clear Water Bay Sanya Resort.

The Anantara portfolio also includes unique properties and offerings that extend its reach beyond hotels and resorts, including ultra-luxury

waterfront residential apartments, at Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, and the exquisite train journey along the Vietnamese coast provided by The Vietage by Anantara.

Anantara’s expansion goes hand in hand with that of Minor Hotels, which continues to grow. Its large and diverse hotel portfolio now includes brands such as Elewana, The Wolseley Hotels, Minor Reserve Collection, Avani, NH Collection, nhow and Colbert Collection.

Although Heinecke stepped down as CEO when he turned 70, he is still hugely involved in the business, still the first major shareholder to visit a new hotel or resort, and he is adamant that for Anantara, things can only get better. Given the scale of Anantara’s expansion – the brand now has over 50 hotels in Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Africa and Europe – the obvious question is where does it go next?

“We’re going to keep growing,” says Heinecke proudly. “We’re very keen on expanding further in India. We recently announced our first hotel in Japan, we’re currently building an Anantara in Miami, and we’re relaunching Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel. It is a very exciting time.”

After quarter of a century of innovation, Anantara continues to lead the way in global travel. Here’s to many more great journeys ahead. J

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“Resilience is a big part of business and life, and you learn to keep going”

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THE SHAPE OF WATER

THE

LIFE AQUATIC

IF YOU WANT AN UNFORGETTABLE VACATION OR JUST A BOOST OF JOY IN YOUR LIFE, ALL YOU NEED IS A LITTLE H, TWO AND O

WORDS BY JOHN NAUGHTON

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Snorkelling at NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort

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THE SHAPE OF WATER Left, from top: The Kuang Si waterfall is a must-visit when staying at Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel; sunset poolside at the hotel. Facing page: Also to be enjoyed during an Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel stay – watching boatmen on the Mekong River

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here’s something about being on, in or just near water that makes humans happy.

Whether that’s children screaming with pleasure in the surf or adults on the beach staring contentedly out to where the sky meets the sea, an expanse of water just seems to make us feel better. Scientists speak of our “blue mind”, a state we can all easily access – calm, connected, optimistic – when we find ourselves near water. For many people, it’s not a proper holiday unless it’s by the sea and it’s no coincidence that as soon as people were able to enjoy leisure time, there was a stampede to the coast. Today, our options for enjoying our downtime are infinitely more varied, yet most of them involve water in some form.

Equal parts spectacular and serene, the Mekong River is a legendary stretch of water in Southeast Asia which, over its 3,000 miles, gives a unique insight into the lands through which it passes, and there are few better ways to enjoy it than a stay at Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel in Laos. Situated in Luang Prabang’s UNESCO-listed old town, the hotel is an oasis of calm in its own right, but it’s also the perfect base from which to enjoy a range of journeys along the river with Mekong Kingdoms.

With five different boats, there are options to suit all tastes: everything from the versatile lounge boat, Play, available for private charter, to a cruise on the luxurious Bohème which glides serenely from Luang Prabang down to Vientiane on the Thai border. To experience a river so ancient and unchanging, which has shaped the lives of millions, can’t fail to inspire a little awe and joy, especially when sampled with every possible comfort to hand.

Southeast Asia has numerous other means of experiencing water’s restorative powers.

One such is Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, where you have the perfect opportunity to explore the Thai capital via the Chao Phraya River which feeds the network of canals and waterways (klong) which give life to this bustling metropolis. Guests can discover the city’s architecture, art and culture

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THE SHAPE OF WATER Left: Table for two on a Manohra cruise boat on the Chao Phraya River, from Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort.

Right: A tranquil canal boat ride in the Netherlands when staying at Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam.

Below right: The Sky Bar and the river view at Tivoli Oriente Lisboa Hotel

on a traditional longtail boat (the Klong Guru Tour) or enjoy fine dining aboard the restored Manohra rice barge while admiring the city’s temples and palaces as the sun sets. Bangkok, like many cities, owes its existence to its waterways and there is a profound satisfaction to be had in discovering it in this understated way.

This is even more true of Amsterdam, the vibrant heart of a country largely reclaimed from the sea. From Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam you can discover the city either by canal boat or along towpaths that form the backbone of a commercial powerhouse of yesterday and today. Whether you want to strike out on bike or by foot, an early morning tour of the historic city cannot fail to lift the spirits and inspire awe at the human ingenuity that engineered this beautiful place. For the more leisurely minded, several canal boat tours can be found moments from the hotel’s frontage. Either way, the harmony of Amsterdam’s stunning architecture alongside its charming waterways is quietly impressive.

Like Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam, Tivoli Oriente Lisboa Hotel is also close to water as it overlooks the Tagus River that flows through Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. And, of course, it’s only a short distance from where the Tagus meets the Atlantic Ocean and an array of fine beaches. While these offer unlimited opportunities for vigorous enjoyment of the water, there’s also the dry (in one sense) option of heading for the hotel’s stylish Sky Bar where you can watch the sun set over the cityscape and the water with a cocktail in hand. You’ve almost certainly earned it.

Sometimes a location brings with it a weight of expectation and one such place is the Amalfi Coast, a setting beloved by legendary Italian director Federico Fellini and immortalised in The Talented Mr Ripley.

Happily, the coastline remains entirely magical and a stay at the recently and sympathetically refurbished Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel confirms that the sea view is to die for. The 13th-century Capuchin convent is now a five-star hotel overlooking the harbour and after a day exploring the local coastline, relax with a limoncello at the infinity pool, and enjoy its commanding view of the Tyrrhenian, prior to sampling some exceptional Italian cuisine courtesy of chef Claudio Lanuto.

Simple pleasures in an outstanding setting.

If you feel ready to get back in the water, there are few more luxurious ways to do it than the

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THE SHAPE OF WATER Left, from top: A traditional dhow as seen from Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort beach; horse riding at Bazaruto Island; a pod of dolphins, also at Bazaruto.

Right: teamwork on the waves at NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort

experience offered by Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. The purpose of the resort, located on Dubai’s celebrated Palm Jumeirah, is to offer firstrate comfort inspired by Thai hospitality. Hence the overwater villas, private access to swimming lagoons and 400m of beach to call your own.

Naturally, water-based activities are central to the resort’s offer, and you might want to explore the coast by kayak at sunset, prior to dining in the Mekong restaurant. Alternatively, there is no better place to master paddleboarding than in this serene oasis, but if this sounds a little too energetic, you could settle for the sanctuary that is the Anantara Spa and its steamy hammam, guaranteed to both relax and invigorate.

We’re often told that holidays are about making memories that last a lifetime and undoubtedly that is the case. It’s striking how many of these memories feature water. Perhaps, because for most of us, beautiful expanses of water don’t feature in our daily lives, there is a hard-wired link between the life aquatic and moments of happiness that endure.

It’s hard to believe that anyone could fail to make indelible memories if they stay at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort. Just 30km off the coast of Mozambique, Ilha de Bazaruto comprises 44 villas: big enough to offer a range of outstanding amenities, from the award-winning Anantara Spa to a range of authentic dining options, yet compact enough such that you can lose yourself in its secluded simplicity. All aquatic bases are covered – swimming with dolphins, watching humpback whales on their annual migration, scuba, deep sea fishing – alongside every option for quiet relaxation that only a private island can provide.

As well as being a sanctuary for marine life, water provides a natural barrier from the demands of our daily routines and heightens a sense of splendid isolation. Nowhere is this truer than at NH Collection Maldives Havodda Resort. Quiet and private, even by the secluded standards of the Maldives, the resort is located to the south of the island archipelago and is renowned for being a paradise of peace and tranquillity. The idea of a desert island and its away-from-it-all delights is lodged deep in our subconscious, and it’s made reality here. Of course, this is Robinson Crusoe with room service, where every need is catered for and every activity, from diving to kayaking to sailing, is offered. Just very peacefully.

If you’re planning your perfect holiday, plotting a relaxing break or looking to reset your life in a happier, healthier direction, then there’s really only one instruction you need to follow: just add water. J

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THE ART OF NOTICING FROM ISLAND TIDES TO CITY STREETS, TRAVEL REVEALS ITS MEANING NOT IN MOTION, BUT IN THE MOMENTS WHEN WE STOP RUSHING AND BEGIN TO PAY ATTENTION WORDS BY STEVE HOBBS

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THE ART OF NOTICING

NH Collection New York Madison Avenue in the heart of NYC. Facing page: The sun-kissed Naladhu Private Island Maldives

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IT’S

a little-acknowledged condition of travelling that the worst part of any journey is getting to your destination. There are the logistics of visas, tickets and connections almost missed. The misery of airports, the tedium of trains and the menace of bus stations late at night. If travel were nothing more than constant movement, most of us would never leave the comfort of our own homes.

Travel is not a verb. It is a noun that names an experience less tangible than a flight or a bus ride. It is the thing that happens hours, sometimes days, after you arrive. It begins when the mind stops worrying about what comes next and settles into a new way of being.

It appears in moments when the ordinary appears extraordinary: the change of light across an unfamiliar river at dusk, a daily coffee-stop in a new café or the smell of food made with unfamiliar spices. These are the moments worth retelling. As Marcel Proust observed: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

Different places create different rhythms, shaped by geography and culture. Traditional island life in the Maldives, for example, is governed by the slow cycle of ocean tides, punctuated by the call to prayer drifting across open water.

The Maldives has long been oriented around waiting: for fish to bite, for weather to shift, for boats to appear on the horizon. Time here is slow by necessity. At Naladhu Private Island Maldives, with its limited number of villas and absence of spectacle, that pace is encouraged.

There are no schedules beyond the tides and weather. Mornings arrive quietly and then the days are reduced to essentials: time to eat, time to swim, time to sleep.

Time gains meaning here through repetition, not novelty. The same short walk to breakfast. The same view of water shifting from slate to turquoise as the sun rises. The soft break of waves over the reef at night.

Meals are unhurried because there is nowhere else to be. With waking hours structured loosely around heat and light rather than the clock, travel becomes what it is meant to be. A way of seeing.

Stillness, however, is not the only route to this new awareness. It can also be found within movement. And few places move with greater force than New York. This is a city with a different agreement with time. It does not wait. It presses forward regardless of jet lag or the visitor’s uncertainty. In a city that never sleeps, noticing requires discipline.

Staying at NH Collection New York Madison Avenue places you in the centre of that momentum. The hotel sits between Grand Central and Fifth Avenue, a corridor of constant activity where commuters and tourists compete for space on Midtown sidewalks between the New York Public Library and iconic flagship stores. Yet the building itself offers relief. Built in 1923 and fully refurbished in 2021, it provides soundproofed rooms and calm interiors that soften the city’s noise.

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Clockwise, from right: A beach house at Naladhu Private Island Maldives; the immaculate exterior of Anantara Hoi An Resort; the interior at NH Collection New York Madison Avenue

Here, moving from reacting to noticing takes practice. While New Yorkers may appear perpetually in motion, what they do well is carve out pauses. Coffee breaks. Short meals. Walks through Central Park that anchor the day. A few minutes’ walk from the hotel, Charlotte Café offers respite from the city outside. Sit long enough to watch people arriving and leaving, before stepping back into the city, renewed.

Evenings bring a controlled unwinding. Jazz drifts from hidden clubs, such as Winnie’s on Bryant Park, adding new notes to the city’s constant soundscape. Cocktails here are mixed with competence rather than flourish and enjoyed without urgency.

It is a ritual of easing from one state to another, not unlike those found in a very different place: Hoi An, in central Vietnam. Hoi An has evolved through a blend of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism that prioritises

Days in Hoi An follow the slow tempo of the Thu Bon River

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harmony and continuity. A trading port for centuries, it was shaped by merchants who arrived, traded and stayed longer than planned. The town still carries this habit. Days follow the slow tempo of the Thu Bon River. Tea culture encourages silence and patience.

In the old town, the Reaching Out Teahouse offers a rare experience of quiet. Established as a social enterprise, it employs local people with hearing and speech impairments. Communication takes place through wooden blocks and written notes rather than speech. The resulting atmosphere alters a simple pause for refreshment into something more profound.

Nearby, Anantara Hoi An Resort sits directly on the riverbank, close enough to hear the town wake, yet far enough to avoid its early bustle. In Vietnamese culture, rivers are treated as living entities, linked to ancestral spirits. Breakfast here is taken outside, watching the water alter its colour as clouds gather or lift.

Hoi An’s history along the ancient Silk Road explains its deserved reputation for tailoring. At Tuong Tailor on Tran Hung Dao Street, three generations of the same family have refined the craft of bespoke clothing. Being measured, returning for fittings while sharing tea as the garments take shape becomes part of the day. A reminder that quality demands time and patience. By late afternoon, the river reflects the town back on itself. Boats return. Lanterns flicker and the day completes its circuit. Travel here is about temporary belonging, earned by a willingness to move at someone else’s pace.

Further west, Thailand offers yet another rhythm.

Chiang Mai is only about an hour’s flight from Bangkok but feels centred in a different world. Shaped by mountains, rivers and agriculture, it is a city organised around planting

Clockwise, from right: Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel reflects the grandeur of the Austrian capital; the hotel's sweet treats; the riverside Anantara Hoi An Resort is a gateway to Vietnam's cultural treasures

and harvest, rain and heat, early mornings and evenings that settle with the sun.

Set on the Ping River, the waterfront is practical rather than poetic. It irrigates fields, moves goods and has long supported monastic life. Anantara Chiang Mai Resort features a former British consulate on the riverfront, offering access to the city’s more than 300 temples, including Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang. For those drawn to nature, the forest walk to Doi Suthep provides a unique city perspective, especially at dawn.

Chiang Mai teaches patience. Monks move slowly through the streets on morning alms rounds. Markets assemble daily and irregular temple bells mark the passage of time with prayer. At night, the city gathers at its markets, particularly the Sunday Walking Street from Tha Phae Gate to Wat Phra Singh, where food, music and craft become a focus for unhurried exploration and socialising.

Across continents, Vienna brings a more precise, structured experience. Shaped by administration, music and history, it carries the legacy of an imperial centre. Time here is deliberate. Trams arrive when expected. Kaffee und kuchen (coffee and cake) are taken at 3pm, sitting down, ideally with company.

Staying at Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel places you on the Ringstrasse among former civic buildings that once signalled authority.

The hotel, itself a former government building, retains a sense of purpose and calm. Rooms here are generous and hushed.

Understanding Vienna requires just three key activities. A walk without destination through the historic Innere Stadt, past St Stephen’s Cathedral and the Hofburg Palace, following the River Danube. Coffee taken in a traditional setting, like the magnificent Café Central, with its vaulted ceilings and links to both Freud and Trotsky. And a performance of Mozart in the Golden Hall at Musikverein. Vienna rewards attention without demanding discovery. It waits to be noticed.

Seen this way, travel becomes a practice, not a performance. The work lies in paying attention and adapting. Eating when locals eat. Walking rather than taking a cab. What remains are not itineraries or highlights, but habits briefly borrowed and clearly understood. The journey ends not with souvenirs or photographs, but with a sense of how a place works, once you’ve learned how to look. J

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SECOND CITIES

With its vibrant art scene, stunning architecture and beautiful coastline, Marseille is anything but second class

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IN PRAISE OF SECOND CITIES IT CAN SOMETIMES SEEM LIKE THE GREAT CITY ADVENTURES HAVE ALL BEEN DONE. BUT STEP OFF THE WELL-WORN CIRCUIT, AND THERE ARE WORLD-CLASS DESTINATIONS THAT STILL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SURPRISE AND DELIGHT WORDS BY MATT POTTER

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T

he world, in all its variety, can sometimes feel like one big circuit of well-trodden destinations and little else. Iconic capital cities, coastal towns and resorts follow each other on the bucket-list trail, leaving little chance of unearthing new experiences. Stick to first-rank destinations that have been packaged up and marketed, and it can be maddeningly hard to discover anything authentic that’s not already been Instagrammed into a mush of filter-enhanced, AI-improved clichés.

That’s where the world’s second-line cities come into their own.

This cohort of vibrant, historic and world-class destinations have not been burdened with the wall-to-wall coverage of the capitals – often for no other reason than the vagaries of fashion or global attention span. And while they don’t get the spotlight or acclaim of the premier destinations, that’s often worked in their favour – and in the favour of the traveller visiting them.

MARSEILLE While the capital of Provence is often used as a convenient base for drives around France’s picturesque interior, using it as a mere base is to miss out on so much. Dubbed “the most underrated city in France”

by Condé Nast Traveller last year, Marseille is riot of Mediterranean coastline, warren-like covered markets, North African cultural currents, a vibrant and diverse arts scene and red stone streets.

Sometimes described as ‘the Rio of Europe’ for its spirit as well as its shape, Marseille’s skyline, like Rio’s, is dominated by buildings leading uphill from the seafront, and topped by the 11m-tall figure of the Virgin Mary and Child, looking out to sea from the roof of the famous Notre-Dame de la Garde church, high on a limestone hill.

The best way to navigate Marseille is to let the sunset-red streets lead you into the city’s atmospheric hinterlands. As you meander, make sure that you don’t miss the street-art-festooned walls that are one of the city’s calling cards. Legendary street artist Banksy chose the residential Rue Félix Fregier for his 2025 piece, Lighthouse.

Even the city’s venues themselves are testimony to its legendary creativity, innovation and enterprise, and its habit of making something new from something old. Le Cours Julien – Marseille’s arts quarter – was once the city’s fruit and vegetable market, but has now been transformed into a buzzing marketplace for creators. It’s home to Le Friche la Belle de Mai, a former Seita tobacco factory and packing yard close to Saint-Charles station that is now a major cultural hub.

The building not only has galleries, exhibition spaces and artists’ ateliers, but hosts five separate concert venues, artisan food and spice markets, public gardens, bookshops, a skate park, a roof terrace with sea views, cafés, a sports centre and crèche.

Even the acclaimed MUCEM (the Museum of European & Mediterranean Civilisation) – a great place to absorb the French, Roman, Arabic and north African footprints that make Marseille so unique – is built on reclaimed land, over the Old Port. But there are tranquil areas here, too. To the south, the picturesque seaside suburb of Les Goudes is more relaxed, with its coastal idyll, beaches and open-air theatre performances.

Stay: nhow Marseille enjoys gorgeous sea views to the south, which can also be enjoyed from the relative tranquillity of beaches, parks and the Roucas-Blanc marina. And then there’s the Old Port, the city’s vibrant heart with a very different feel, a tangible, bustling energy.

Nestled within, just a five-mintue stroll away from the oceanfront, is NH Collection Marseille, on the Boulevard des Dames.

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Let your stress melt away at the pool at Anantara Chiang Mai Resort.

Opposite, from top: The Wat Chiang Man temple; The vibrant nhow Marseille

CHIANG MAI Chiang Mai has long been the index of whether you’ve ‘really travelled’ in Thailand or just connected in Bangkok to the busy coastal and island resorts. Nestled in the Northern Highlands, the iconic temple-studded city, with its café culture and traces of medieval walls and moat, is a different world from the neon and nightlife of the south.

The second-largest city in Thailand, with 1.2 million citizens, a tenth of Bangkok, is a buzzing metropolis rich in tradition. Even its skyline is famous for the cupolas of Chiang Mai’s famed Buddhist temples (wats) – there are 117 in the city district alone. Residents are proud of that difference, too. Chiang Mai was capital of its own independent kingdom until 1558, and that lofty position – both physically and intellectually – over Thailand’s tourist hotspots prevails to this day.

Chiang Mai certainly rejoices in its rarefied status. You’re as likely to eat at a hipster café as a great restaurant specialising in distinctive Thai highland cuisine. Meanwhile, the city’s strategic importance

as the capital of the north means it’s also bursting with museums, contemporary art and culture, with first-rate galleries like MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, which hosts music and even meals as a way to open up dialogue around art. Further cultural flavour can be found at the Highland People Discovery Museum and, for flavours of the gastronomic kind, a steaming bowl of khao soi , northern Thailand’s signature dish of soft and crispy noodles in curry broth, is a must.

Stay: Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites makes an excellent base.

Situated opposite Anantara Chiang Mai Resort, a minute or two from the famous iron bridge and in the heart of the café district, it offers luxury and independence in the very heart of town. For even more luxury, the resort offers fine dining and a spa, as well as award-winning service, and the ideal, calm surroundings for an escape from the hubbub at the end of the day.

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SECOND CITIES

RAS AL KHAIMAH Dubai and Abu Dhabi may have put the Emirates on the map, but there’s a fascinating, rich and diverse Emirate just next door that’s still to be discovered by most.

Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost Emirate, tucked between the Hajar mountain range and the Arabian Gulf, has branded itself ‘The Nature Emirate’. And well it might. With its amazing beaches, mountains, hiking trails and authentic historical sites, the whole place is an open journey of discovery and natural wonders.

There are even opportunities to meet and interact with desert tribes, still living a traditional way of life unaltered for centuries.

The whole place is an open journey of natural wonders

Stay: Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort is one of Ras Al Khaimah’s most luxurious addresses. Nestled near the famous Flamingo Beach, it overlooks blue waters and pristine beaches.

The opulent Anantara Mina Ras Al Khaimah Resort is set on a private peninsula surrounded by mangroves. Opposite: the picturesque waterways of romantic Rotterdam

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ROTTERDAM

SÃO PAULO

Some cities make quirkiness their badge of honour. Rotterdam is to Amsterdam what Manchester is to London: a defiantly ‘different’, industrial rival that’s grown into its own as a conscious alternative to the capital.

Almost flattened during World War II, Rotterdam seized the opportunities reconstruction offered and turned itself into a treasure trove of cool, contemporary and quirky culture. A walk through the streets is like an experiment in living joyfully and feels like a tour of Alice’s Wonderland at times.

There’s the crazy-angled distorting mirror of the yellow Cube Houses (Kubuswoningen), the anything-goes bazaar and performances of Witte de Withstraat and the Markthal’s gigantic covered markets in the shape of an inverted capital ‘U’.

Or pop into the Pinball Museum and the former SS Rotterdam Holland-to-America cruise liner, now permanently berthed. In Rotterdam, every corner is a surprise. How many capitals can say that?

While Rio de Janeiro has the beach life, São Paulo – just 377km south along Brazil’s wild Atlantic coast – is the New York City of the tropics and the most populous city in the southern hemisphere. Like NYC, it’s famous for four things: excitement, culture, the food and its incredible, tropical-Gotham skyline.

The city is practically an open-air museum of Brazilian Modernist architecture and design – from the Martinelli Building to Oscar Niemeyer’s groovy 1960s Edifício Copan, it’s an Instagrammer’s delight.

And while successive waves of immigrants have created hotspots for food and culture from Italian to Japanese to Lebanese, one of the biggest tells of the city’s character is the night-diner scene. Every night of the week, legions of Paulistanos emerge from their barhopping, dancing (the music scene is legendary, with hip-hop and samba the city’s signature sounds) and dating to do their small-hours dining on traditional Brazilian food at nocturnal spots like Souza Lanchonete or Bar E Lanches Estadão.

And if you want to relax? The gorgeous, chilled coffee-and-beach town of Santos is just an hour’s drive away.

Stay: The view from nhow Rotterdam’s sky bar on the hotel’s seventh floor is one of the most stunning and sought after in the city, overlooking the Erasmusbrug Bridge, the New Meuse river and the magnificent surrounding skyline.

Stay: Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo Hotel is just across from the iconic Museu de Arte de São Paulo, in the heart of the city’s cultural district. J

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SUNDOWNER

SUNDOWNER KHAO LAK The jungle meets the Andaman Sea at Avani+ Khao Lak Resort in Southern Thailand. Nestled on a private stretch of white sand an hour north of Phuket, this is a resort that refuses to make you choose between adventure and indulgence. Want to start your day with Muay Thai in the 24-hour gym, then spend the afternoon floating between four pools?

Done. Prefer rock climbing followed by a treatment at AvaniSpa? Equally achievable. The 272 rooms and villas are designed for exactly this kind of flexibility, from family suites that sleep six to beachfront pool villas built for two. Between Elements all-day dining and The Beach House’s barefoot elegance, meals become events worth lingering over. And while the younger set tears up the water park and skate park, you can settle in with something cold and contemplate nothing more demanding than whether to order another – perhaps from this magnificent vantage point.

Khao Lak rewards such an approach to holidays. Make it yours, too. J

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Manufactured like a Porsche.

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