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CONTENTS
NOVEMBER 2014
Features
78
Namibia Join The Last King of

Scotland author Giles Foden on his rst trip to
the wild, barren land where his next book is set
90 Lofoten Islands
Cast off for

Norways arty Arctic archipelago, where
galleries, studios and sleek public sculptures
stand alongside the fjords and sh smokeries
98 European apartments
The sharpest crashpads to call your own
for the weekend in some of the coolest
destinations from Lisbon to Prague
PHOTOGRAPH: PHILIP LEE HARVEY
110
Fez Lose yourself in Moroccos

most map-defying medina, but dont
mistake it for a museum: fresh ideas are
ourishing in its hidden corners
120 Costa Rica
Kick back
in this chilled-out, surf-loving corner of
Central America, where a clued-in crowd is
discovering the best new design hotels
An aerial view of Damaraland in northern Namibia

November 2014 Cond Nast Traveller 7
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CONTENTS
NOVEMBER 2014
44
38
53
In this issue
18 Contributors
25 Word of mouth The places and
people creating a buzz around the
world, from Pittsburgh to Melbourne
25
38 Short break Looking for the
70
new Berlin? Well, its not far. The city

of Leipzig is fast becoming one of
Europes most exciting destinations,
with warehouse design studios and a
booming underground bar scene
44 Neighbourhood on the up
A slice of la dolce vita from Barrio
Italia, in the Chilean capital of Santiago
50 Snapshot The far-out treehouses

that take design to new heights
130
On the cover
A view of the Skoura
Oasis in the Dades
Valley, Morocco
Photograph: Cultura/
Image Source
53 Where to stay An exclusive

rst look at the new Peninsula Paris;
Bed-hopping with Zoe Saldana; ve
of the best low-key beach and city
getaways in Brazil; Sally Shalams Great
British Breaks; The Weekender from
County Durhams Lord Crewe Arms
68 A letter from Greece, where

pipe dreams are as powerful as the
ancient myths of Arcadia
70 Style file Mens On the voodoo

trail in Benin, West Africa. Jewellery
How architecture is inspiring the
latest pieces. On the scene Mandarin
Oriental, New York
10 Cond Nast Traveller November 2014
77 Trendwatch Why coldwater

surng will get your pulse racing
128 A travellers tales Around the

world with actor Cillian Murphy
130 In Britain & Ireland Once

downbeat, Dublin has rediscovered
its mojo, thanks to a sparky young
crowd of go-getters who are adding
a fresh avour to the Irish capital
139 The experts Family Six British

seaside and country hotels that
children and their parents will
love. Books The whole world in your
hands: reviewing the latest Times
Atlas; plus, Tourist Information for
the Moon. Gadgets The snappiest
new travel equipment. Feasting
Beetroot soup with a shot of vodka
and the silky white wine to
accompany it. Q&A How to beat the
crowds on the Great Wall of China,
where to eat in Manhattan, and other
travel queries
156 Competition Win a 2,500

holiday at For Friends Hotel in Austria
159 Reader offer Save 15 per cent

on a Scott Dunn ski chalet in the Alps
188 View with a room Aro H,

Glenorchy, New Zealand
PHOTOGRAPHS: LYDIA EVANS; FERNANDO GOMEZ/SURPRESS AGENCY; CHRISTIAN SCHAULIN
14 Editors letter
TAG HEUER CARRERA AUTOMATIC DIAMONDS

Maria Sharapova never stops challenging herself. Like TAG Heuer, she keeps
pushing her limits and never cracks under pressure.
WWW.TAGHEUER.CO.UK
EDITORS LETTER
hats when i said stuff i regretted immediately. By the cold-meats section

in the supermarket. The trolley being bump-bump-bumped into my foot.
Two of the children giggling at the expense of the other. The other emitting
low-level sobs. The tangle of them preventing me from reaching the
salami. When did this happen? I screeched at the oldest. Youve become like a
teenager overnight! I dont understand why youre being so boisterous! And so
unkind! And so mean! Her face pulls back, her smile fades, her jaw drops. And no,
I carry on, full of fury, this is not an excuse to disappear into a wordless grump!
The day before, wed done a dummy run on the bus shed be taking to her new school. So,
landmarks, Id announced, exhaling. Helpful landmarks. Heres Megans house, heres the ice-cream
shop, the bicycle shop, the old vegetable shop, the very important turning left, do you see it?
She mumbles. I know its annoying. Me saying all this. But you need to understand Im not talking
about the 99 times when this goes right. Im getting you ready for the one time it goes wrong, the
bus breaks down, you overshoot, you get lost, you need to know where you are. I have a thought.
If, for example, you havent been listening to my landmark symposium, and you get lost, can I
suggest you take photographs on your phone, a complete 360-degree sweep of where you are, then
text them to me and Ill be able to work out your location.
Back in the supermarket, we are at the checkout. There is a man who has his son on a long leash.
The boy, probably about her age, 11, is rolling on the oor and moaning. The father is trying to pay.
Is he disabled? she asks me softly, lling the carrier bags. Yes, I say. Like your brother? she says,
of the uncle she never met. Yes, in a way. Not exactly the same. But not so different either. I think
the father is being very mean, she says. I think the father is being very patient, I reply.
We push the trolley to the car park. I squeeze her hand. Thank you for helping me with the bags,
I say, smiling at her. Happiness and healthiness, I add, thats all that really matters. In fact, lets not
be greedy. Lets focus on healthiness. Happy can be a side dish to the feast that is healthy.
Later that day she writes me a note on the back of a piece of paper she has covered in stickers.
Im sorry I was being so cheeky earlier. I really had such a lovely day. Thank you. At bedtime she
asks me to tickle her back and sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star like I used to do when she was little.
The next morning, her new uniform on, her hair in freshly brushed bunches, we walk to the bus
stop together. The 237, right? Remember, little number rst? And call me when you get there,
correct? Correct, she says quietly. After a long, wordless wait, the 237 pulls up. I give her a squeeze.
She climbs on board. I watch her walk up the stairs. I dont see her again. The bus pulls away. I burst
into tears. And I just cant stop.
This is the new issue of Cond Nast Traveller. For those who know that sometimes the shortest
journeys can feel like the hardest of all.
Melinda Stevens
Editor
@MelindaStevens3
MelindaLP
WINNER NEW EDITOR OF THE YEAR

Truth in Travel is this magazines promise to the reader to be an essential source
of honest, first-hand opinion and must-have information. You can trust Cond Nast Traveller
to give you the unbiased inside track, with integrity and attitude.
All information and travel details are correct at the time of going to press and may no longer be so on the date of publication.
Unless otherwise stated, hotel prices are low-season rates and restaurant prices are for a three-course meal for two without drinks
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CONTRIBUTORS
Inspired by this months feature on
Norway, we asked our contributors for
their top cold-weather destination
Ken Kochey Photographer , Fez (p110)
Anthony Sattin Writer, Fez (p110)

I prepare for winter by going to the Outer Hebrides at the
end of August: it never seems so cold after a swim in the Atlantic.
But its the light I miss most and, like a migrating bird, when the
days get short I long to y to the Nile where its bright enough
to lift the heaviest spirit. Anthonys new book Young Lawrence: a
Portrait of the Legend as a Young Man, is published on 9 October
My cabin in the Berkshire Mountains in Monterey,

Massachusetts its surrounded by trees, wildlife and the everpresent sound of the stream that ows two feet away. You have
to cross a wooden bridge to get here and there is usually a blanket
of snow and a steady wisp of smoke coming out of the chimney.
Kens work takes him around the world, shooting destinations from
India to Istanbul. He lives with his family in downtown Manhattan
Lydia Evans Photographer, Dublin (p130)

I did a y-drive to Tohoku, Japan with a Japanese satnav,
and somehow made it to an inn called Aoni Onsen. The leaves
on the maples were turning, the nights were cold, the place
was lit by kerosene lamps, and I spent half my time in the hot
springs. Sophie is a journalist, author and London guide
Yadid Levy Photographer, Lofoten Islands (p90)

My ideal temperature is about 30C, but I loved Greenland.
It has stunning landscapes, with magnicent crags of ice rising
up out of quiet waters, and then these tiny, colourful settlements.
You feel youre in a properly remote place, a lot of which is still
virtually unknown. Yadid is based in Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires
A favourite is Bruges in the weeks before Christmas for the

markets. The air is scented with seasonal spices and the setting
is like that of a Gothic novel, with the evening mist rising from the
canals and lights glowing across the water. Travel photographer
Lydia loves an assignment that involves visiting a ea market
Giles Foden Writer, Namibia (p78)

Camping on Mount Roraima in Venezuela was pretty
chilly, especially when a party of vociferous Italian ladies
turned up and demanded my tent, as they hadnt brought one.
But the place I have actually felt coldest was my old London
at, where the boiler kept going out. Award-winning novelist
Giles grew up in Malawi and is writing a book set in Namibia
PHOTOGRAPHS: LYDIA EVANS; PHILIP LEE HARVEY; KEN KOCHEY; YADID LEVY
Sophie Campbell Writer, Lofoten Islands (p90)
Anniversary Wedding
Lifetime achievement Private
collection
EDITOR
Melinda Stevens
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT/PA TO THE EDITOR Tabitha Joyce
Create
your
own
legend
DEPUTY EDITOR Sarah Spankie ASSOCIATE EDITOR Peter Browne

MANAGING EDITOR Paula Maynard FEATURES EDITOR Issy von Simson
WORD OF MOUTH EDITOR Fiona Kerr
EDITOR AT LARGE Daisy Finer
FASHION
FASHION AND BEAUTY DIRECTOR Fiona Lintott
MENS EDITOR David Annand WATCH & JEWELLERY EDITOR Jessica Diamond
RETAIL EDITOR Thea Darricotte
ART
ART DIRECTOR Pete Winterbottom DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Caroline Metcalfe
DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Paula Ellis ART EDITOR Jon-Paul Pezzolo
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRODUCTION Matthew Buck
PICTURE EDITOR (PRINT AND DIGITAL) Karin Mueller
COPY
CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Rick Jordan
DEPUTY CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Christy Ward SENIOR SUB-EDITOR Grinne McBride
COND NAST
PORTR AIT
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Jonathan Bastable, Justin Cartwright, Horatio Clare, Sophie Dahl, E Jane Dickson,
Helen Fielding, Giles Foden, Loyd Grossman, Jeremy King, Emma Love, Kate Maxwell,
Lee Marshall, Thomasina Miers, Reggie Nadelson, Harriet OBrien, Redmond OHanlon,
Tom Parker Bowles, Harry Pearson, Adriaane Pielou, Antonia Quirke, Paul Richardson,
Anthony Sattin, Nicholas Shakespeare, Sally Shalam, Stanley Stewart, Colin Thubron
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
James Bedford, Mirjam Bleeker, David Crookes, Squire Fox, Philip Lee Harvey,
Max Kim-Bee, Ken Kochey, Lisa Limer, Lisa Linder, Martin Morrell, Anders Overgaard,
Tom Parker, Oliver Pilcher, Preston-Schlebusch, Alistair Taylor-Young, Jenny Zarins
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WORD OF MOUTH
Whats hot in Durban Istanbul Pittsburgh Kolkata Melbourne
PHOTOGRAPH: BROOK MITCHELL/4 CORNERS
EDITED BY FIONA KERR
catch my drift
The Andaman Islands have long been on our

radar, but now theres a very good reason to go
Set in the gin-clear waters of the Bay of Bengal between India and
Burma, the Andaman Islands promise deserted, coconut-strewn
beaches. But nding the perfect place to stay has been an elusive task as
most options are pitched at backpackers. However, this winter the
boho-luxe Jalakara opens its doors on Havelock Island. The draw is the
islands back-to-nature appeal with some luxury thrown in. We want to
make guests feel as if they have been invited to stay at their friends
amazing tropical hideaway, says Londoner Mark Hill, who created the hotel
with his wife, fashion designer Atalanta Weller. A 10-minute walk from the
beach, and surrounded by virgin rainforest, Jalakara will have eight suites.
The vibe is retreat and recharge. Guests can choose between yoga,
cookery classes, jungle treks on neighbouring islands, seaplane diving and
lolling around the innity pool. Hill is a trained chef and his skills are put
to good use, with Jalakaras restaurant serving Indian-inspired dishes.
If you build it, they will come, says Hill. AOIFE ORIORDAIN
Original Travel (www.originaltravel.co.uk) offers seven nights, from 3,135,
including B&B, transfers, ights and a one-night stopover in Chennai
WORD OF MOUTH
Rooms
AT THE TOP
Clockwise: KMOMA
gallery; coloured powders
for the Holi festival; the
city centre; drinking chai
ALL
YOU
CAN
EAT
When Melbourne chef Shannon Bennett

sat down for a coffee with his friend,
the property developer Adam Garrison,
he didnt expect a multimillion-dollar
gastronomic village to be the result.
But Garrison had spotted that Burnham
Beeches, a historic mansion in 57 acres
about 40 minutes drive from Melbourne,
was for sale. We put in a bid, never
thinking wed be successful, says
Bennett, whose mini-empire includes
the award-winning restaurant Vue de
Monde. That was more than ve years
ago, and work began almost immediately.
A bakery was Bennetts top priority, but
theres much more to the estate than that:
vegetable gardens and orchards, an emu

farm, a trufferie and the Piggery Caf
(for colourful salads, barramundi burgers
and lobster rolls) have all just opened.
Still to come are a dairy, steakhouse,
brewery, artists residences, and places to
stay ranging from low-cost to superswanky. Firmly in the latter category is
the 52-room hotel due to open in 2018
in the restored 1930s mansion, which
will have a cinema, bowling alley, rooftop
croquet lawn and, of course, a seriously
good restaurant. Because for Bennett,
just opening a new place to eat wasnt
enough he joins a growing trend of
creatives cooking up altogether grander
visions. CARRIE HUTCHINSON
+61 3 9021 2100; www.burnham
beeches.com.au
PHOTOGRAPHS: GIULIO DI STURCO; MICHEL FIGUET; APRIL MACIBORKA/GETTY IMAGES
n the way to The Penthouse, Kolkatas rst pukka boutique hotel, you get
a snapshot of the citys past, present and future. Leaving the shiny new
international terminal (preferably in a yellow Ambassador taxi), you pass
several recently built Metro stations (the expanded network, when nished, will be
four times its present size) and ease through traffic around the triumphalist
Victoria Memorial, before nally pulling up to the entrance on Russell Street in the
heart of the city. Its indicative of Kolkatas current mood of old-meets-new that
this nine-room colonial-style hotel is on the seventh oor of a glass-fronted office block. But when you step out of the lift, the atmosphere is
sepia-tinted and distinctly Bengali, with green-acre views of the Maidan and Fort William. The look louvered blinds, planters chairs, silky French
wallpaper and a complete lack of corporate gloss is a breath of fresh air in a city littered with bland business hotels. The Penthouse is the vision
of Husna-Tara Prakash, the Kolkatan owner of Darjeelings celebrated and much-loved Glenburn Tea Estate, who says that it offers traditional
Glenburn hospitality against the backdrop of the citys rich colonial history and present-day Bengali culture and cuisine. The hotel gives travellers
a base so they can linger in the city rather than simply pass through on the way somewhere else; and soon theyll be able to visit the Kolkata Museum
of Modern Art (KMOMA), Herzog & de Meurons rst project in India. A 30-minute drive from the hotel, KMOMA is in the regenerated Rajarhat
district, right beside the serene new Eco Park with its cactus gardens, bridges and wetlands. CAROLINE EDEN
Kanak Towers, 7A Russell Street, Kolkata (+91 98 300 70213; www.glenburnteaestate.com). Doubles from about 240
PHOTOGRAPHS: CHRISTOPHER RUTH/IMAGE BRIEF; MAO INSTALLATION

COURTESY OF ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM ANDY WARHOLA
WORD OF MOUTH
HOT SPOT
Andy Warhols hometown of Pittsburgh is

ready for its 15 minutes of fame
f you think Portland is pass and Brooklyn has got boring, head to Pittsburgh. This bluecollar town surprisingly pretty, considering its industrial history, with three rivers
running through it is now bubbling under with a new creative current.
HOTELS Pittsburgh may be getting hip but it hangs on to heritage, too: new hotels are usually
architectural rehabs. And next year, an unofficial hallmark of city cool The Ace Hotel is
opening in a former YMCA in the East Liberty district, with 63 rooms and a ballroom.
ART The Andy Warhol Museum, whose collection includes works from the 1940s onwards, is rst
stop on Pittsburghs thriving modern-art trail, then head to the four-storey Mattress Factory in North
Side, where the room-sized exhibits include Yayoi Kusamas perspective-challenging mirrors and
mannequins. And on a downtown alley behind Liberty Avenue, you can nd the interactive Cell
Phone Disco, where electromagnetic waves from phones create ever-changing LED displays.
FOOD Set behind a nondescript Lawrenceville storefront, Cure is the new face of Pittsburghs
restaurant scene. Chef Justin Severino is a skilled butcher, so order one of the charcuterie
boards (with delicious duck speck, black strap ham, and more). At Salt of the Earth in
Gareld, guests sit at communal tables for Brandon Fishers daily-changing, farm-to-table
menu (smoked-beet sashimi, chicken with corn risotto). And the humble hot dog gets
a twist at Franktuary, where toppings include seaweed and curried cauliower.
NIGHTLIFE Brillobox in Lawrenceville is a favourite hangout (and yes,
the name pays homage to the citys favourite artist), a place to drink,
appreciate art and listen to live music. Mixologists at Bar Marco
in the Strip District love to go off menu, while Kellys in
East Liberty has authentic dive-bar attitude and
local bites. KAREN BURSHTEIN
Clockwise
from top left: the
Mexican War Streets
district; the new Ace Hotel;
the Mattress Factory; in the mix
at Bar Marco; Cell Phone Disco;
the Mao installation at the Andy
Warhol Museum; the menu at
Salt of the Earth; bonemarrow ravioli at Cure
WORD OF MOUTH
OFF THE
WALL
After watching from the sidelines as Johannesburg
and Cape Town have undergone inner-city facelifts,
Durban is ready for its own nip and tuck. The
developers who created Joburgs wildly successful
Maboneng Precinct (a rundown area turned
hip hub, including an artist-decorated hotel and
indie cinema) are now working their magic on
the seaside citys Rivertown district. The Morning
Trade a weekly market selling fresh produce
and ery protea plants alongside pulled-pork
sandwiches from Carve and handmade ice cream
by LegenDairy opened its doors in a converted
warehouse, pictured, in August. Up next, galleries,
restaurants and boutiques aplenty. We want to
create a neighbourhood that uplifts the area, while
taking into account the existing essence of Durban,
says Jonathan Liebmann, the brains behind the
project. Were not going to roll out a model of
Maboneng, but rather look at this as something
entirely new. So could Durbs nally nd its cool?
Judging by the throngs descending on Rivertown,
it looks like it already has. SARAH KHAN
PHOTOGRAPH: CHRIS SAUNDERS
South Africas cool kids are turning

their attention to Durban renewal
WORD OF MOUTH
Now you
see me...
WHAT A CARRY ON
Travel style is dened as much by what we take with us as where we
go, hence the Instagram feeds full of down-the-body shots of
hand luggage and feet at airports, hashtagging the start of holidays.
So its fascinating to see what six of the most brilliant minds in fashion,
art and design came up with when they were invited to create
fantasy bags using LOUIS VUITTONs famous Monogram canvas.
Photographer CINDY SHERMAN opted to take her work on the
road, with a camera bag and a trunk, left, that converts into a
mini-studio, both covered in labels inspired by retro travel stickers.
MARC NEWSON, who has just joined Apples design team, came
up with a fun, fuzzy backpack: I tried to collate all my years of
owning a backpack, to concentrate everything I love into one piece.
FRANK GEHRY has translated his buildings deconstructivism
into a twisted box bag; REI KAWAKUBO of Comme des Garons
took the classic tote and punched holes in it; and KARL LAGERFELD
chose to express his new love of boxing (check out Chanels AW14
adverts) in LV-branded gloves and a punch bag. I was born and
raised in Paris, so I thought about something unmistakably Parisian,
says CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN of his design, right. The shopping
caddy is synonymous with the citys markets. I once counted the
number of caddies I saw in two hours at a Parisian market 109!
The Icon and the Iconoclasts collaboration is available from mid-October

at Louis Vuittons New Bond Street Maison. Prices start from 1,550
ILLUSTRATION: LOUIS VUITTON/JEAN-PHILIPPE DELHOMME PHOTOGRAPH: LIU BOLIN/COURTESY PARIS-BEIJING
Where is Liu Bolin? At the Great

Wall of China, by the Rialto
Bridge in Venice, on the streets of
Paris, London or New York, this
chameleon-like Chinese artist is an
expert at disappearing. He colours
himself into the background,
with assistants painting him
to blend into his surroundings.
His rst book, out this month,
charts his invisible travels: pick
him out among the pineapples
in Venezuela, spot him in the red
velvet seats of La Scala in Milan,
nd him hiding in Colombias
Gold Museum. Last year he
camouaged himself on stage at
a packed TED talk in California.
It isnt just a game, but a sharp
commentary on the individuals
invisibility in society, political
systems and mass consumer
culture a meaning that Bolin
hopes will be revealed to
his audience just like the artist
himself. Liu Bolin (Abrams, 40)
is published on 1 November
WORD OF MOUTH
THE LAKE ESCAPE

Torontos version of the Hamptons is the Muskokas, where patricians
spend their summers in Lake Michigan-side cottages like something out
of a Tommy Hilger shoot. But with astronomical prices and choked
motorways, they might as well be commuting to New York.
Young, creative Torontonians are having none of that. Theyve targeted
Prince Edward County, a Lake Ontario idyll two hours drive east of the
city, where hop and barley farms have evolved into craft breweries and
biodynamic wineries. Gradually, the boutique bakers and foraging chefs
have turned up, too. And now theres Drake Devonshire, pictured, a
refurbished 13-bedroom Victorian inn from the people behind Torontos
Drake Hotel, the place that introduced Canada to poetry slams and kale.
Owner Jeff Stober is betting that Drake by the Lake will follow the
originals trendsetting lead, with a glass ping-pong pavilion, lake-to-table
menu (seafood chowder, lobster rolls) and general store selling annel
shirts and enamelware. The look is described as a cheeky nod to rustic
Canadiana, which translates as lots of Douglas r and the occasional
wall-mounted bass, but also snazzy replaces and custom-made carpets
from the Danish company Ege. The re-pit on the deck is blazing for
autumn weekenders, but book for next spring, when the official launch
bash will make Muskoka eat its preppy heart out. ELLEN HIMELFARB
+1 613 399 3338; www.drakedevonshire.ca. Doubles from about 130
the trends
taking off
and those
running out
of fuel
HOTEL
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Taken to the next level, with
Martin Scorsese directing a
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starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo
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MALTA
No longer just for the Saga set,
with A-list fans (the Jolie-Pitts
have decamped to its babysister island of Gozo to lm
their latest movie By the Sea)
and a growing festival scene.
Could this be the next Croatia?
CRAZY GOLF
Combine putting with cocktails
and burgers at Swingers, just
opened in Londons Shoreditch;
or at San Franciscos Urban
Putt, score your way through
14 holes modelled on local
landmarks, fuelled by craft beer
RECLINING
With air passengers getting into
ghts over legroom, a new Knee
Defender contraption that stops
the plane seat in front of you
dropping back is selling faster
than booze at duty-free
UNDERWATER
SUITES
A wave of new hotels is planned
beneath the seas off Fiji, Dubai
and the Great Barrier Reef.
Were sticking to scuba diving
THREE-COURSE
MEALS
The latest foodie trend? Just
desserts. Its already huge in
Australia (Melbournes Om
Nom, Onyx Dessert Lounge in
Adelaide), and now you can
get your sugar x in London at
Sohos new Basement Sate
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SOMEWHERE FOR THE WEEKEND?
LEIPZIG
William Cook revisits the

creative German city that came
in from the cold. Photographs
by Kristina Raderschad &
Christian Schaulin
rom the street, the shop looks

shut, maybe even derelict. Only
the mufed thump of guitar, bass
and drums gives the game away.
I open the door and step into a crowded
room. A band plays in the corner. They
sound a bit like The Velvet Underground.
Pale, slim and blond, the guitarist wears
T-shirt, jeans and trainers, just like the
audience. For him, and for the crowd, its
clearly all about the music. I squeeze my
way to the makeshift bar to grab a cold
beer. The mood is friendly and informal.
It feels like Berlin back in the 1990s but
this isnt Berlin, this is Leipzig.
Twenty-ve years ago, the Berlin
Wall collapsed in an avalanche of cheap
Sekt and exuberant grafti. But the
revolution didnt start there. It was in
Leipzig that East Germans took to the
streets, demanding basic liberties in
deance of the Nationale Volksarmee
and the Stasi, the Red Army and the
KGB. Many feared a bloodbath but,
incredibly, the Communists gave in
without a ght. Yet it was the fall of
the Wall that hogged the headlines, and
Leipzigs role was eclipsed. So it feels
only fair that, a quarter of a century on,
the city that won the Cold War has
become the most happening place in
Germany east or west.
Back in 1989, most Germans I know
would have laughed at the notion that
Leipzig would one day become hip. It
had been pummelled by Allied bombers
and blackened by post-war pollution, an
industrial hinterland whose heyday had
long since passed. At rst, reunication
merely seemed to make things worse.
Factories shut down, unable to compete
with their western neighbours; young
people migrated in search of work. On
my rst visit, 15 years ago, Leipzig felt
like a ghost town. Its historic buildings
FIFTEEN YEARS
AGO, LEIPZIG FELT
LIKE A GHOST TOWN,
ALTHOUGH IT
HAD A STRANGE,
AUSTERE BEAUTY
were dilapidated, the streets caked with
concrete. Its boulevards were broken up
by bomb sites, like holes in rows of dirty
teeth, although it had a strange, austere
beauty, like the setting for a lm noir.
And then an odd thing happened.
Leipzig underwent a massive spring-clean
and a splendid old city emerged from
beneath the grime. Once-ornate arcades
sprouted quirky shops and cafs; the
huge rooms above them were turned

into stylish apartments. Thanks to the
cheap rent half that of Berlin the
city began to attract young creatives,
its derelict factories making wonderful
studios and galleries.
The building that best represents this
unlikely renaissance is the Spinnerei,
once the biggest cotton mill on the
continent. In 1992, German painter Neo
Rauch took up residence and now its full
of artists and artisans. Theres so much
space, says Michael Ludwig as he shows
me around Luru Kino in der Spinnerei,
the arthouse cinema he runs here. If
youre an artist, you can grab a room and
do anything you like. Theres a youth
theatre upstairs and a dance studio across
the road. Next door, Heike Mller
Opposite, clockwise from top left: car-sized whistles at Museum der Bildenden Knste; caf-bar Fleischerei; fashion label Saxony Ducks at Salon 21
at the Spinnerei; interiors store Goldstein & Co at art/retail cooperative Feinkost. This page, Milliner Gela Hte and clothes designer Heike Mller
SOMEWHERE FOR THE WEEKEND? LEIPZIG
LEIPZIGS DERELICT FACTORIES HAVE MADE WONDERFUL GALLERIES
designs and sells classic handmade

clothing. This was a very dirty city,
she says over coffee at her workshop.
Everything was grey. In 1999, Mller
went to Vienna to work in an atelier.
When she returned in 2010, her home
town had been transformed. Now you
can come here on holiday! Nobody
would have done that in GDR times.
She never could have found such a space
in Vienna. Here, she can afford to sell
her bespoke outts at high-street prices.
People come from all over Europe to
see the Spinnerei, and now you can even
spend the night. Meisterzimmer comprises
four austere but striking apartments,
with high ceilings, vast windows and
reclaimed furniture. As youd expect in
a redundant cotton mill, the house style
is spartan grafti-splattered corridors,
no front desk but it perfectly encapsulates
Leipzigs anarchic counterculture. If
you prefer your creature comforts, try
the sleek Steigenberger Grandhotel
Handelshof in the city centre.
Like all the best arts spaces, the

Spinnerei has galvanised its surroundings.
Once a wasteland, Plagwitz is now the
liveliest part of town. Karl-Heine-Strasse
is the street to head for; start at Noch
Besser Leben. It may look like a ruin
from the outside but dont be fooled: with
live music most evenings, this dilapidated
bar is a bastion of Leipzigs underground.
The house beer is Ur-Krostitzer, a crisp
Pilsner brewed in Leipzig for 500 years.
Around the corner is Sss + Salzig, a
combination of caf, bar and restaurant.
The food is plain and wholesome (soups,
salads, homemade cakes) but its the
laid-back atmosphere that makes it such
a cool hangout. If youre off alcohol, ask
for a Lipz, a delicious spritzer thats high
on fruit but low on sugar.
The Art Nouveau arcades in Leipzigs
spruced-up city centre are stunning,
especially the palatial Mdler Passage,
home to the citys oldest and most
famous restaurant, Auerbachs Keller.
This labyrinthine bierkeller was already
ancient when Goethe ate here and used

it as a setting for his Faust. The Grosse
Keller is a bit of a tourist trap, but terric
nonetheless; its menu is a crash course in
traditional Teutonic cooking (such as wild
boar with red cabbage). The adjoining
Historisches Weinstuben is smarter, with
serious dining in cosy rooms dating back
to the 16th century.
From here, its a short walk to one of
Germanys nest art galleries, the Museum
der Bildenden Knste. Looking like a
spaceship that has crash-landed in the
middle of the old town, its a dramatic
architectural contrast to the surrounding
Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) buildings. The
permanent collection is superb, with all
the old masters from Rubens to Monet,
but the biggest draw is the wide array of
German painters. If Max Liebermann
and Lovis Corinth are unfamilar names,
youre in for a wonderful surprise.
More than anything, though, Leipzig
is known for its music. This is where
Wagner was born, and Mahler, Grieg
Top, from left: part of the 20th-century arts, crafts and design collection at the Grassi Museum; millinery by Gela Hte at Salon 21 at the Spinnerei
SOMEWHERE FOR THE WEEKEND? LEIPZIG

From left: What I Learn by Myself? (Learning on
your own) at the Galerie fr Zeitgenssische
Kunst; the Museum der Bildenden Knste
been saying? Supercially, theres no

comparison between the two. Leipzig has
always been a merchant city, compact
and unpretentious; Berlin is an imperial
metropolis, bombastic and grandiose.
Yet, returning to Leipzig after ve years,
I can see why more and more Berliners
are relocating here, escaping the rising
prices of the capital, and why more
and more foreign visitors are arriving
every weekend. Something very special
is happening here a city is springing
back to life.
GETTING THERE Lufthansa (+44
371 945 9747; www.lh.com) ies to
Leipzig via Frankfurt and Munich from
Aberdeen, Birmingham, Edinburgh,
London and Manchester
and Schumann lived. Bach and
Mendelssohn made their names here,
and their inuence looms large. At
St Thomas Church, where the former
spent most of his career, you can hear his
heavenly melodies sung by the sailor-suited
boys choir, the Thomanerchor. Bachs
reputation was revived by Mendelssohn
when he was the conductor of Leipzigs
Gewandhaus Orchestra, still regarded as
one of Europes greatest.
Mendelssohns old home is now an
intimate museum yet even here, in
this elegant, Biedermeier-furnished
apartment, the long shadow of World
War II is inescapable (the composers
music was banned by the Nazis because
of his Jewish heritage). For Leipzigers,
that shadow only lifted in 1989 with
the end of the Communist regime.
The Forum of Contemporary History
presents a vivid picture of that years
Peaceful Revolution, although the most
arresting memento of the Cold War
is the Runde Ecke. From this building,
which doubled as an ofce and a prison,
the Stasi spied on East German citizens,
recording the smallest of indiscretions,
with dire consequences for anyone
who dared to deviate from the party
line. It has been preserved in its original
state part memorial, part museum
and it is relics like these, as much
as ne art and sublime music, which
make Leipzig unique.
So, is Leipzig really becoming the
new Berlin, as some Berliners have
INSIDER TIPS
Heike Mller was born in Leipzig and was 14 when the
Berlin Wall came down. Her fashion label, Saxony Ducks,
has a workshop in converted cotton mill the Spinnerei
If you want a
good breakfast,
go to Caf
Grundmann.
The Austrian
cuisine is simple,
but very good. It also has its own
patisserie with very good Leipziger
Lerchen a marzipan cookie which is
a local speciality. Matre is one of our
oldest cafes. It was here in GDR times
as a place for people to meet, for
writers to come and talk, and its still
the same today. Chinabrenner is
a Cantonese restaurant with proper
Chinese food. Its really original.
If there is a party at the Spinnerei,
or a crowd coming together who
want to go for dinner, we head here.
Clara-Zetkin-Park is the place
to be during the summer, and there
are little cafs where you can have a
beer and a snack. The Sachsenbrcke
is where all the youngsters come at
night for raves. Some quite famous
music stars have performed pop-up

concerts here, too.
There are some lovely lakes
around Leipzig, such as Cospudener
See, where you can do all kinds of
sports: walk, ride, swim, surf. You
can cycle round the lake, too. Theres
a white sand beach on one side,
with music and stuff, and some little
hidden places on the other, where
people just sit beside the water.
Leipzig is a green city.
One of my favourite museums
is the Grassi for its architecture and
its collection of applied arts; its
also good for children. And Im a big
fan of classical music, so for me
the Gewandhaus is another special
place. It is really bringing people back
to concert halls again.
What I really missed when I was
in Vienna was Leipzigs sunsets. This
city is extremely at and in summer
you have very long sunsets with dark
red clouds and beautiful skies.
Moment
The Team Members of LUX* help people to celebrate life with
the most simple, fresh and sensory hospitality in the world.
M AU R I T I U S R E U N I O N M A L D I V E S C H I N A U . A . E ( 2 0 1 6 ) | L U X R E S O R T S. C O M
NEIGHBOURHOOD ON THE UP
Settled by immigrant artisans in the 19th century, Santiagos Italian quarter is carving out a new
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS GABRIEL ORORKE
Clockwise from top left: the terrace at Carmnre Eco-Hotel; El Emporio

de Dominga sells traditional Chilean crafts in a Creole style; cheesecake
at Caf de la Candelaria; a blue ceramic bird with cage at interiors
store Amobl; inside Carmnre Eco-Hotel; Xoco Por Ti chocolate bar;
sofas and wall art at Italia Mia shopping centre and studios
Barrio Italia, Santiago, Chile

reputation for itself, with beautiful furniture and crafts, boutique cafs and antique bargains
SLEEP
When it opened in
June 2013, Carmnre
Eco-Hotel became
Barrio Italias rst
upmarket hotel. This
converted 1930s
townhouse, which has
retained its original
parquet oors, has ve
bedrooms named after
Chilean wine valleys:
Aconcagua, Maipo,
Casablanca, Colchagua
and the best of the
bunch Curico, which
opens onto a leafy garden.
Wine and cheese tastings
are held in the cellar.
Maria Luisa Santander 292
(+56 2 2204 6372; www.
hotelcarmenere.com).
Doubles from about 110
EAT
Bare brick walls, bistrostyle pendant lights
and harlequin tiles lend
Casa Luza cool, New
York-style vibe. Its also
the best place for Saturday
lunch, while the long
bar serves a mean pisco
sour, and the terrace,
with its colourful paper
lanterns, is straight out
of Alice in Wonderland.
The owners met in
Barcelona, so patatas
bravas have made it
onto the menu, but
otherwise theres locally
caught sh grouper with
quinoa risotto or merluza
austral (hake) and an
unmissable deconstructed
apple strudel. Avenida Italia
805 (+56 2 2918 7204;
www.casaluz restaurant.cl).
About 35 for two
Lusitano has the best

roof terrace in the area.
The owners grandparents
came to Chile from
Portugal in 1910, and
the restaurant pays tribute
to his heritage. Fake
grass underfoot lends
a somewhat surprising
Wimbledon vibe, but
limited menu hits the spot
with old-school dishes
such as costillar de cerdo
a la Lusitana (pork ribs
cooked in honey and
mustard). Be sure to save
room for a rice pudding, an
or crme brle. Avenida
Cndell 1414 (+56 9 9710
1381; www.lusitano.cl).
About 25 for two
Family-run Restaurante
y Trattoria Da Noi is one
of Barrio Italias oldest
restaurants and has a
substantial Italian menu
(truffle risotto, pumpkin
tortellini). Before tucking
into a huge plate of fresh
handmade pasta, poke
your head into the kitchen
to watch the cook in a
oury apron inging pizza
dough around. The Da Noi
is where, in 1998, a group
of friends met to discuss
the arrest of Pinochet
on Londons Harley Street.
Angered by the Chilean
medias timid coverage
of his detainment, the
friends decided to found
a left-wing newspaper,
naming it The Clinic in
recognition of the scene
of his capture. Avenida
Italia 1791 (+56 2 2274
2001; www.danoi.cl).
About 20 for two
SNACK
The loveliest venue in
Barrio Italia for afternoon
tea (known in Chile as
onces), Caf de la
Candelaria has dainty
dolls-house chairs and
tables set around a little
fountain in a leafy
courtyard. Try the Chilean
classic of toast with
mashed avocado, followed
by passionfruit cheesecake
and a steaming pot of
tea. Avenida Italia 1449
(+56 2 2880 4137; www.
cafedelacandelaria.cl).
About 15 for two
Xoco Por Ti is a brightly
painted wooden cabin
serving possibly the best
hot chocolate ever. Five
different types of cocoa
(Peruvian, Ecuadorian,
Brazilian, Venezuelan and
Bolivian) are used in the
drinks and the SwissChilean owners (see My
Barrio Italia, overleaf) also
make frapps or ice cream
in the summer. Avenida
Italia 1634 (+56 9 5774
2673; www.xocoporti.com).
About 6 for two
DRINK
The barrel outside La
Ibrica suggests there
are good times to be
had within. Full of noisy
Spaniards eating paella
and drinking cerveza,
the bar gets very busy
at weekends, particularly
when Real Madrid are
playing. Avenida Italia
1250 (+56 9 5406
8065; www.laiberica.cl).
About 10 for two
FOR AUTHENTIC CHILEAN HOME-COOKING, HEAD

TO BAR EL HOYO (ON CALLE CREDITO NEAR SANTA
ISABEL). OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY, LUNCHTIMES
ONLY, THIS SIMPLE WOODEN HOUSE OFFERS A SET MENU OF
HOMELY, TRADITIONAL DISHES, INCLUDING CORN PIE, FISH
STEW, AND MEAT AND MASHED POTATO WITH A CHILEAN
SALAD OF TOMATOES AND ONIONS. THE HELPINGS ARE HUGE
AND SERVED WITH FRESH FRUIT JUICE, ALL FOR JUST 4.
Dont
miss
NEIGHBOURHOOD ON THE UP Barrio Italia, Santiago, Chile

The Jazz Corner is
the place to go for live
music and a glass of wine.
With long tables for groups
and corners for couples,
the bar has a good house
red, as well as beer and
cocktails, to go with its
sharing platters. Try the
house tabla with cheese,
ham, olives and marinated
vegetables. Santa Isabel
451 (+56 2 2274 9941;
www.thejazzcorner.cl).
About 20 for two
SHOP
In a quarter known for
selling beautiful furniture,
Amobl brings design up
to date with clean-cut
rattan chairs, rustic coffee
tables and coal-coloured
sofas. More hand-luggagefriendly are the blue
ceramic birds and wooden
ducks. Avenida Italia 1372
and 1607 (+56 2 2341
5075; www.amoble.cl)
Minimalist and modern
Blaskosells chunky,
locally made ankle boots
and shoes displayed on
upturned woodchip boxes.
Look out for the limitededition animal-print range.
Avenida Italia 1439, Local
13 (www.blasko.cl)
With its mixture of

local and imported pieces,
Area Design is the most
stylish furniture store
in the neighbourhood.
Youll nd statement
chairs, studded leather
stools and lots of glass
bottles. Its a fun place to
explore. Avenida Italia
1354 (+56 2 2341 7313;
www.areadesign.cl)
SEE
Barrio Italia is like an
open-air gallery, thanks
in part to its antiques
stores. These treasure
troves sprung up in the
1990s, and are lled to
bursting with wobbly
stacks of chairs, spilling
out onto the pavement.
For bargains, explore the
hidden corridors behind
the shopfronts. Out in
the street, men resurrect
furniture with sandpaper
and paintbrushes as
retro music plays on a
gramophone. Avenida
Italia with Caupolicn. Not
open Sundays or Mondays
Stepping into Byrt &

Co is like entering a
psychedelic dream, but
once your eyes have
adjusted to the blue-andwhite-striped wallpaper
youll nd all manner of
pretty things. Among the
gems are hand-painted
crockery, metal antelope
wall-hooks and glassware.
Avenida Italia 1476
Galeria de arte Trece

supports modern Chilean
art by displaying paintings
by a different artist each
month, and is easily
identied by the colourful
mural outside. Recent
exhibitions include the
vibrant cubist creations
of Isabel Brinck and nudes
by Felipe Achondo.
The caf sells empanadas
and Chiles famous torta
de mil hojas (a little like
millefeuille but with dulce
de leche and cream).
Girardi 1480 (+56 2 2710
3361; www.galeria13.cl)
El Emporio de Dominga
specialises in traditional
Chilean crafts in a Creole
style, and is stocked with
hand-woven blankets,
felt trilbies and mate
gourds. Theres some
very smart leatherwork,
including wallets and
belts decorated with
woven geometric designs.
Avenida Italia 1380, Local
A (+56 9 5708 4524; www.
elemporiode dominga.cl)
If you crave action, Casa

Boulder has 250 square
metres of climbing walls
waiting to be scaled.
Sponsored by North Face,
its great for hardcore rock
climbers, and there are
90-minute courses for
those who fancy learning
how to shimmy up a
vertical wall. Avenida Italia
875 (+56 2 2724 7252;
www.casaboulder.cl)
DO
Clockwise from top left: brightly

painted chairs at Amobl; the entrance
and mural at Restaurante y Trattoria
Da Noi; roof terrace at Portuguese
restaurant Lusitanos; wooden ducks and
more at Amobl; vintage vinyl for sale
on Avenida Italia; Blasko boots. Centre,
antique bird art at Byrt & Co
My Barrio Italia
Javiera Ramrez Arvalo
ADDITIONAL PPHOTOGRAPHS: XXXXXXXX
CO-FOUNDER OF CHOCOLATE
SPECIALIST XOCO POR TI
Barrio Italia wakes at 11am, and I like
to start my day with a cup of tea from
the huge selection at Tetera t Deseo.
At the weekend, Ill go to Las Hermanas de
Trujillo, a great place to sample typical
Peruvian puddings, and during the week
theres the homemade empanadas at
Caf Emporio Da Noi. I love the
neighbourhoods furniture shops, especially
those selling rustic furniture made from
rauli, a local red wood. La Romerita
Marionetas at Estacin Italia is run by a
guy who makes puppets and its a great
place to nd an original gift. At Cachafaz
in Patio Bellavista you can learn to dance
the tango to live music, and for the more
athletic theres Cambr at Italia Mia,
which runs pole-dancing classes. Obviously
my favourite place is Porta Azul, the
courtyard thats home to Xoco Por Ti, our
hot-chocolate bar. With its fountain, it feels
like a little corner of Greece.
SNAPSHOT
treehouses
PHOTOGRAPHS: JOE FLETCHER, BOB COSCARELLI
Things are still looking up for arboreal

abodes, which have grown from small acorns
into mighty design dens
Top row, from left: wraparound windows look
out on the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains from
Hapuku Lodge, New Zealand; on one side of
the Birdhouse in Japans Nagano Nature
Reserve, there are 78 nests, and on the other,
a human-sized hole; the skies above Kielder
Forest Park are some of Englands darkest, ideal
then that the Sky Dens roof opens up for
stargazing; ladders lead to sleeping platforms in
Toms Tree House at Camp Wandawega,
Wisconsin, decorated with an antler chandelier;
once inside, visitors to the Birdhouse can
peek at their feathered housemates.
Middle row, from left: a two-bedroom
treehouse from husband-and-wife design duo
Cortney and Robert Novogratz in Trancoso,
Brazil; the strikingly simple design at Casa
Barthel doesnt detract from the Tuscan
countryside around it; the stairs at Hapuku
Lodge; the Tree House Suite at La Sultana
Oualidia on the Moroccan coast is wrapped
around the trunk of a eucalyptus; the
Sustainability Tree House in West Virginia
acts as a giant teaching aid on the environment.
Bottom row, from left: Camp Wandawegas
clubhouse was designed around a giant elm; the
Novogratzs treehouse in Trancoso is crafted
from local tatjuba, parju and eucalyptus wood;
Villa Kabru in Brazils Bahia rainforest is open
to the elements; staircases at the Sustainability
Tree House zig-zag up the 125ft-high
structure; the blackboard wall in Casa
Barthels treehouse, near Florence, is covered
in guests messages. FIONA KERR
WHERE TO STAY
Reviews of the month in Paris Brazil Shropshire + Zoe Saldana

EDITED BY PETER BROWNE
EXCLUSIVE FIRST REVIEW
STROKE
OF GENIUS
PHOTOGRAPH: JUSTIN CREEDY SMITH
A rendezvous for the 20th centurys

greatest artists, writers and composers
has been majestically brought back to life
as The Peninsula Paris. By Sophie Dening
Stravinskys challengingly acrobatic
opera-ballet Renard premiered at the
Opra Garnier on Thursday 18 May 1922.
Its not remembered how its reception
compared with the thrills caused by The
Rite of Spring in Paris 10 years earlier, but
the after party was so astonishing as to
have inspired dozens of accounts, articles
and even a novel, A Night at the Majestic
by Richard Davenport-Hines.
Joining Stravinsky, Ballets Russes
founder Sergei Diaghilev and their eager
English hosts, Violet and Sydney Schiff, in
a private room at the Majestic Hotel now
The Peninsula Paris were Pablo Picasso,
James Joyce and Marcel Proust, who
WHERE TO STAY
Clockwise from top

left: the terrace of the
old Majestic Hotel,
now The Peninsula
Paris; famous patron
Marcel Proust; a
restored stained-glass
window in the hotel;
Sergei Diaghilev
and Igor Stravinsky;
the entrance to LiLi
restaurant. Previous
page, the Klber Bar
of solid creativity, composing An American

in Paris in his suite in 1928.
The building remained government
property right up until 2009, and was
subject to various mid-century indignities:
wardrobes and even bathtubs were used
to le documents when UNESCO was
headquartered here from 1946 to 1958;
THOUGH JOYCE AND PROUST WERE NOTORIOUS

NO-SHOWS, BOTH MADE THE EFFORT, POSSIBLY
INTRIGUED TO MEET FOR THE FIRST (AND LAST) TIME
centre of everything creative and modern,
this was the dinner party to prove it.
The Majestic had opened on Avenue
Klber in 1908, Haussmannian in spirit, yet
one of the most extravagantly innovative
buildings of its time, with a luxy grandeur
that made it a hot destination for belle
poque tycoons, socialites and artists.
During World War I, it was requisitioned
briey by the armed forces, then partied on
until 1936, when it was sold to the French
government but not before George
Gershwin had booked in for four weeks
it later served as a location for Doctor Who.

But its grandeur was never in doubt, and
during its half century as International
Conference Centre for the French Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, history was made
within its muralled, gilded salons. The
agreement that brought the Vietnam War
to an end was signed in 1973 in what is
now the Klber Bar, following negotiations
led by Henry Kissinger. So, in 1991,
were the Paris Peace Accords, which
ended the Cambodian-Vietnamese War
and Cambodian civil war.
efore its spectacular reopening

as The Peninsula Paris this August,
the hotel underwent four years
of careful restoration twice the length of
the original construction. But those ne
public spaces the Klber Bar, vast Klber
Lounge and the hotels former dining
room, now the Cantonese restaurant
LiLi have not been re-proportioned or
subdivided, so the hotel remains very
much its impressive original self.
The directors of the restoration
deliberated over every high-delity detail.
The three types of limestone used to
recreate the monumental faade are from
the same quarries used in the 1906 building
works (each ower, bow and ribbon
took a skilled stonemason days to carve).
Authorities from Frances three leading
heritage bodies were consulted over
the marble, stucco, mosaics, mouldings,
gold leang, roof tiles and paintings
Cinzia Pasquali, known for her work
at Versailles and the Louvre, spent 10
months working on two ceiling paintings
in the Klber Lounge. The cream and
gold decor in the lobby is based on
PHOTOGRAPHS: AKG IMAGES; JUSTIN CREEDY SMITH; HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
turned up at 2.30am, wheezing, in white

kid gloves. Though Joyce and Proust were
notorious no-shows, both made the effort,
possibly intrigued to meet one another for
the rst (and last) time. According to Joyce,
their conversation consisted mainly of
responding no to one anothers questions.
But if Paris in the 1920s was the glittering
18K gold
SOUTHAMPTON LAKE TEGERNSEE SYLT PALM BEACH MUNICH

finejewelry@tamaracomolli.com tamaracomolli.com
WHERE TO STAY
the original colour scheme, discovered

under six layers of green paint.
If the new custodians of this Right Bank
landmark called on the cream of Frances
artisan workforce to nesse the sh-scale
roof tiles and apply all that gold leaf, the
tech spec is equally intricate. Every variable
in the 200 rooms and suites is controlled
by tablet, with touchscreen wall panels for
temperature, privacy, valet call and weather
check. In the dressing rooms, the nailvarnish dryers little niches where ladies
can poke their tacky talons are meant to
be the last word in luxury but, in fact, the
Clockwise from top left: James Joyce,

one of the writers associated with the
hotel; LiLi restaurant; Jean Cocteau,
Pablo Picasso, Stravinsky and Olga
Picasso; the crystal-leaves installation
in the lobby; former guest George
Gershwin; a design detail in LiLi
silky mechanism of the grey leather drawers

is more admirable. Tall Art Deco bedheads,
carved from leather to a sober design by
London artist Helen Murray, feel elegant
and restrained among neutral colours and
lacquered wood; only the mirrored marble
bathrooms are gratifyingly OTT.
Even the lobby installation, a twinkling
assembly of 800 crystal leaves by Czech
workshop Lasvit, stops short of comical
ostentation. The swimming pool offers calm
and space, rather than any monumental
ourishes, and the rooftop restaurant,
LOiseau Blanc, is chic and discreet, though
the three-quarter-size replica of its
namesake biplane, suspended next to the
glassed-in dining room, is excitingly not.
Chef Jean-Edern Hurstel, who has run
big operations in the Middle East, oversees
every carr dagneau and bowl of congee.
The food in LOiseau Blanc is produce-led,
accomplished and even fun (a chocolateand-raspberry dish shaped like a planes
nose with propellers wheee!); drinks on
its terrace give diners a taste of the views
enjoyed by guests who take the suites with
rooftop gardens. Luxed-up Cantonese and
Szechuan food is served in LiLi, at charming
booths and round tables in a gorgeously
theatrical setting, with oversized blue silk
tassels, a giant opera headdress installation
and green marble columns. The night in
1922 when Stravinsky dined with Picasso,
Joyce and Proust, the hors doeuvres were
Russian and the entres French. Your
choice, 92 years later: langoustines and sole
meunire, or dim sum and mapo tofu.
THE PENINSULA PARIS,

19 AVENUE KLEBER (+33 1 58 12
28 88; PARIS.PENINSULA.COM).
DOUBLES FROM ABOUT 875
PHOTOGRAPHS: JUSTIN CREEDY SMITH; LEBRECHT AUTHORS; LEBRECHT MUSIC & ARTS
THE CREAM AND GOLD DECOR IN THE LOBBY IS

BASED ON THE ORIGINAL COLOUR SCHEME,
DISCOVERED UNDER LAYERS OF GREEN PAINT
WHERE TO STAY
BED-HOPPING WITH ZOE SALDANA

The star of Star Trek and Avatar tells Francesca Babb about her out-of-this-world hangouts
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LOS
ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS
I go here with family and friends, enjoy amazing
meals and always have a great time. Thats the
thing about living in LA: you dont have to go
far for a getaway in a beautiful hotel. You can
drive down the street, book a room at the Four
Seasons and stay the night. www.fourseasons.
com/losangeles. Doubles from about 285
ONCE YOU GET

INTO THE LITTLE
CORNERS OF
MILAN, YOU FIND
SUCH BEAUTY
BULGARI HOTEL,
MILAN
Milan is where my
husband grew up, so
we go a lot. Theres
something about this
hotel perhaps because
its small and intimate in
such an industrial city
that always makes me
feel like Im on holiday.
With its beautiful garden
and spa, its a real gem.
www.bulgarihotels.com.
Doubles from 418
LE PAVILLON
DE LA REINE, PARIS
Its right in the heart of
the Marais, which is such
a cute, lively part of town.
A lot of our friends live
around Place des Vosges
which is surrounded by
art, shops and amazing
restaurants so when we
stay here we feel right at
home, tucked away in a
small and elegant hotel.
www.pavillon-de-la-reine.
com. Doubles from 304
Zoe Saldana stars in Guardians of the Galaxy and Innitely Polar Bear, which is released in early 2015
ROCKHOUSE, JAMAICA
This place is simple and beautiful. Its
built on rocks right over the ocean, and
sometimes waves hit against your little
hut at night, so they dont really advise
taking small children. But its perfect
otherwise. www.rockhousehotel.com.
NO THANKS
I dont know if things get lost in
translation in France, or its just
the culture, but in certain Parisian
hotels, I feel like Im not that
welcome. Ive had my best and worst
hotel experiences in that city.
PHOTOGRAPHS: ARCAID; YU TSAI/CONTOUR BY GETTY IMAGES
THE CARLYLE, NEW YORK

Downtown Manhattan has changed so
much it looks like any other city, like
Toronto or Boston, and that saddens
me. But uptown still has elements of
what the city used to be: tough New
Yorkers, great food, great service. The
Carlyle reminds me of that, and I love
the bedrooms. www.rosewoodhotels.
com/carlyle. Doubles from about 352
C O U R C H E V E L
The Summit of a Concept
H O T E L L E K 2
& S P A
RUE DES CLARINES, COURCHEVEL 1850 - SAVOIE, FRANCE
Tel +33(0)4 79 40 08 80 - Fax +33(0)4 79 40 08 89

www.hotellek2.com - welcome@hotellek2.com
THE EVENT FOR TAILOR-MADE LUXURY

TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
69 November 2014, Olympia London
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WHERE TO STAY
FIVE LAID-BACK HIDEAWAYS
BRAZIL
Our pick of hush-hush city spots and offbeat beachside beauties. By Lauren Holmes
OLD-WORLD CHARMER
VILLA BAHIA SALVADOR

For his boutique hotel in Salvadors historic (and somewhat edgy) Pelourinho district, French hotelier Bruno Guinard took inspiration from the surrounding
candy-coloured faades and baroque churches. The 17 bedrooms, distributed over three oors, have been decorated to reect the exotic destinations that
once lay along the Portuguese colonisers spice route back from the East. From Ceylon to Goa, Macau to Mozambique, the countries have been brought to
life with old maps, black-and-white photos and rare antiques, including Ming vases and a Maharajahs litter. The grander rooms have four-poster beds and
chandeliers and overlook Terroir de Jesus square; the much quieter back rooms have turret-like terraces, hand-painted bathroom tiles and views of endless
church spires. African art and hanging glass lamps add contemporary touches to the the crimson-panelled bar downstairs. In the courtyard, beautifully
groomed staff in billowing white serve breakfast (tropical fruit, coconut tapioca and homemade corn cakes) and the restaurant buzzes all day with people
seeking sanctuary from the colourful chaos outside over Caipirinhas and palm-heart spaghetti. en.lavillabahia.com/pousada-bahia. Doubles from about 175
WHERE TO STAY
FOODIE SEASIDE HANGOUT
POUSADA XUE ALAGOAS

When chef Guido Migliorini left Alex Atalas famous D.O.M.
restaurant in So Paulo to set up a beachfront pousada, the
deserted sands of north-eastern Brazils Praia do Patacho must
have seemed like manna from heaven. Regularly listed as one of
the countrys top 10 beaches and just three hours drive from
Recife, its a wonder it has remained so wonderfully quiet. The
pousada, expertly run by Migliorinis Brazilian wife Mariella, has
ve bungalows running down to the shore from the Santoriniinspired restaurant. The bold, no-frills design is a tribute to local
artisans, who produced everything from the king-size beds and
tree-trunk sinks to the graffiti in the bar. The simple yet smart
bungalows have watering cans at the door for sandy feet and
jasmine-scented gardens with hammocks. Blissed-out couples
sip passionfruit-and-cinnamon Caipiroskas while children dart
in and out of the water; burnt-out creatives bask in a tonic of
early nights, limited internet, 350-count cotton and feasts
from the kitchen garden. Everything that can be is homemade,
with breakfasts of olive-oil bread and ginger jam as memorable
as the langoustine tartare. In the Tupi Guarani language,
xu means slow down, and here its impossible not to.
www.pousadaxue.com.br. Doubles from about 125 half board
Service is bohemian five-star: the owners are as likely to lend you

a pet greyhound or tabby cat as a carnival costume
BOHO CITY SECRET
CASA BELUDI RIO DE JANIERO

If this old-money mansion on a bucolic side street in Rios sleepy
Cosme Velho feels remarkably relaxed for a hotel, thats because
owners Adi Junior and Isabela de Bragana intended it to reect the
easygoing nature of Carioca hospitality. Check into one of its six
bedrooms and youll be given a set of keys and encouraged to sleep as
late as you like: the superb breakfasts (ngers crossed for banana
pancakes) are served on request at a big communal table and can roll
on till dusk. The open-plan sitting room is a curated mish-mash of
antiques, deep-pile rugs, art books and an ever-changing showcase of
canvases and design pieces, including a hand-woven, hot-pink swing
(suspended next to a vintage record player). There are shared rooms
to suit tight budgets, but pick one of the suites with a terrace,
stand-alone tub and views of Christ the Redeemer, and you can drift
off in a hammock to the sound of a nearby waterfall and snatches of
1950s sambinha. Service is bohemian ve-star: the owners are as
likely to lend you a pet (choose from greyhound Mario or Smokey
the tabby cat) as a carnival costume. Casa Beludi has evolved by
word of mouth as a favourite with emerging artists (Molotov Jukebox
were among the rst guests), and although Cosme Velho is far from
bustling, its only a few minutes walk to Christs cable-car (great for
skipping the queues) or hip Botafogo, and a short taxi ride to the
beach. www.casabeludi.com.br. Doubles from about 95
SOPHISTICATED BEACH SHACK
BUTTERFLY HOUSE
BAHIA
When Buttery Houses British owner Chloe Gibbs
threw a peanut at a map one night to choose her
next adventure, it landed on the wilds of the Mara
Peninsula in Bahia, 200km south of Salvador.
A passion project that took six years to develop, the
resulting eco-luxe hotel is down the coast from
Brazils next hotspot, Barra-Grande, a honeypot for
hippies and hipsters, thus far protected from the
mainstream by unpaved access roads. Built
between a deserted beach and a black lagoon are
ve green-grass-roofed bungalows on bamboo
stilts, enveloped by thousands of citronella plants;
three more suites overlook the aquamarine pool
and pounding ocean. The rustic shells belie the
sophistication inside: walls hand-painted in oils;
silk throws from the Atlas Mountains; ceramics
from Provence. Rich Brazilians and fabulous
fashion folk return time and again for the healthy
breakfasts of green juices and homemade granola,
courtesy of Brazilian chef Elias a master at
concocting inventive recipes for the fresh lobster
delivered daily. Before dinner, everyone mingles
over cocktails served by the charismatic staff.
Quad-bikes are on stand-by for roaring through
jungle tracks, and the hotels amingo-pink jeep
drops guests at the jetty for trips to waterfalls,
followed by long lunches of craysh and cachaa,
and all-night island parties on the way home.
butteryhousebahia.com. Doubles from about 120
LOVE NEST
QUINTA DO BUCANERO
PRAIA DO ROSA
Although its less than an hours drive from Brazils Ibiza-esque party island of
Floripa, this jungle hideaway is as tranquil as can be. Set on a bluff with
180-degree views over surf spot Praia do Rosas golden half-moon bay, Atlantic
rainforest and chain of lagoons, the 12 rooms are arranged in a fan so that
young lovers can laze on their sun decks (some with hot-tubs) in privacy.
If the bedrooms are designed with romance in mind, the main lodge (wooden
frames, oor-to-ceiling windows, stone walls) has been carefully constructed
around the landscape, so the cocktail bar has been built over giant boulders
and theres a century-old palm tree growing through the double-height sitting
room. The collection of giant shells, chessboards and miniature sailing boats
borders on the kitsch, but its all somehow balanced with muted colours
and a spectacular swimming pool. Breakfast (brie omelettes, chocolate cake,
complimentary sparkling wine) is an extravagance that continues until 11am.
At supper time, skip the canoodling couples and explore fairy-lit trails that
lead to gourmet chalets in the forest (Bistro Pedra da Vigia is recommended).
Theres also a boatman who punts guests across the lagoon to sip sundowners
with stripped-down surfers on the sandy decks of beach bars, and watch whales
calving in autumn. www.bucanero.com.br. Doubles from about 150
WHERE TO STAY
the restaurant. The rest of the food is

excellent, straightforward and seasonal:
pea, lettuce and lovage soup; British
veal with asparagus; a jumble of
gooseberries and cream. Soon hell
be turning pheasant on a spit in the
replace next to the Hillyard Room,
pictured, a new dining room with the
feel of a mini medieval banquet hall.
WHO GOES THERE? Locals,
mostly. Passersby arrive in numbered
jerseys and with athletes appetites
(the village is a common detour on the
coast-to-coast cycling route). Weekend
groups come with spaniels and guns.
WE LIKE Feeling happily immersed
in the heritage. Drinking pale ale from
tankards in the vaulted bar, a secret
den unchanged, surely, since the French
monks in white habits (after whom
Blanchland is named) lived here.
THE WEEKENDER
WE DONT LIKE Theres no sitting

room. For more space, book one of
the three suites fantastic value at 40
a night more than the cheapest room.
BLANCHLAND, COUNTY DURHAM
CONTACT +44 1434 675469;

www.lordcrewearmsblanchland.co.uk.
Doubles from 140; suites from 180.
LORD CREWE ARMS

WHAT IS IT? A little bit of the
Cotswolds in the North Pennines,
Blanchland is notable for its utterly
charming cottages with uniform red
doors, all made of stone salvaged
from the ruins of 12th-century
Blanchland Abbey. Now the village
has a hotel worth staying for, managed
by the owners of Calcot Manor and
Barnsley House in Gloucestershire,
no less, two of the countrys most
fabulous contemporary country-house
hotels. Louisa and Michael Stone
have transformed the tired tavern
they used to take their kids to (they
own shooting estates nearby) into
a characterful hotspot with countrychic interiors by Calcot Hotels
designer Nicky Farquhar.
BEHIND THE SCENES The Grade
II-listed main building was the abbots
guesthouse until 1539, when the
monastery was sold. It changed hands
several times before its namesake, Lord
Nathaniel Crewe, took over. He died in
1721, leaving his estate (including
Blanchland and Bamburgh, on the

coast) to the Lord Crewe Trustees, who
make donations to Oxford University,
among other educational institutions.
SLEEP Rooms seven in cottages
along one side of the village square,
four in the main building, plus 10 over
the road are named after moors, mines
and gures associated with Blanchland.
Theres an argument for staying in each
of them: Bamburgh has stained-glass
windows from the abbey; Tom Forster has
the best view of the gardens; Egglestone
has a divine roll-top bath; Whiteheaps
has a log burner. The Northumberland
moors are reected in paint shades of
heather and moss, and there are tartan
blankets and Roberts radios.
EAT Simon Hicks was previously head
chef at Hix Soho in London, which
explains why theres Fishdog (a fancy
sh-nger sandwich made famous by
Hix) on the chalked-up bar menu, and
cured salmon made to a Hix recipe
(and smoked over apple and oak) in
HAZEL LUBBOCK
WHILE YOURE HERE

Borrow some wellies from the boot room
(next to the gun room) and head out
with the explorers kits along the River
Derwent. Get sporty: sh for trout,
shoot game and cycle across the moors.
Read up on Blanchland in the White
Monk Tearooms (+44 1434 675044)

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WHERE TO STAY
SALLY SHALAMS GREAT BRITISH BREAKS

This month, our happy wanderer hops from Shropshire to Snowdonia
in search of pork pies, cupcakes, museums, mountains and modern art
John Scott Gallery
Lion and Pheasant
Queenies
Cupcakery
Ffynnon Townhouse
might stay at the Inn at Grinshill (www.

theinnatgrinshill.co.uk; doubles from 119.50),
a Georgian gem in the north Shropshire hills.
But this time we followed the Severn
upstream to Shrewsbury, which sits in the
rivers loop, to the Lion and Pheasant (www.
lionandpheasant.co.uk; doubles from 99).
Along with beams and exposed brick, avour
and nesse came in equal measure with
basil-cured salmon and parmesan gnocchi.
Dodging cloudbursts the next day, we
paused at Appleyards Deli to sniff the pungent
aroma of cheese. We also savoured the eclectic
invitingness of Simon Penrice Interiors and
the dapper gentlemens shoe displays at Brok.
Eventually we reached our goal, the Victorian
music hall that is now the new Shrewsbury
Museum & Art Gallery, which somewhat
audaciously conjugates modern art (Emin,
Hirst) with ancient (Roman, medieval) artefact.
A scenic drive away, at Dolgellau in
Snowdonia, it sometimes seems as though the
whole town is seated amid the original wooden
shopttings of TH Roberts, a former hardware
store and now one of my favourite cafs. Locals
and visitors catch up on gossip after scooping
up freshly laid eggs from the Thursday country
market, read papers, and refuel on carrot cake
and white vanilla hot chocolate after a hike.
At night, impeccably sourced produce is served
in the low-beamed cosiness of Y Meirionnydd.
Pressed sh terrine, meltingly good Welsh
black beef from Bala and cinnamon-laced
mashed swede. Ffynnon Townhouse (www.
ffynnontownhouse.com; doubles from 150)
has the most indulgently luxurious suites of
any B&B I can recall, and fantastic views over
the Wnion Valley. All three are within strolling
distance of one another, which is exactly what
you want to hear after elevation, whether by
physical exertion or cultural pursuit.
Ironbridge
PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES
here is a gorge in Shropshire, formed by

the River Severn on its course to the
Bristol Channel, where early industrialists
helped themselves to a natural selection box of
limestone, clay, iron ore and coke.
Ironbridge Gorge is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, and no fewer than 10 museums
await in the valley. Earlier this year, I drove
there with a friend who was anxious before
she relocated to the South East to explore
at least part of the six square miles that cradled
the Industrial Revolution.
You cant see everything in one day, so
we cherry-picked. At Coalbrookdale, more
than 300 years ago, Abraham Darby built
a blast furnace (still there) and formed the
Coalbrookdale Company to make the rst iron
cooking pots, rail lines and ornamental ironwork
that shaped so much of our world.
Next we visited the national
collections of Coalport and Caughley
china, displayed in handsome, original
brick factories, stopping in Ironbridge
for sustenance at Eleys pork pie shop
and Queenies Cupcakery, where the
velvety indulgences were worthy of
the ne china we had just cooed over.
Then it was time for London
Underground panels, elegant oors
and hallway walls at the Jackeld Tile
Museum, a treasure house of historic
tilework. In October the John Scott
Gallery opens, with a private collection
of decorative tiles and panels by Pugin,
Morris, De Morgan and others, which is
temptation indeed to return, and I just
4-9 NOVEMBER 2014
OLYMPIA LONDON
Presented by
A LETTER FROM
GREECE
In a land where legends loom large, theres something quietly magnificent about an enigmatic
puff of smoke in an out-of-the-way village, says John Spurling. Illustration by Luke Best
hen friends come

to stay with us in our
house at Tyros in
Arcadia, we take them
to some of the famous antiquities
in the neighbourhood. Byzantine
Mystra is just the other side of
Sparta, two-and-a-half hours drive
westward through the Arcadian
mountains and the valley of the
River Eurotas. Mycenae, palace
of the Mycenaeans where King
Agamemnon, returning victorious
from the war of Troy, took a bath
and was axed there by his wife and
her paramour is about 90 minutes
drive to the north. The mighty
stone walls of another Mycenaean
stronghold, Tiryns where Hercules
was born and from where, on
the orders of his usurping cousin
King Eurystheus, he set out to
perform his Twelve Labours is
an hour away, near the elegant
Venetian city of Nafplio, with
its three castles and great marblepaved Syntagma Square.
Another half hours drive
beyond Nafplio, on the north-east
coast of the Peloponnese, is the
enormous ancient amphitheatre
of Epidauros. Here, in the summer,
the 12,000 stone seats are still lled
with audiences for ancient Greek
tragedies and comedies, the great
originals of all our drama. Out of
season, most visitors climb to the
top of the 55 tiers of seats, while a
few remain below in the middle of
the circular orchestra to test the
extraordinary acoustics by dropping
a coin or striking a match for those
at the top to hear. Bolder spirits sing
a song or recite a verse. On a recent
visit I gave them Shakespeares
O Mistress Mine and one of our
guests sang the rst verse.
But the most memorable episode
of this trip for me was a stop we
made at a small village called

Giannouleika on the way back
from the theatre. Outside one
of the houses beside the road hangs
a large sign in English: HAND
MADE PIPES. In deance of
medical and government advice,
I have been a pipe-smoker all
my adult life, already own two
beautiful curved pipes from this
shop, and on this occasion had
been commissioned by a friend
in England to buy him one.
The shop is in fact no more
than a small square window set
into the house wall, with shelves
of pipes in all colours, shapes
and sizes, and when you ring a
bell beside it the owner or his wife
or son emerges from the house,
unlocks the window and sells you
your chosen pipe on the spot.
Hercules. Could there have been

so many pipe-smokers in all
Canada? And did he himself
smoke a pipe? Very rarely, he said,
and his son not at all.
Stefanou himself gathers the
briar roots from which all his pipes
are made, and they must come
from high up in the mountains since
there are no briars in the lower
hills around our village. We drove
away with two refreshed pipes and
two new ones, as I could not resist
adding another half-curved beauty
for myself, and stopped a little
further on to look at a Mycenaean
stone bridge with a characteristic
corbelled arch, like those over
the entrances to the great beehive
tombs at Mycenae.
But now both bridge and pipe
shop have been bypassed by a new
THE SHOP IS IN FACT NO MORE THAN A SMALL

SQUARE WINDOW SET INTO THE WALL OF A HOUSE
This time it was the owner
himself, George Stefanou, and
when I had chosen a shiny, deepred pipe for my friend, I asked
if we could see the workshop.
It was a dark little outhouse off
the yard behind the house. Barrels
of half-carved pipes, still emerging
from their original chunks of
pale-brown, seasoned briar-wood,
stood on the oor. On the work
bench to one side was a small
electric lathe, and Mr Stefanou
offered to renew the two old pipes
I had with me. While he did so,
gently shearing off the tarry deposit
around the bowls, treating the
surface with wax and varnish and
a nal polish, he told us that he
had learnt his trade in Toronto,
making 100,000 pipes a year. Have
I got the gure right? It sounds
as mythical as Agamemnon and
swift carriageway to Epidauros.

Better for the swarm of coaches
and the hastier visitors in cars
than the old narrow, winding road
through villages, better perhaps
for most of their inhabitants, but
not so good for George Stefanou.
He also has a shop in the small town
of Ligourio, but that too has been
bypassed; he is hoping to open
another in Nafplio. Meanwhile,
if any pipe-smoker is reading this,
you may prefer to take the old
road to Epidauros and stop at the
window in Giannouleika.
John Spurlings new novel The Ten
Thousand Things, on the life of
Chinese painter Wang Meng during
the fall of the Mongol Empire, is
published by Duckworth Overlook.
In his next book, Arcadian Nights,
he retells some of the Greek myths
STYLE FILE
PLUS Jewellery & On the scene
EDITED BY
DAVID ANNAND
MAN ON A MISSION
James Hopkirk plunges deep into the heart of Benin to uncover the mysteries of voodoo
and rewarded my devotion with a slug of gin and some homemade nougat.
Just the sustenance I needed for a proper Houetanou ceremony.
Mid-morning on the day of the Fa ritual, I found myself in a sweltering
suburb of Cotonou. The atmosphere was intense: chanting, clapping, the
beating of drums, bottles of home brew doing the rounds, the air thick
with scent. Family after family lay gifts at the feet of the priest. I lost count
of the animals I saw quickly and expertly dispatched.
Then on to Ouidah, Benins holiest city and home to the Indiana Joneslike Temple of Pythons. It is in a nearby forest that I encounter the
intractable goat. Weve been allowed to observe the private ritual at the
local priests home. Its purpose is to enhance his powers, but with dawn
approaching and no progress made, these appear to be diminishing.
This has never happened to me before, he says, shaking his head
despondently. Has my presence spooked the goat? Or has the man lost his
mojo? Either way, the goats off the hook. The gods will have to go hungry.
READ THIS The Viceroy of Ouidah.

Bruce Chatwins 1980 novel is principally
concerned with West Africas slave trade, but
it captures the atmosphere of riotous Benin,
not least some of its more outr rituals.
DOWNLOAD THIS Voodoo Chile.
Jimi Hendrixs psychedelic reworking of the
Delta blues, with its relentless improvised guitar
riff, is the perfect soundtrack for a spooky
journey into Dahomey.
PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES
he goat is clearly suspicious. It is fast approaching 4am and

the Fa ceremony has already been going on for ve hours.
Three chickens have been slain by the Ifa priest, and the goat
is next. But for the ritual to reach its gory climax, the poor
creature has to willingly eat some sacred leaves. And it isnt playing ball.
The goat, the priest, the leaves and I are in a tiny village just outside
Ouidah in southern Benin, a steamy sliver of a country in West Africa,
between Nigeria and Togo. For all its national parks and palm-fringed
beaches, Im here for something darker and altogether more spooky.
My voodoo odyssey had begun a few days earlier in Cotonou,
Benins largest city a congested, sprawling metropolis that I navigated
with the ever-patient Ulrich and Serge-David. Even with these expert
guides, tracking down a voodoo ceremony can feel like trying to locate
an illegal rave. It begins with phone calls and vague directions, then
a urry of activity as you speed off to a roadside meeting point. Finally,
your mysterious contact appears and you
drive to the secret location. Voodoo requires
patience, some strong liquor and a little cash.
Easier to nd was the ancient city of Abomey,
the site of royal palaces built from clay mixed
with the sacricial blood of prisoners, and entire
subterranean villages hidden in the surrounding
forests. Id met with Abomeys High Priestess
of Voodoo, Nan Houandjr Kpodjito, a direct
descendant of a Dahomey king, whose living
room I entered on all fours. Dripping with sweat,
I kissed the ground at her feet. She blessed me
ANIMAL-PRINT
JUMPERS
Menswear tends to veer wildly
between extremes of humour,
from the po-faced normcore of the high
street to the catwalks beyond-outr
velour bodysuits with embroidered
death masks. Nice, then, to see items
that are both wearable and fun, like this
brilliantly bonkers Rottweiler top by
Givenchy. Don it in Provence as a sly
nod to the reputation of Brits abroad.
Sweatshirt, 445, www.harrods.com
Those keen to dip a toe into the

animal-print world, but not
ready to go the whole
Rottweiler, might
like to start with
this Merino-wool
jumper by that
most outdoorsy
of designers,
Christopher
Raeburn.
Ideal for Arctic
adventures or
at least a trip to
see Walker and Arktos, the resident polar
bears at Invernesss Highland Wildlife
Park. Sweater, 300, www.mrporter.com
Urban foxes need look no

further than this fantastic
lambswool pullover from super-cool
Parisian fashion house Maison
Kitsun. All twinkly eyes and backalley mischief, its just the number for a
weekend break to a city with a suitably
rascally reputation:
Amsterdam,
Hamburg or,
best of all,
Brighton.
Sweater,
315,
www.
matches
fashion.com
DAVIDS POSTCARD FROM...

RUTLAND WATER
I am hiding. In a hide. And Im not sure
how I feel about it. Hiding in a hide
means youre a full-blown twitcher, not
just someone who likes blue tits. But
Im not sure Im ready to make the leap.
The hide is at Rutland Water, not the
Bale Mountains or Bharatpur, which
means the best Im likely to see is a
gull. Waterfowl are the nil-nil draw of
the ornithological world: for all but
purists theyre pretty boring. Rutland
has some good ones, mind: lapwing,
oystercatchers, and great crested
grebes with their New Romantic head
feathers. Not that we see any. We hug
the shoreline of the lake, created in
1975 by the damming of the Gwash
Valley. Passing Normanton Church,
its lower half full of rubble to raise it to
the waterline, we wonder what remains
of the aptly named Nether Hambleton
in the depths. The habitat of birds is
further despoiled every day the world
over, so we enjoy the thought that
somewhere once home to man has
been reclaimed by wigeon, teal and
coot. www.rutlandwater.org.uk
GET THE LOOK: BOARDWALK EMPIRE

Heading to the Garden State? Make sure youre as natty as Nucky Thompson
From left: Navy wool and cashmere-blend jacket, 1,125, Alexander McQueen (www.mrporter.com); turquoise and white striped shirt, 175,
Turnbull & Asser (www.turnbullandasser.co.uk); silk tie, 115, Drakes (www.mrporter.com); gold tie pin, 750, Foundwell (www.mrporter.com)
STYLE FILE
Metamorphosis
pendant in yellow
gold, 4,000,
Alexandra Tosto
(www.alexandra
tostodesign.co.uk).
The British Museum
BUILT TO LAST
Skein ring in rose gold,
POA, Zaha Hadid for
Caspita (www.caspita.
ch). Hadids Sunrise
Tower, Kuala Lumpur
Head-turning architecture is the foundation for

the latest jewellery, says Jessica Diamond
Broadway bracelet in white

gold from the Caf Society
collection, POA, Chanel Fine
Jewellery (www.chanel.com).
Manhattans grid of streets
Square and Round ring in

yellow gold, 1,850, An
Alleweireldt (www.oxx.
me.uk). The brutalist-style
Diekes House, Luxembourg
Mvsa ring in
pink gold with
citrine, 3,940,
Bulgari (www.
bulgari.com).
Jungarah Fort,
Rajasthan
PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY OF ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS; ROBERT HARDING

IMAGERY/ALAMY; SERGE KOZAK/AGE FOTOSTOCK; VIEW PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES
Chippereld
ring in yellow
gold, 4,800,
Jennifer Saker
(www.jennifer
saker.com).
Wembley Stadium
ccasionally a trend will bubble away beneath the surface, biding its time
before emerging as a fully formed bona-de thing. So it is with the
bold new direction being taken by jewellery and architecture, specically
the inuence of the latter on the former, not just referencing ancient classical
shapes and Art Deco motifs, but also unashamedly borrowing from modern
structures. Architect Zaha Hadid (surely a jeweller in a former life) is the
unofficial leader in this, rst collaborating with Swarovski in 2008 and now with
Geneva-based Caspita to produce a series of rings that are evocative of her
curving, cellular-like buildings. Hadid even cut her teeth as a curator at the
Goldsmiths Fair in London in September this year (20 pieces entitled Zaha
Hadid Selects). One of her choices was a ring by newcomer Jennifer Saker,
which resonates with the highly engineered form of bridges and stadiums.
Similarly, Alexandra Tostos Metamorphosis pendant is mesmerisingly exact,
its lattice gold-work reminiscent of gazing upwards at a glazed ceiling the
British Museum extension being an obvious comparison. And Antwerp-trained
An Alleweireldt, another newcomer, cites architecture and graphic design as a
major inuence, having produced a ring called Square and Round, which looks
like a miniature monolith in gold, or a piece of brutalism for the nger.
Construction materials are also being plundered. Tiffany & Co was ahead of its
time by collaborating with Frank Gehry and his polished concrete collection in
2006 (it has sadly faded from the brands offering). But younger jewellers have
taken up the baton. The Constructing Worlds exhibition at the Barbican, London,
which runs until 11 January 2015, will showcase architectural photography
from the 1930s onwards and there will be jewellery on sale inspired by the
show, including pieces by Taipei-based 22 Design Studio, which has created
rings and earrings using concrete and steel in a direct lift from its home citys
skyline. But if all this is too different and minimalist for you, some more familiar
faces are taking a gentler route; Bulgari has revived an old gem shape with the
Takhti cut in its Mvsa collection a soft, curved rectangle imitating the shape
of roof tiles on Rajasthani palaces. And Chanel has cast the net wider, producing
a glittering one-off diamond cuff based on the graphic Manhattan streetscape.
STYLE FILE
Alpaca felt
coat, 2,820,
Brunello
Cucinelli
(www.brunello
cucinelli.com)
EDITED BY THEA DARRICOTTE
Pom Pom Man

key chain,
105, Sophie
Hulme (www.
net-a-porter.
com)
Mini Pashli
satchel, 675,
3.1 Phillip Lim
(www.avenue
32.com). Dafne
sunglasses,
about 220,
Chlo (www.
chloe.com)
PHOTOGRAPH: JUAN ANTONIO ALONSO/AGE FOTOSTOCK
Baseball cap, 45,

Karl Lagerfeld
(www.net-aporter.com). J12
gold and ceramic
watch, 6,800,
Chanel (www.
chanel.com)
Umbrella,
85,
Missoni
(+44 20
7823 1910)
Fur-lined boots, 395,

APC (www.apc.fr).
Right, a look from
Burberry Prorsum S/S 15
On the scene: Mandarin Oriental,

New York
The look: slick in the city
At more than a decade old, this glass-and-steel structure is practically a grande dame
in New York hotel years, where an exposed-brick and patterned-tile downtowner
seems to open every other week. Floating regally above Central Park on oors 35
to 54 of the Time Warner Center, it has become a byword for sleek design and
impeccable service in a city where newer places often forget their Ps and Qs.
Splash out on the one-year-old Suite 5000, so exclusive it doesnt even
appear on the hotels website and, at 3,300 square feet, is roughly 10
times the size of the average Manhattanites apartment. Its shades of grey
will match your understated outts; its zeitgeisty art collection, with works by
psychedelia fans Justin Lowe and Jonah Freeman, will save you a trip to Chelsea.
Instead, spend time in the hotels legendary spa and its whopping lap pool; shop Fifth
Avenues three Bs: Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys and Henri Bendel,
all a stroll away; and ask the concierge to score you a table at hot
ticket Betony, a few blocks south-east, where the ingredients
lobster, foie gras, Petrossian caviar are ritzy but the New
American cooking isnt. Then, retreat to your suite for a digestif
and gawp at New Yorks twinkly skyscrapers from your
oor-to-ceiling windows. KATE MAXWELL
www.mandarinoriental.com.
The Futures Market
THE MATCHMAKING SERVICE
Global Headquarters: 68 Brook Street Mayfair London W1K 5DZ +44 (0)20 7290 9585
WORLDWIDE
w w w. g r a y a n d f a r r a r. c o m
TRENDWATCH
PHOTOGRAPH: SCOTT DICKERSON
COLDWATER SURFING
The coconut whiff of Hawaiian Tropic, the white noise of crashing waves, the squeak of warm sand underfoot and the pfft of bottles
of beer being opened as the sun sets beyond the horizon. We all know that wherever the surfers go, the rest of us will soon follow. But
at this time of year the most hardened riders chase something more extreme: the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Because
here the waters, stirred up by low-pressure weather systems in the Atlantic, have a serious swell thats worth hanging around for. There is
a sort of heroic daring in dipping in off the Arctic Circles frozen shoreline and from volcanic beaches in Iceland a sense of isolation,
of conquering a wilderness, of a pioneering spirit. But coldwater surng need not be that torturous. Closer to home, the locations might
not feel so out-there and adventurous, but the temperatures are signicantly less hypothermia-inducing. World-class waves make winter
appearances at the well-known Cornish coastal spots of Polzeath and Fistral. Over in Northern Ireland, Portrush in County Antrim also
has this curiously seasonal attraction, as does Bundoran across the border in County Donegal, and the fast reef break at Thurso East has
drawn the pros right up to the most northerly ngertips of Scotland. Getting in the water is one thing, but staying there is quite another.
This is no ordinary endurance test, and surfers need to be wrapped in neoprene at least 5mm thick. And they say that if your teeth
arent chattering so hard you cant talk, you havent been out for long enough... ISSY VON SIMSON
The Kaokoveld Desert

in northern Namibia
78
THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND AUTHOR GILES FODEN HAS SET HIS LATEST BOOK IN NAMIBIA. HERE ON HIS FIRST
EXPLORATORY TRIP TO THE COUNTRY HE ENTERS THE STARTLINGLY BARREN LANDSCAPE TO SEEK OUT RARE DESERT LIONS
AND NOMADIC TRIBES. PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHILIP LEE HARVEY
t is the start of World War II. Two

Germans living in Namibia (then a
British-run mandate) ee into the
desert to escape internment. For more
than 18 months, they live a Robinson
Crusoe-style existence, soaking up
the bitter beauty of the lunar-like
landscape: an immensity of rumpled
rock, sand-dunes, gravel plains and
at-topped mountains. The pair even
make their own shoes, cobbled together
from old tyres and antelope hides. This is
the story of The Sheltering Desert (1957),
one of the books I read to prepare me for
my rst trip to Namibia.
Henno Martins neglected classic is an
amazing tale, but even it did not fully ready
me for the sheer isolation of desert life, and
the differences between a sandy safari
and the savannah game viewing that I am
accustomed to in east and central Africa.
The distinctions strike me as soon as I
arrive in Windhoek, the Namibian capital.
A quiet, clean city, its a world away from
the urban sprawl and chaos thats the usual
jumping-off point for an African safari.
I stay in Villa Violet, a comfortable
guesthouse with lemon trees in the garden.
The German inuence (Namibia was
a German colony from 1884 to 1915) is
pervasive. I chat with Helmut and Antke
Halenke, Germans in their seventies who
used to own a game farm in the desert
and whose daughter Heidi now runs Villa
Violet with her husband.
We are very strong on the meat here
in Namibia, Helmut says, before telling
I
80
me about his old life raising animals

for wealthy hunters to shoot. You
should try the oryx or the kudu up at
Joes Beerhouse.
This is the hostelry I go to that night,
a popular hangout for the youth of
Windhoek. But I cant quite face eating
game on my rst day and settle for a beef
steak, and one or two bottles of Tafel lager.
There is an extraordinary racial mix
at Joes, but none of the tension one
sometimes feels in neighbouring South
Africa. Partly this is because Namibia
has a tiny population (just over two
million people), despite its landmass
covering almost the same area as France
and Germany combined.
The next morning, I y to the Hoanib
River canyon, the site of a camp run by
Wilderness Safaris. Floated on the
Johannesburg stock exchange in 2010,
Wilderness has been opening up new
lodges all over southern and central
Africa. Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is
its latest venture, erected in the private
Palmwag Concession, a tract of more than
400,000 hectares abutting the Skeleton
Coast National Park.
Flying there in a small Cessna (one of
the advantages of staying with Wilderness
Safaris is that it has its own mini-airline), I
am struck by the scars on the desert below:
the crows-feet and X marks, the lines and
fairy rings over which the shadow of the
plane glides. Dimples in the sand, the rings
are a peculiar phenomenon of the Namib
Desert no one has yet fully explained.
Some of the lines are gravel roads,

others the dried beds of rivers. The
majority of the rivers in Namibia are
ephemeral, only running for part of the
year. Sometimes they do not ll with water
for decades. Along with ancient rock
formations (the Namib is the oldest desert
in the world), these intermittent waterways
determine the whole ecology of the
Skeleton Coast, right up to the Angola
border my nal destination.
But rst the Hoanib, whose waters
still ow underground, giving life to ana
and mopane trees, and the thin grasses
which sprout along its banks, supporting
a small population of springbok, giraffe,
elephant and desert lion.
I spot lion tracks as soon as I enter
the camp, which is a series of seven
twin-bedded tents and one large family
unit, raised on smooth concrete platforms.
There is also a central dining area, bar
and small lap pool.
Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp
represents the best of the new style of
modernist safari architecture. Each tent
has an ensuite bedroom with a shaded
deck. Tall walls of glass reect the reds
and yellows of the desert. Khakicoloured fabric, supported on poles and
guyed down into the sand with steel
cables, billows over semi-solid internal
walls made of green canvas.
Overall, its a superb solution: a design
in keeping with the stark aesthetics of the
Namib, which also mitigates the variance
of desert temperature. The great thing,
A seal colony in Mwe Bay

on the Skeleton Coast
WOMEN COVER THEIR BODIES WITH RED

EARTH, AND PLAIT THEIR HAIR IN
ELABORATE ARRANGEMENTS OF LEATHER,
MUD AND THE TUFTS OF ORYX TAILS
Jewellery and traditional hairstyles

worn by the Himba tribe
THERES A BITTER BEAUTY TO THIS LUNAR-LIKE LANDSCAPE: AN IMMENSITY OF
Sand-dunes in the Skeleton

Coast National Park
84
RUMPLED ROCK, SAND-DUNES, GRAVEL PLAINS AND FLAT-TOPPED MOUNTAINS
THE LION EXPERT LIVES ROUGH IN A SPECIALLY CONVERTED TRUCK FESTOONED

WITH RADIO AERIALS. HE SHOWS ME AN ENORMOUS SET OF SPEAKERS HE USES
TO CALL THE ANIMALS, PLAYING BACK COURTSHIP ROARS FROM MP3 FILES
explains Clement Lawrence, the effusive

camp manager, is that these concrete
oors retain the days heat during the
night, when it gets very cold here youll
see what I mean when you get back from
your game drive.
I set off in a four-wheel-drive, following
the course of the Hoanib, sometimes
going along its crumbling banks
20ft high, marked by rust-coloured,
sedimentary layers sometimes down
on the river bed itself. Giraffes are
feeding on the bright green leaves of
salvadora plants and long-horned oryx
are grazing on ana pods fallen from trees.
I pass an elephant, a solitary bull,
moodily kicking up dust. The desert
wind pushes his ears around in front of
his face, giving the impression of someone
struggling under a grey blanket. His
backbone and ribs are clearly visible,
an effect of desert adaptation and
surviving on a third of the water of
savannah elephants.
Later, I come across the large family
group from which he has been expelled.
That ones another young troublemaker,
says Arnold Tsaneb, my guide, pointing
out a little elephant making mock charges
at us. Eventually the young tough gives
up and tries to climb the riverbank
instead, bending the knees of his front
legs one after the other to make little
steps in the soil.
The bed of the river is hard, marked
with dark brown curls of dried mud from
the last ow of overground water, which
86
was two years ago. Looking like the

rufed top of Viennetta ice cream, it
crunches as the four-wheel-drives tyres
turn on it. On the way back, I spot a
black-backed jackal.
That evening, after a delicious kudu
cutlet, I sit around the re wrapped in
a blanket. Lawrence was right: it is very,
very cold here at night, going down to
-3C in winter, which lasts from June to
August. I wonder how the renegade
Germans in my book survived it.
As I walk back to my tent, the moon
above is yellow, as if it, too, is part of
the desert. I hear the crunch of my
sandals on the sand and worry about
scorpions. All ones little human
weaknesses are exposed here, even
though there is far less danger than on
a safari in central or east Africa.
The following day I take a short ight
to Mwe Bay on the coast. An abandoned
weather station here is now a small
museum, lled with objects that have
washed up on the beach. There are whale
bones and squid skulls, the wooden
propeller of a plane, even the carved
prow of an old ship, its humanoid face
pitted and distorted by the effects of this
extraordinary climate, where at dusk
cold fog rolls up from the Atlantic to
meet the heat of the desert.
It feels weird to discover a vast colony
of brown fur seals at Mwe. Several
hundred strong, they grumpily lollop
into the surf as I approach. The dream of
Dr Flip Stander, the lion expert I speak
to that night in the bar back at Hoanib

camp, is that this seal colony will one day
again become the prey of the last group
of desert-adapted lions in the wild.
I had seen these rare lions myself that
afternoon on my return from Mwe Bay,
a group of four males and two females
lounging in a patch of grass. They are all
descended from a single female, the late
Queen of the Desert (she died in May
this year), or XPL-10, as she is known
scientically to Stander.
Bearded, barefoot, looking fairly
Robinson Crusoe himself, Stander has
tracked XPL-10 and her ancestors and
descendants for 30 years. He lives rough
in a specially converted truck festooned
with radio aerials. He opens a side
compartment to show me an enormous
set of speakers he uses to call lions,
playing back courtship and other types
of roars from MP3 les.
These lions are uniquely adapted, not
just to desert living, but also to living
on the coast, says Stander. In the early
1980s, there were lots of them and they
used to go down to the sea regularly. Then
they were nearly wiped out, coming into
conict with local farmers and hunters. I
was convinced they had become extinct,
but then in the 1990s I found that a small
number had survived. . . and this lion,
XPL-10, she was the key, more or less
repopulating the whole area.
He is convinced tourism has been
the main reason for the survival of the
Namibian desert lion. They were being
Clockwise from this picture: desert

lions; Hoanib Skeleton Coast
Camp; sunrise over the desert; a
seating area at the Haonib camp
The Kunene River near

Serra Cafema Camp
MAP: RUSSELL COBB
killed every which way poison, gin traps,

shooting because they were clashing with
peoples livelihoods, he says. It was only
when tourism put a greater value on the
land than farming that real conservation
strategies could be developed.
Living off individual donations, Stander
seems to me a heroic gure, someone
who has given his life to the study of this
group of desert lions in the hope that
their resurgence continues. He says
collaboration is crucial, even with the
professional hunters who run game farms
like Helmut Halenke used to. Trophy
hunting exists in Namibia. You may not
like it, but it does, and the game farmers
too have their role to play in the
conservation of this unique species.
The following morning, I ask Lawrence
to take me on a tour of the camps
technical facilities. Its all solar power
here, he tells me. There is a generator
but we only turn it on to check the bladdy
thing still works. I spot two black plastic
dustbins on top of a shipping container.
The lids of the bins are weighted
down with rocks.
What are those? I ask.
Ach man, those are the remains of
XPL-10. When she died, Flip brought in
her corpse in his truck. Were rotting her
down so we can put her skeleton in the
lobby. Smells pretty bad, doesnt she?
Its an eerie feeling, looking up at the
bins; their presence emphasises the fragile
boundary between life and death in this
unforgiving terrain.
The next day I take a two-hour ight
north to another Wilderness camp, Serra
Cafema. Its on the banks of the Kunene
River, one of only two permanently
owing estuaries in Namibia. Here there
are vast dunes of yellow sand. Coming
round the edge of one, on the way from
the airstrip, its a shock suddenly to see the
green waters of the Kunene. They ow
down from the rainforests of central
Angola, and the river itself acts as the
border between the two countries.
Serra Cafema is a delight, a real place of
rest. Its pontoon deck, stretching out over
the river, is a good spot to enjoy a gin and
tonic. Decorated in classic Hemingway
style, it reminds me of Grumeti Tented
Camp in the Serengeti, where once I saw
the name of Paul Allen, co-founder of
Microsoft, in the guestbook. So I am
tickled to discover that Allen has been
twice to Serra Cafema, booking out the
whole camp for his family and friends.
I take a small motorboat out onto the
Kunene and try a little shing, until I get
spooked by the extremely large crocodiles

lounging on the banks. Im within a few
yards of one of these huge individuals,
apparently asleep, when it shoots into
the water beneath the boat. I nearly fall
in with fright as the guide guns the
engine. We soon nd ourselves on the
other side of river, banging into the
bank, nudging Angola.
The following morning I visit an
encampment of the local Himba people,
one of the last true nomadic tribes on
earth. They fork out a bare existence in
domed, dung-covered huts in the desert.
The only sign of richness in their life is
the way the women cover their bodies
with red earth, and plait their hair in
elaborate arrangements of leather, mud
and the tufts of oryx tails.
That afternoon, I ride a quad bike
through the dunes. I never thought it
would be my thing, speeding up over the
sand like this, but its exhilarating. I

continue till nightfall, coming back down
in darkness to the warm yellow lights of
Serra Cafema, a happy refuge that I, too,
hope to return to one day. Its not just
Germans on the run from the British,
and desert lions on the run from humans
in general, that this strange, spartan
landscape can give shelter to.
GETTING THERE
Africa Travel (+44 20 7843 3500;
www.africatravel.co.uk) offers a sevennight Namibian safari from 4,385 per
person, including return British Airways
ights to Windhoek, one night full-board
at Villa Violet, three nights at both the
Hoanib Skeleton Coast and Serra Cafema
camps, with all meals, drinks and selected
activities, and transfers
89
The shing village of Reine, on

Moskenesya in the Lofoten Islands
90
ROCKING IN
THE ISLES
ARTISTS ARE SHAKING UP NORWAYS COD-AND-KNITWEAR IMAGE IN THE LOFOTEN

ARCHIPELAGO, BUT THERE ARE STILL COSY CABINS TO HOLE UP IN AND PLATTERS
OF SEAFOOD FOR SUPPER. BY SOPHIE CAMPBELL. PHOTOGRAPHS BY YADID LEVY
f you are a cod, these are the killing elds. Bunches of

drying sh twist in the wind on birch frames the size
of Dutch barns, and chunky working boats bristle with
radar, net winches and sh-nding gear. If you are an
artist, this is a land of light, clear and simple, which is
why so many have made their way here in the past century
and a half. If you are a visitor, this is where mountains shoot
out of the sea like ns, their reections diving to unfathomable
depths in the fjords, and sweet little wooden houses cluster in
shades of lemon and dove and brick and sky. But you mustnt
look too hard in case you y off roads raised to let meltwater
ow away and edged only with imsy red poles.
The Lofoten Islands barely qualify as an archipelago. They
are more like a vestigial tail off the coast of Norway, 100km
above the Arctic Circle and 230km south of Troms, connected
to the mainland by a bridge about a kilometre long. More
bridges swoop between the seven main islands, and around
them skitter innumerable rocks and skerries.
Fish is everywhere. It glints through the history and swims
through the art. Its the backbone off which everything hangs,
because these islands happen to be perfect not too cold, not
too warm, with a steady wind for the production of stocksh,
a dried cod with a designation as prized as any Champagne or
jamn ibrico and more than 20 grades of quality. The Vikings
exported it across the known world. They still do: bodies to
southern Europe, heads to Nigeria; eggs go to make Lofoten
kaviar, and nibbly bits are sold from sweetie jars in the shops.
I visited NNKS, or Nordnorsk Kunstnersenter, an artists
cooperative in Svolvr, the de facto capital that is not even a
city. On its vast white walls swam a circle of silver sh, chasing
each other for eternity, and in a trellis of thick felt nestled a
dozen sea urchins, as fragile as eggs. Cod? I said, ngering
a sh-skin purse. A shake of the head. Salmon.
My hotel room was a rorbu, or rowing cabin, a survivor from
the days when square-sailed, straight-prowed boats rowed out
to sea in search of the wind. There are hundreds of these huts
in Lofoten. They are stilted so that boats could tie up below;
shermen would climb up and sleep head-to-toe in bunks. Today
they are cosy holiday cabins with gingham curtains and hurricane
lamps. Mine had a terrace overlooking the harbour.
I got chatting to the guy behind the counter at the old general
store on Svinya, an islet off Svolvr. The store has been left as
it was when it supplied everything from leather boots and sh
hooks in 16 sizes to tobacco tins and pictures of King Haakon VII.
A hand symbol points archly at the price in kroner and re, rung
up on an ornate nickel till. Now its owners organise ski-touring,
hikes and Northern Lights nights and run a ne restaurant next
door called Brsen Spiseri.
Cutting cods tongues is what lots of kids here do for a
holiday job, said the man at the counter. Some of them make
3,000 a week. Fried cods tongues are a delicacy, he added,
noticing my appalled expression.
Youve got to try these things. I stayed, only to nd that the
French chef eschewed tongue fritters in favour of a delicately
gamey carpaccio of smoked whale just a hint of moccasin
Right, from top: homemade bread, goats cheese and sausages at Lofoten
Grdsysteri farm on Vestvgya; an organ in one of the cabins at Unstad
Arctic Surf camp. Opposite, the old general store on the islet of Svinya
93
stuffed with nuts and horseradish, stocksh with saffron aioli

and Arctic char llet with the squeakiest of leeks, ending on
a ourish of vanilla-and-cloudberry parfait.
Shouts of laughter from rosy Norwegians bounced off the
walls as I sipped my 10 beer, thinking about the next days
route. Svolvr is on the island of Austvgya, and my destination
was four islands away, 120km west on Moskenesya, home to the
villages of Reine and (pronounced or). This is, literally, the
end of the road: then you need a boat to cross the twice-daily
sinister swirl of tides known as the Maelstrom.
The next morning, at KaviarFactory, an icing-white box of an
art gallery by the sea at Henningsvr, 20 minutes down the coast,
Venke Hoff nodded when I told her I had nearly crashed the
car because the approach was so beautiful. Its just been made
a national scenic route, she said. We came here rst because
the lighthouse was for sale we bought it off the internet. Then
we got here and thought, this is incredible!
Hoff and her husband have been collectors for 30 years. They
lend their lighthouse for informal artists residencies the
Spanish Turner Prize nominee Angela de la Cruz stayed a couple
of years ago and they opened the disused factory nearby as
a gallery in 2013. They had a little help from their friends: the
German artist Michael Sailstorfer turned the gallery sign into a
conceptual piece, with letters missing like teeth; Bjarne Melgaard
(they say hes our most talented artist since Munch) designed
a trail of more than 30 sculptures across the islands, including

works by Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley. It seemed tting;
artists started coming here in the 1860s, pulled by the islands
empty beauty, and theyve been coming ever since.
As I drove, the scenery spooled past the window: the grassy
plains of Vestvgya, houses on concrete feet like mushrooms,
an eccentric gallery and caf that looked as though Robinson
Crusoe had engaged an architect to build a driftwood palace
gazing out to sea. One island down, surfers in 8mm wetsuits rode
the cold, green, curling waves at Flakstad, near a pretty red-andwhite church shut tight as a clam.
Someone in Svolvr had described Lofotens peaks as
spectacular, but lower than the Alps: imagine Chamonix under
2,000 metres of water. I remembered that at Reine, stopping
on the bridge to admire the village on its arm of land, fringed
with cabins and sh racks and ringed by jagged mountains,
black with rain and still snowy on top.
Ive never known a year with less snow or more sh, said
Michael Gylseth, the 36-year-old manager of Reine Rorbuer,
showing me into the cosiest cabin I had seen so far. It had a
blanket of tabby-coloured herringbone wool on the bed, grey
pine trunks for ceiling beams, a softly ticking wall clock and
a sturdy terrace overlooking the water.
Gylseth was born here: his grandfather was responsible for
painting all the houses on the neighbouring island of Sakrisya
MY HOSTS GRANDFATHER HAD PAINTED ALL THE HOUSES ON THE

NEIGHBOURING ISLAND ORANGE TO IMPRESS HIS FUTURE WIFE
the door handles, and the extreme artist Eskil Rnningsbakken
celebrated by balancing on top of the building. An opening cut
into the upper oor looks down on a machine set into a pool of
oil by the Paris-based Norwegian Per Barclay. The windows are
squares of pale amethyst sea, broken up by snouts of scaly rock.
Come and see my at, Hoff said gleefully, and we ascended
a ight of polished concrete stairs, each step with a pair of shoes
at one end, emerging into a home/work space full of crystalline
Lofoten light. She smiled and shook her head, as if not quite able
to believe her luck. Hoff directed me to a candle factory and
caf run by the candlemaker and her shing-skipper husband
packed with locals eating cinnamon buns and tourists buying
candles. Down by the harbour, a glass and ceramics studio glowed
in a former cod-liver-oil factory. In the deli up the road I cracked,
and bought a pot of tomato-red cod roe.
Make it myself, said the cheery owner, holding up what looked
like a pair of lungs. These are the roe sacs, and I mix the eggs
with salt and pepper and a little sugar. She said that Lofotens
long export history had brought ingredients and ideas back from
the Mediterranean. We used tomatoes and garlic long before the
rest of Norway, and weve always used spices, she told me. But
in winter I do traditional food, with power, because I feed a lot
of shermen. Otherwise, I mix it all up.
A little further down the road, a big grey box stood by the fjord.
When you got closer, it was a curved mirror facing the water: I
could see myself in triplicate, dwarfed by the landscape. Its by
the American artist Dan Graham and part of Artscape Nordland,
orange ochre being an imported pigment, more expensive than

the usual iron red in order to impress his future wife. It worked.
I had arrived early in the season, and the hotel restaurant was
not yet open. Gylseth had friends up from Oslo and asked me
to join them. We ate outside under eece blankets cauliower
soup, salt cod, a stocksh stew then retired to the restaurant
stove for cured lamb leg on the bone, each slice thinly rinded with
yellow fat. The talk ranged from Norwegian sweaters (everyone
but me was wearing the same one, like a homely cult) to the
musical Lofoten idiom that drops the ends off words, to why it is
perfectly OK to call someone, though possibly not your granny,
a hstkuk or horses dick, whereas helping yourself to other
peoples cloudberries is not OK at all.
I went to , but it was too early and made me sad: its a
museum village, probably great in summer, but as I wandered
past empty cod-liver-oil cauldrons and terns nesting above
the doors of the old sh factory, and watched a video in the
bakery to a soundtrack of Boney M singing Marys Boy Child,
I decided it was time to move on.
Far better to climb onto the fjord boat that chugs about
delivering post and supplies to remote hamlets on the waters edge.
At one of them, an islander told us about an elderly woman who
lives there and never leaves. Ever. She has never been ill. Her
provisions come by boat. The other passengers exclaimed and
wondered what kept her there, what sort of life she led, and why.
I dont know. If I wasnt such a townie, it wouldnt seem
that crazy to me.
Opposite, clockwise from top left: fruit and ice cream at Gammelbua, the restaurant at the Reine Rorbuer hotel on Moskenesya; Jrme Douay,
the French chef at Brsen Spiseri restaurant on Svinya; a bowl of sh soup at Gammelbua; a waterside shermans cabin reinvented as a hotel
room at Reine Rorbuer. Following page, a view of the harbour from one of the cabins at Reine Rorbuer
95
SOMEONE TOLD ME THE PEAKS HERE ARE SPECTACULAR BUT LOWER

THAN THE ALPS, LIKE CHAMONIX UNDER 2,000 METRES OF WATER
EATING & DRINKING

Kjkkenet
The restaurant at Anker Brygge hotel is in
Svolvrs old harbour office, a big timber
building with a large bar. The menu is full of
game and sh (yup, time to try fried cods
tongues), the waitresses wear black dresses and
white aprons and theres a stove in the middle
of the room. Lamholmen, Svolvr (+47 7606
6480; www.anker-brygge.no). About 110 for two
Brsen Spiseri
Another timber building with embroidered
curtains and vintage farm implements on the
walls, but the food is sophisticated and the
French chef has taken many Nordland staples
and turned them into little works of art try the
stocksh salad with quinoa and citrus. Gunnar
Bergs vei 2, Svolvr (+ 47 7606 9930; svinoya.
no/en/restaurant). About 110 for two
Henningsvr Lysstperi og Caf
Pl Pettersen and Line Jensens candle factory
and caf is packed with locals of all ages eating
the excellent cinnamon buns. Wherever you are
in the islands, specify your coffee cappuccino,
espresso or youll be directed to a thermos of
the weak stuff. Gammelveien 2, Henningsvr
(+47 9055 1877; www.henningsvarlys.no)
Fiskekrogen
Chef Johan Petrini cooks traditional Lofoten
food sh soup, baked cod, braised leg of
reindeer with a light, contemporary touch.
Dreyers gate 29, Henningsvr (+47 9941 7900;
www.skekrogen.no). About 90 for two
Gammelbua
Yes, its timber, yes, it has a cosy stove, and
yes, the food is traditional country style,
using whatever sh has been caught and
seasonal delicacies such as reindeer and cured
lamb. The wonderful terrace overlooks the
harbour and surrounding cabins. Reine Rorbuer
(+47 7609 2222; www.reinerorbuer.no).
About 85 for two
Hamny Mat og Vinbu
This convivial, family-run wine bar in Reine
serves as the local pub and is a great place
to meet islanders and have a chat about
sh prices and bridge-building. Hamny,
Reine (+47 7609 2145)
GREAT GALLERIES
MAP: NEIL GOWER
Nordnorsk Kunstnersenter
A huge, airy building that stocks ne art and
crafts by local artists. Its really well curated, with
plenty of space and light for the work. Torget 20,
Svolvr (+47 4008 9595; www.nnks.no)
Galleri Dagnn Bakke
Owned by Dagnn Bakke, a Lofoten artist and
printmaker whose work is witty and bold, and
run by his journalist son. Richard Withs gate 4
(+47 7607 1998; www.dagnnbakke.no)
KaviarFactory
Truly a white cube, set in a glorious, scoured
landscape. Owner Venke Hoff organises
an ambitious programme of shows featuring
international as well as Norwegian artists.
Henningsvrveien 13, Henningsvr (+47 9073
4743; www.kaviarfactory.no)
Engelskmannbrygga Glass Studio
Formerly a cod-liver-oil business run by
an Englishman hence the name this
workshop/gallery is owned by a photographer
and a ceramist, with two young artists in
residence, both currently working in glass.
Dreyers gate 1, Henningsvr (+47 7607 5285;
www.engelskmannsbrygga.no)
THINGS TO DO
Go back to the 19th century
The Lofoten Museum is a charming collection
of buildings from the 1800s including the
big house owned by the local nobs on the
site of the oldest settlement in the archipelago
at Kabelvg. There is also a caf and art
gallery. Storvganveien, Kabelvg (+47 7606
9790; www.lofotmuseet.no)
Visit an organic farm
Lofoten Grdsysteri is Hugo and Marielle
Vinks lovely goat farm at Bstad on Vestvgya
(near a great surf beach), with cheese-making
lessons and an expanded caf selling yummy
salads and dairy-based dishes. The sweet
goats spend all summer up on the mountain.
Unstadveien 235, Bstad (+47 7608 9631;
www.lofoten-gardsysteri.no)
Meet the Vikings

Lofotr Vikingmuseum towers over the road
like a vast, upturned boat. Its funny, and
refreshing, to see the horned invaders from a
domestic angle for once. Prestegrdsveien 59,
Bstad (+47 7608 4900; www.lofotr.no)
Catch the fjord boat
A great way to visit tiny fjordside hamlets. The
boat departs from Reine, and a one-hour round
trip costs about 12. www.reinefjorden.no
Be adventurous
Reineadventure is run by Sandro della Mea,
who organises hiking, climbing and ski-touring.
Aqua Lofoten Coast Adventure focuses on
Arctic diving, snorkelling and boat trips across
the Maelstrom and to see the archipelagos
extraordinary Stone Age cave art. www.
reineadventure.com; www.aqualofoten.no
GETTING THERE
Sophie Campbell went to the Lofoten Islands
with Discover the World (+44 1737 214291;
www.discover-the-world.co.uk), which
offers tailor-made holidays to the archipelago
and throughout Scandinavia. A seven-night
self-drive trip costs from 1,217 per person
(based on two sharing), including three nights
at Reine Rorbuer, two nights at Anker Brygge
in Svolvr and two nights in Vesterlen, plus
car hire and return ights from Heathrow to
Harstad/Narvik (Evenes) via Oslo. Departures
MaySeptember. For further information
on Norway and the Lofoten Islands, go to
www.visitnorway.co.uk and www.lofoten.info.
97
LOOK SMART
RENTING AN APARTMENT IN
ROOM SERVICE AND A BELL BOY FOR CONSIDERABLY MORE SPACE AND A KITCHEN TO WHIP UP AS
PAINT AND DUBIOUS LEVELS OF CLEANLINESS. IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THINGS HAVE MOVED UP A
COOL LOCAL DIGS, THOUGH YOU STILL HAVE TO PUT IN THE EFFORT TO SEPARATE THE DUSTY GARRETS
CHARMS WITH ITS HOSPITAL-CORNER STARCHED SHEETS AND HOUSEKEEPER SERVICE, AND KID & COE
FOR BORROWING SOMEONE ELSES PLACE HAS INSPIRED A NEW GRADE OF INDEPENDENT WEEKEND
98
PHOTOGRAPH: FREDERIK VERCRUYSSE
From left: Campo Grande apartment in Baixa House, Lisbon; a

staircase in Shelter 7, Ghent. Opposite from left: Gulbenkian
apartment, Baixa House; a light in the lobby of Linnen, Berlin
EUROPE USED TO BE A GAMBLE. TRAVELLERS TRADED IN HOTEL HAND-HOLDING 24-HOUR

MANY LATE-NIGHT SNACKS AS THEY LIKED, BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO BE PREPARED FOR PEELING
GEAR. HOUSE SWAPPING HAS BECOME A SIGNIFICANT PHENOMENON. AIRBNB IS THE BYWORD FOR
FROM THE SLICK PENTHOUSES. ONE FINE STAY, OPERATING IN THE WORLDS MOST STYLISH CITIES,
HAS POPPED UP WITH SIMILARLY GREAT HIGH-END BOLTHOLES FOR FAMILIES. NOW THIS CRAZE
PADS WITH THEIR OWN FRONT-DOOR KEYS. FOR AN INSIDE TRACK, HERES OUR PICK OF THE BEST
100
PHOTOGRAPHS: COTE SUD/HENRI DEL OLMO/BASSET IMAGES
BAIXA HOUSE
LISBON, PORTUGAL
Jess Moraime, Baixa Houses owner, and manager Mara Ulecia may be Spanish but they have both fallen in
love with Lisbon and are committed to sourcing all sorts of Portuguese products for the interiors of these 13
crashpads, from the linen sheets to the wonderful Alvarez Gmez shower gels (stock up while youre here or
buy them from Cologne and Cotton in the UK). The whole place is done with incredible taste and eclectic
styling; its full of market nds, with pottery plates on the walls, bedside lights set on stepladders and ashes of
colour against the painted white backdrop. The look is a fresh take on mid-century modern, with Ercol-esque
furniture alongside Seventies standing lamps, and G-Plan sideboards paired with canvas buttery and wicker
Acapulco chairs. Retro record covers are framed on the walls beside pretty botanical prints. Kitchens are
stocked with gorgeous green cabbage-leaf-patterned espresso cups and cereal bowls, proper coffee machines
with freshly ground beans in a jar, daily deliveries of fruit, milk, yogurts and a cake for tea time. Just-baked bread
(seeded and sourdough) arrives still warm in a muslin sack thats hung on the door handle at the crack of dawn
each morning. Everything here is thoughtfully done and couldnt be further from a cookie-cutter sensibility.
Rooms are often let long-term to artists, writers and poets, and theres a feeling of being in a creative hub. But
thats not to say this place isnt smart, too the cool marble bathroom oors are warmed with underoor heating.
One-bedroom apartment (sleeps two) from about 120 per night (two-night minimum stay).
+351 91 909 0895; www.baixahouse.com
GHENT, BELGIUM
Directions take you to the Blanco bike shop, tucked down a side street of lovely boutiques. But it is
the right address; the entrance to this apartment is actually through the store (you can stop to run
your hands over the range of high-spec bicycles in ice-cream colours later) and into what seems like a
cupboard. At the top of the sharply twisting stairs is a marvel of rendered concrete and dappled light.
Conjured up by architect Raymond Jacquemyns over three storeys as a creative refuge, its like stepping
into a sophisticated, minimalist Narnia. The living space is muted in tone, with splashes of colour provided
by bright-yellow dining chairs and artfully placed piles of design magazines. Theres a tiny black-granite
galley kitchen (with room for one and one only) but the spatial emphasis is denitely more on form than
function. On the second oor is the shower room, another narrow sliver, and a further chill-out area. Kick
back on the bamboo lounger and gaze up into the amazing domed light that echoes the swirl of the spiral
staircase, or step out onto the wisteria-covered roof terrace (a splash of green in the monochrome scheme)
and peep into the windows of the neighbouring houses. A wafer-thin zigzag of metal steps leads to the
light-lled loft bedroom with its great rooftop view across to Ghents medieval belfry. If you want luxurious big
bathrooms and trouser presses then this is not the spot for you, but for a slice of slick living, its quite the
experience. And if you take a shine to anything youve been sitting on, the good news is all the furniture is for sale.
Sleeps two, from about 90 per night (two-night minimum stay). +32 498 856239; www.shelter7.be
102
PHOTOGRAPHS: CHARLOTTE TOLLHURST; FREDERIK VERCRUYSSE
SHELTER 7
MOLINO
DEL CARMEN
GAUCIN, SPAIN
This is the sort of place where your coffee goes

cold as you stare out the window, mesmerised by
the view. On a clear day here, high up in the peaks
of Andaluca on the western edge of Gaucn, the
town that was the setting for the opera Carmen, you
can see the Rif mountains of North Africa. The
seven apartments are part of a gloriously converted
olive mill, dug right into the hillside. One, Lillias
Pastia, is built deep in the rock but with the clever
use of skylights at the front and double-height
windows looking onto the private terrace, you
would have to be reminded that it is technically
subterranean. The property was reimagined as a
boutique hotel in the 1980s and then split into
apartments in 2000. Five years ago, the current
owners fully renovated it, adding a library and
updating the rooms. All the apartments are cheery,
with beamed ceilings, whitewashed walls and bright
splashes of colour from the traditional patterned
tiles in the kitchens, bathrooms and on the
staircases. The largest and loveliest, Casa Carmen,
contains some fantastic details: the outside table is
an upturned mill stone and the oil lters are now
used as place mats. In the corner stands one of
the 10-foot presses and, down by the swimming
pool, clay olive-oil urns have taken a new turn as
owerpots for palms and citrus trees. And Casa
Carmens terrace, its white arches an entanglement
of lilac wisteria, has the most charming seating area,
piled high with kilim-covered cushions that wouldnt
look out of place in a riad across the straits.
Casa Carmen (sleeps six) from about 620 per week.
+34 627 229870; www.molinodelcarmen.com
GIRONA, SPAIN
Anna Noguera must be a master at puzzles. The architect and her husband Juan transformed a 16thcentury house, shifting the position of the windows, moving a medieval door and unearthing a Roman
wall. Now Alemanys 5, in the upper reaches of Gironas old town, is split into two apartments.
El Jard, the smaller one, has cleverly designed rooms that feel open plan: a wide living space with a slim,
slate-grey kitchen concealed behind a screen, and across the hallway two stark bedrooms either side
of a similarly stark bathroom. There are oak oors and enormous Corten steel doors, and the original stone
walls inside and out are the colour of Manchego. Only the sitting room feels properly lived in, with
stacks of well-thumbed architecture and cycling magazines, old Disney lms, and plates and wine glasses
displayed on shelves; stand on tiptoes to nd a collection of rusty objects that were uncovered during the
renovation. Its historic yet incredibly complementary. The towels are the same shade as the espresso-andBaileys ice cream you can scoff at the parlour owned by Jordi Roca (of El Celler de Can Roca) down by the
River Onyar. Anna, Juan and their two children still make El Badiu, the three-bedroom residence above
(which can also be rented), their home on some weekends. From El Badius veranda, there are views down
to the garden and plunge pool and out to the citys Tetris-like streets. On weekdays, Plaa Sant Domnec,
down the sloping road, buzzes with the chatter of philosophy students from the campus opposite. At
dusk, though, the only sound is the chime of the bells from the colossal cathedral.
El Jard (sleeps four) from about 200 per night (two-night minimum stay). +34 649 885136; www.alemanys5.com
104
PHOTOGRAPHS: ENRIC DUCH
ALEMANYS 5
LA RESERVE
PARIS, FRANCE
The rooms by chic hotel group La Rserve are restrained and un-Parisian works of grey-on-grey urban
modernism. But this grown-up palette bets the grand address on the Place du Trocadro and the focus is on
providing palace-hotel levels of style and service, with more space than even the biggest hotel suite, all at a
signicantly cheaper rate. When there are more than a couple of you, it becomes an eminently savvy option.
Apartment two on the ground oor is enormous, stretching over three levels; it has ornate wrought-iron doors
and a private paved garden with views of the ashing Eiffel Tower. Apartment 10, up in the eaves of the building,
has a tiny decked terrace just big enough for two chairs from which to take in the skyline. All are fantastically
comfortable as well as conservatively elegant, with sculptural works of art dotted around contemporary pieces
of furniture. There are wooden oors throughout, expanses of limestone in the vast bathrooms and La Rserves
signature smoky fragrance in the bath potions and candles. The fridge is stocked with soft drinks, eggs and milk;
there are bowls of oranges and whizzy electric juicers, you can order lunch or supper in from nearby bistros,
and baskets of pains au chocolat are delivered in the morning. Housekeepers silently whisk away breakfast
remnants, glasses get washed up and put back in cupboards and bedrooms are turned down at night. But if you
need more love and attention than that, the new La Rserve Paris hotel is opening imminently down the road.
Two-bedroom Eiffel apartment (sleeps four) from about 1,440 per night. +33 1 53 70 53 70; www.lareserve-paris.com
DESTINATIONBCN
BARCELONA, SPAIN
Theres a crucial difference between Airbnb and this more formal set-up:
instead of relics of a strangers day-to-day existence, their half empty
Nescaf jar and mismatched side plates, these smart apartments in the
heart of Barcelona are stocked with coffee machines and perfect porcelain.
You also get Agape Spoon free-standing baths, rainforest showers, crisp
Egyptian-cotton sheets and even a pillow menu. And the attention to
detail sings through: a fruit bowl overspilling with ripe peaches from La
Boqueria market, fresh milk and chocolates in the fridge, a decent selection
of wine and useful guidebooks. Choose from 11 ats in the Art Nouveau
building near Plaa Catalunya; each one is individually styled and most have
large terracotta-tiled terraces. Cots, roll-out beds and highchairs can be
added and the well-equipped kitchens mean theyre great for families.
One-bedroom apartment (sleeps two) from about 125 per night (minimum
two-night stay). +34 935 141950; www.destinationbcn.com
NO 46 PRAGUE
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
Up a ight of stone steps, through a pair of heavy wooden doors, is this elegantly faded, eclectically furnished
set of rooms, the patina of its centuries-old woodwork and window frames spruced up with a lick of Vert de
Terre. Beautifully restored by Irish husband and wife James and Joanna Fennell (hes a photographer, shes a
designer), the space in Vinohrady has been lled with nds from local antique shops, throwing different cultures
together seamlessly. Slim-legged French armchairs sit on colourful, faded Indian rugs in the sitting room; a
carved wooden mirror overlooks the simple Scandi kitchen, with its dark ebony surfaces and burnt-terracotta
walls. But its also cosy: oak oors creak comfortingly as you pad about in the morning; delicate clouds of dried
elderower stand in heavy-bottomed ceramic vases, anked by table lamps that cast a cheery glow from
beneath rust-coloured linen shades. The two bedrooms are big, with beds twice as wide as they are long,
cupboards are stocked with thick dressing gowns and the bathroom is slick and black-slate-tiled, with LOccitane
products by the sink. There are drawers of spare scarves in case the temperature drops and blankets are found
squirrelled away in baskets in the hallway for impromptu picnicking in the Riegrovy Sady beer garden. In the
fridge theres a wrap of butter, pots of raspberry jam and milk in glass bottles, so you dont have to dash out for
breakfast on the rst morning. Best of all is the little black book, a compilation of the couples neighbourhood
secrets, including where to go for a boozy brunch (they rate Caf Savoy), places to dance and the best delis.
Sleeps four, from about 175 per night. +353 862 631485; www.no46prague.com
106
LINNEN BERLIN, GERMANY

Three-bedroom Cuba apartment sits alongside Linnens other four guesthouse rooms in a renovated old
building in Prenzlauer Berg, a genteely hip quarter in former East Berlin (a bit like Londons Stoke Newington).
High on period details, it has wooden banisters,tall double doors, beautifully renished parquet oors
and vast curtain-draped windows that look out on to the street, plus a balcony for when the weather is ne.
The apartment is kitted out with a considered selection of vintage and modern pieces, including framed retro
posters, reclaimed furniture, custom-made Portuguese cotton sheets and a deep tub in the bathroom (quite
a boon in Berlin). A short walk away in the Mitte district, there are three further apartments to rent also run
by the Linnen gang: two studios with views of Krausnick Park and another three-bedroom bolthole. But its
here that you get access to the added extras. Linnen might describe its service as modest but that doesnt
mean theres a lack of creature comforts; you just have to follow your nose. Past the reception theres a bright
and breezy caf that opens at 8am for organic teas and freshly baked breads and pastries. And beyond the
front door are plenty of independent shops, funky restaurants and a great weekend ea market. If you dont
know where to begin, just ask the owners Antonio Ferreira and Bodo Schmalenberg, wholl give you an
annotated map of the neighbourhood and plenty of juicy recommendations.
Cuba apartment (sleeps six) from about 110 per night (minimum two-night stay). +49 30 4737 2440;
www.linnenberlin.com
RIVA LOFTS
FLORENCE, ITALY
Sitting by the swimming pool sipping Aperol

Spritz, watching reies dancing on the
water and hearing the occasional hoot from
an owl, you could be anywhere deep in the
Tuscan countryside, but in fact its just a
20-minute stroll or six-minute tram ride
to the hubbub of central Florence. The lofts
are the creation of architect Claudio Nardi
who converted a ramshackle collection of
artisan workshops right beside the River
Arno. Ceilings are high, windows are huge
and the industrial-chic aesthetic is a nod
to the buildings heritage, with exposed
red-brick walls and wide plank oorboards
softened with age. Polished concrete space
dividers and slate showers bring it all up to
date. If you arrive late, youll be left keypad
instructions to let yourself in and theres
an honesty bar to quench post-ight
thirst. Each loft has its own kitchen but the
owners also provide a list of the best
neighbourhood restaurants, as well as a
dozen places nearby that will deliver. Theres
a rack of help-yourself bicycles available so
you can explore the city, but if you dont
fancy weaving between the erratic Italian
traffic then take them for a spin in the
enormous park just across the river.
Standard studio (sleeps two) from about 180 per
night. +39 055 7130272; www.rivalofts.com
108
PHOTOGRAPHS: ALBERT FONT; HANS ZEEGERS
DAR CILLA TARIFA, SPAIN

This place is a much-loved collection of rooms popular with repeat visitors. Theres nothing grand
here, the vibe is bohemian with Moorish styling and mismatched furniture. It feels completely
low-key and laidback and the views from the enchanting roof terrace are stunning, especially at night
when you have an oversized gin and tonic in hand and candle-lit metal lanterns and the lights from Tangier
are twinkling. The eight apartments are set around a cool interior courtyard and when the doors
and windows are ung open, soft light and the warm, salty breeze (Tarifa is all about the windsurng) rush in.
Iron day-beds are packed with cushions for siestas and the two-hob cookers in the kitchens are more than
sufficient for rustling up spaghetti vongole with fresh clams from the small Saturday-morning sh market.
Manager Martina de Rijke and owner Zo Ouwehand-Reid are both on hand and full of insider tips on
the town, directing you down the narrow streets within the old city walls to the best tapas bars and most
interesting boutique shops. Theyll also steer beach-goers towards Playa Chica. Its where the locals hang out,
because its sheltered and great for swimming. If you venture elsewhere along the coast, ask to borrow one
of the windbreaks that they store on the roof terrace so as not to clutter up the rooms.
One-bedroom apartment (sleeps two) from about 80 per night. +34 653 467025; www.darcilla.com
CONTRIBUTORS: Jean Edelstein, Paula Ellis, Hazel Lubbock, Caroline Metcalfe, Issy von Simson, Francesca White, Pete Winterbottom
riad between
the lines
ON THE SURFACE, FEZ SEEMS TO EMBODY MOROCCOS PAST,

WITH ITS NINTH-CENTURY MOSQUES AND CAR-FREE STREETS.
BUT BEHIND THE SHUTTERS, EXCITING CHANGES ARE TAKING
PLACE. BY ANTHONY SATTIN. PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEN KOCHEY
110
Opposite, Le Jardin des Biehn. This page,

clockwise from top left: a tagine of lamb
meatballs and eggs at The Ruined
Garden; a room at Le Jardin des Biehn;
mezze at The Ruined Garden; Riad Fs
he oud player had been

strumming for almost an hour
in the cool, modernist dining
room of the Riad Fs before I
noticed what he was doing. My
slowness might have been due
to the barley soup, quail pastry,
lamb shank and other delicious
dishes that had emerged from
the kitchen. I might have blamed
it on the deceptive character of
gris, a wine as pale as water but
packing a punch. It might even have been
exhaustion after a long day in the souk
and the hammam. Whatever the reason,
I was only half listening as the man
in the cream djellaba plucked his lute.
I thought he was simply strumming
the same strings, caught in his groove.
Then I realised that with every riff, he
changed the tune, his music winding its
way hypnotically through the evening.
The medina of Fez, like the music
of the oud, is all about repetitions, with
progress achieved through a gentle
shifting of pattern, a fresh combination,
a new note. Fez is still the most intact,
least modernised medina in the Arab
world and one of the largest car-free urban

spaces on the planet, but its changing.
Sixty years ago, the writer Paul Bowles
met people here who had never seen a car.
Thats not to say there were no cars in
Fez, but they were in the Ville Nouvelle,
the new town that sits above the ancient
city, and those people had made it a point
of honour not to walk out of the gates
to see the newfangled contraptions. Such
determination has shaped Fez, making
it one of the last bastions of the medieval
world. In many of Europes best-preserved
cities, such as Bruges, the past has become
a commodity to be kept alive and sold
to tourists. In Fez, it has survived because
that is just the way the locals want it;
foreigners are still a tiny minority. But in
spite of all this, changes are happening
slowly and these are making it a
more fun place to visit.
Dont let the imperial city label put
you off; Fez may be all about history and
tradition, but you neednt feel obliged to
see the sights, for the simple reason that
there arent many to see. Its oldest and
most impressive building, the Kairaouine
Mosque, which sits at the bottom of
the valley, is grand, impressive and both

architecturally and culturally signicant.
It dates back to the citys founding in the
ninth century, is the second largest mosque
in Morocco and forms part of what is said
to be one of the worlds oldest surviving
universities. But it is open only to Muslims;
the rest of us must content ourselves with
gazing through its great doors. Freed from
obligation, I prepared to do what people
have been doing in Fez for hundreds of
years: stroll down the hill into the centre
and engage with the living past.
Over breakfast on the roof terrace
of Riad Laaroussa, a 17th-century palace
with large, comfortable rooms and
extravagantly high ceilings, I could see
the extent of the medina. Beyond the city
walls, the green hills of the Middle Atlas
rose on either side of the valley. Beneath
me spread the patchwork of the medina:
the word labyrinth is overused, but it
applies here. The medina was begun in
the 800s, but much of what I was looking
at was laid out in the 13th and 14th
centuries, when Fez replaced Marrakech
as the Moroccan capital. It retained that
status until a hundred years ago, when it
Clockwise from top left: a bedroom at Scorpion House; the pool at Riad Fs; an open staircase and sitting area at Riad Laaroussa; Hotel Sahrai,
which opened this year in the Ville Nouvelle; Moroccan headwear at Le Jardin des Biehn; scallops at Restaurant Maison Blanche
112
114
THE RULE HERE, SAID HAMIDO, MY LOCAL GUIDE, IS NEVER TO TAKE

A STRAIGHT LINE WHEN THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE
was superseded by Rabat. Fez remained
the countrys spiritual centre.
Two streets lead down to the grand
mosque: the Talaa Kebira and the Talaa
Seghira (Big and Small Street). At rst
sight, they seemed the same: both steep
enough to roll me inexorably down
towards the mosque and the citys physical
and spiritual navel. The rule in Fez, said
Hamido, my diminutive, bespectacled local
guide, is never to take a straight line when
there is an alternative. So we zigzagged
along some of the medinas 9,500 lanes,
streets and alleys. I think we crossed Talaa
Kebira several times, but it might have
been another street altogether. Hamido
was heading for Fezs narrowest alley,
so narrow that the citys more corpulent
inhabitants cannot squeeze through; a
place where, as he put it, the walls can kiss
each other. Its narrowness was indeed
extraordinary. But more interesting was the
point it seemed to make, which the plain
exteriors of the buildings conrmed: what
happens in the streets is less important than
what happens inside the houses. Hamido led

me into a walled garden, along blue-andwhite tiled paths, between palms, pools and
vegetable patches, into Le Jardin des Biehn.
Before it was des Biehn, this little oasis
of restrained beauty was de Mokri, the
summer palace of one of Moroccos most
powerful families. It was taken over a
few years ago by Michel Biehn, a collector
and designer from the South of France.
Le Jardin is not only a garden but a relaxed
restaurant Fez Caf a shop and a
nine-room riad, with one of the most
sumptuous suites I have seen in Morocco.
These were the original rooms of Si Tayeb
el Mokri, former Minister of Finance and
then Pasha of Casablanca, and are now
embellished with Biehns collection of
Moroccan antiques and textiles. The shop,
by contrast, sells interesting new Fassi
work including textiles from Nina M
Galbert and funky leather bags by Alfred
Berlin. During our visit, we met Galbert
herself in the garden, and over tea she
explained how, as a Palestinian from San
Francisco, she came to settle in Fez. It was,

she said, because the city was true to its
identity. That same old tune. Now, though,
it is starting to change and she is part of
that process, mixing traditional weaving
techniques and patterns with innovative
effects, materials and colours. When Hamido
saw her work, he said, Thank you very
much, Nina. We need people like you to
come and show us something new.
As well as his vast knowledge of his city,
Hamido knows about song and, at the age
of 60, still sings in a band. I must have
looked doubtful about this for suddenly he
took my arm and launched into a Jacques
Brel song, Ne me quitte pas, as we headed
off to visit another foreigner ringing the
changes. Mike Richardson, former matre d
of The Wolseley and The Ivy in London,
moved to Fez about seven years ago, and his
restaurant, Cafe Clock, is a very pleasant
place to while away a lunch hour or two. It
serves Moroccan and international dishes,
with the camel burger not unlike a very
rich beef burger as its signature dish. But
Above, the interior and exterior of Riad Laaroussa. Opposite, clockwise from top left: a selection of Nina M Galberts textiles at Le Jardin des Biehn;
rolled sole llet with mashed squash at Fez Caf; Riad Laaroussas Grey Suite; stained glass at Riad Laaroussa
116
TO UNDERSTAND FEZ , YOU HAVE TO SEE THE RUINS OF VOLUBILIS,

THE ANCIENT CITY OUT OF WHICH IT WAS BORN
Cafe Clocks biggest point of difference is
that so much goes on here. The restaurant
hosts music performances, dance classes,
talks by writers and artists, cookery classes
and a hundred-and-one other fun events
for both locals and visitors. All this reects
Richardsons energy and enthusiasm for
the country: he has just opened a Cafe
Clock in Marrakech, and still nds time
to spend at Scorpion House, the place
he has bought in the village of Moulay
Idriss, a 90-minute drive from Fez.
There are three reasons to make this
drive, and Richardsons house is just one of
them. A more obvious reason is to see the
ruins of Volubilis. To understand Fez, you
have to see the ancient city out of which
it was born. Volubilis thrived under Roman
rule and grew rich trading the wealth of
the land in particular, olives (some of
its ancient presses are still in place). The
wonder of Volubilis, as of Fez, does not
rest in any one structure, but in the beauty
of the location, for this is one of the most
gorgeous Roman sites in North Africa. Go
in the morning, as I did, or late afternoon

when the soft light warms the ancient
stones into life again. Visit in spring and the
place is carpeted with marigolds and other
wild owers. Go in the summer and the
oleanders will be out. Whenever you visit,
allow enough time to walk the streets and
alleys, to sit in the courtyard houses and
to reassemble in your mind the many
parts of this extensive city. For this, youll
need to take a picnic, or head to nearby
Moulay Idriss for lunch.
The eighth-century moulay (or holy
man) Idris, a descendant of Muhammad,
arrived in Morocco hoping to escape
the vengeance of Harun al-Rashid, the
caliph of the Arabian Nights. Idris ruled
Volubilis until Haruns assassins caught up
with him. His son, Idris II, founded Fez,
while Idriss body was buried at the village
that now carries his name and remains
sacred, a centre of national pilgrimage.
All the more surprising, then, that Mike
Richardson should have set up house
here, at the top of the villages steep
slope. Scorpion House was going to be a

hotel or guesthouse, but is now a restaurant
by appointment. Though not grand,
Richardsons bolt-hole is full of quirky
objects from the region. It also has a very
good cook, who served up a feast of
imperial proportions, including lots of
salads, kofta made with the famed minced
beef of the village, vegetable pastries and,
for dessert, an orange-and-almond cake.
The house also has an extraordinary view
over the holy mans green-tiled sanctuary
and across the elds to Volubilis, with
storks gliding over the valley.
There was a power cut the night
I returned to Fez and re-entered the
medieval world, or at least that is how it
seemed: most of the shops were shuttered
and the streets gloomy, an appropriate
moment to visit The Ruined Garden. The
website describes the restaurants shift
from merchants house to ruin to rubbish
dump to garden to caf and spice garden
and cooking school. Its transformation
from a rubbish tip can be attributed to
Above, from left: the Bou Inania Medersa, part of the Kairaouine University dating back to the mid-14th century; tomato, avocado, pea and bean salad
with mint vinaigrette at The Ruined Garden. Opposite, lunch at Fez Caf in Le Jardin des Biehn
I FOUND A YOUNG MAN SELLING HONEY AND BOUGHT SO MUCH I HAD

TO BREAK MY VOW NOT TO PACK LEAKABLE OBJECTS IN MY SUITCASE
another Englishman, Robert Johnstone,
also formerly of The Wolseley and The Ivy.
Johnstones talents as a gardener, designer
and chef have helped to create a place
of humour, intelligence and passion. His
caf-restaurant serves some of the best food
in the city, a modern take on Moroccan
culinary traditions. He smokes his own
sh, serves a tagine of artichoke, chickpea
and saffron that could convince the most
committed carnivore to go vegetarian
(if only for an evening), adds beetroot
and olive oil to his Virgin Marys and salt
to his cheesecake, as well as many other
unexpected turns, all served with charm
but no formality. His hot, sweet and sour
Chicken Volubilis, inspired by the ancient
Roman writer Apicius and marinated
in celery and parsley seeds, sh sauce, red
grape juice and a handful of fresh mint,
deserves to be famous.
The following day, I made it to the
bottom of the hill. Not directly, of course,
because Hamido had taught me the value
of meandering. I stopped at the old citys
major sight, the 14th-century Bou Inania

Medersa or school, a beautiful composition
of tile, stone and cedar cut into owers
and stars and swirls that between them
still express something of the divine.
Further down, I walked past several
foundouks caravanserais that serve as
trading centres for various commodities.
From one, there was an exceptionally
good view of the tanneries, the pools that
look like cess pits, where men give animal
skins the characteristic softness of Fassi
leather. I found a young man and his old
father selling a range of honeys, including
a powerful euphorbia avour, and bought
so much I had to break my vow not to
pack leakable objects in my suitcase. And
when I reached the bottom of the Talaa
Kebira and arrived at the mosque with
its wooden bar across the alley, I turned
and climbed back up the Talaa Seghira.
That night, wanting to see something
of the Ville Nouvelle, I went for dinner
at Maison Blanche, the citys latest
lounge-restaurant: the owners of the
Riad Laaroussa, where I was staying, had

recommended it as somewhere they went
when they needed a change of scene. It
is a vast modernist place of grey-brown
stone and concrete, designed by Christophe
Pillet, whose work includes boutiques at
Harrods and hotels in St Tropez. Cocktails
in the lounge were followed by a dinner
of fresh foie gras and delicious seabass
with black rice, prepared by Parisian chef
Thierry Vaissire. The wine, like most
of the many guests, was Moroccan, the
music a mix of jazz and funk.
I had a good evening, but I felt some
of the surprise the people of Fez might
have felt 60 years ago when they nally
walked through the gate of the medina
and saw a car for the rst time. One day,
I suppose, all of Fez will dance to this
other, modern tune; the old-style kiosks
will have turned into hip boutiques, and
something of the heart and soul of the
place will have departed. For now, though,
Fez seems to be managing a very difcult
act, juggling the best of both worlds.
Above, from left: a sitting room at Le Jardin des Biehn; open-air lunch at The Ruined Garden; the rooftop daybed at Riad Laaroussa; an interior at
Le Jardin des Biehn, where rooms are decorated with the owners collection of Moroccan antiques and textiles
118
MAP: MARIKO JESSE
GETTING THERE
Boutique Souk (www.boutiquesouk.com)
organises trips to Fez from any airport in
Morocco. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) ies
direct to Fez twice weekly from Stansted.
British Airways (www.ba.com) and Royal
Air Maroc (www.royalairmaroc.com) y daily
from Heathrow and Gatwick to Casablanca,
a three-hour drive from Fez.
WHERE TO STAY
For extraordinarily high ceilings and working
replaces (necessary in winter), seek out the
ground-oor rooms at Riad Laaroussa (www.
riad-laaroussa.com; doubles from about 90).
Rooms at Le Jardin des Biehn (www.jardindes
biehn.com) start at about 105 with breakfast,
though the Pasha suite (about 380) is the
best. More hotel than riad, the Relais &
Chteaux-owned Riad Fs (www.riadfes.com;
doubles from about 120) is at the top of the
medina. Open since April, Hotel Sahrai (www.
hotelsahrai.com; doubles from about 120)
in the Ville Nouvelle has good views and a
Givenchy spa. For something more traditional,
try the 17th-century Riad Idrissy (www.
riadidrissy.com; doubles from about 80).
WHERE TO EAT
Many riads in the medina serve food to order,
but the best actual restaurant is The Ruined
Garden (www.ruinedgarden.com; main dishes
from about 5). Run by the owners of Riad

Idrissy, its perfect for a quiet lunch or a
laid-back romantic dinner. Up the hill near Bab
Bou Jeloud is Cafe Clock (www.cafeclock.
com; camel burger about 7), a breakfast-todinner place with occasional music and lms.
At Dar Roumana (www.darroumana.com),
Vincent Bonnin serves set menus based on
what he nds in the market (from about 20
per head). Scorpion House (www.scorpion
house.com) in Moulay Idriss is by appointment
only, and Restaurant Maison Blanche (www.

mbrestaurantlounge.com; set menus from
about 30) offers a blast of the modern.
WHERE TO SHOP
Fez is famous for its leatherwork and other
crafts. Nina M Galberts Artisan Project
(www.artisanprojectinc.com) offers a shopping
service, or head to the boutique at Le Jardin
de Biehn for Galberts products, the work of
Alfred Berlin and other Moroccan crafts.
A surfer on Guiones beach

in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
120
on a roll
away from the obvious hubbub, costa rica likes to keep things a little more low-key.
and with the latest wave of design hotels, it is doing just that. picking a juicy
fruit is easier than its ever been, says emma love. photographs by jenny zarins
Clockwise from this picture: on the

road in Bagaces; the colourful sushi
bar at Nayara Springs; the interior and
exterior of a bedroom at Rio Perdido;
surfboards in Santa Teresa; Carlota the
parrot at Nayara Springs; a patterned
cushion at Rio Perdido; a daybed at
Nayara Springs; The Bakery, Santa Teresa
wherever you go in costa rica, the locals talk about pura vida, the
good life: the beaches backed by mangroves and towering palm trees;
a landscape of lush rainforests, hot rivers and mineral springs. and then
theres what the clued-in crowd who follow the surfers get up to:
zip-wiring and white-water rafting through steep canyons; hiking along
cloud-ringed volcanoes; soaking up the yoga scene. here we sniff out
the loveliest jungle hideaways and cool new hotels
Papagayo peninsula
Life here revolves around the castawaystyle beaches. There are 13 of them, not
private (no beach in Costa Rica is) but
mostly deserted, apart from the odd pair
of neat turtle tracks in the sand. An easy
20-minute drive from Liberia airport, this
is where everyone eases into a trip down
the coast for a few sun-drenched, lazy days.
Setting out from Marina Papagayo (where
the yacht belonging to Steve Jobss family
is berthed), a gang of us charter a blue-andwhite wooden boat and motor around the
Papagayo Gulf. There are wiry trees, clumps
of cacti clinging to wrinkled rocks that
look like elephant hide, and a handful of
plots earmarked for hotel construction as
part of a government project (it leases land
to developers and regulates whats built).
Fingers crossed this unspoilt view wont
change too much. We stop at Egg beach,
where at low tide you can swim through a
cave to a second bay. Our timing is off, so
we cool down by splashing about in the
gin-clear water, munching on watermelon.
Blue jays swoop down from the trees to
nibble on our leftovers; the sand slowly
turns from white to grey, like a colour chart,
as we go up the shore. On the way back,
we stop to watch a somersaulting manta
ray; hes showing off for an underwater
temptress by launching himself in the air,
ipping over like a pancake and landing
smack on his silver belly again and again.
Where to stay
Andaz peninsula papagayo resort
This years hottest opening is the most
talked about in Costa Rica since the Four
Seasons launched a decade ago. Costa
Rican architect Ronald Zrcher designed
both, but with the unexpectedly modernist
style of Andaz he has come up trumps.
Set seamlessly into the hillside above two
beaches are whelk-shaped public spaces

and seven low-level concrete blocks of
rooms. Bamboo frames the oor-to-ceiling
windows and walkways. Inside, its all
natural materials: wooden furniture, a
huge tear-drop light inspired by a birds
nest, and a shower with a mosaic pebble
wall and sliding doors that open onto the
balcony. But its the other details that add
the funky factor. Wooden carts by the
two pools form makeshift bars, painted
with football emblems and stocked with
Cacique Guaro liquor. Chao Pescao, the
most fun of three restaurants, feels like it
could be a real, rocking neighbourhood
joint. Have a traditional breakfast of gallo
pinto (rice and beans) and then head to the
spa where everything can be customised,
from the ingredients in your organic scrub
to your post-treatment tea. www.papagayo.
andaz.hyatt.com. Doubles from about 370
Nosara
You have great elbows, says Jory Serota,
the grinning Californian yoga teacher, as
I bend my arms and raise them towards
the sky. Hes trying to make me feel better,
I think, because hes just said that I have a
lazy left arm (it doesnt swing to the same
point as my right). This is small fry for
Serota who spent seven years working
with US Open tennis players. Now hes a
visiting instructor at the Healing Centre
of the Harmony Hotel in Nosara. We go
through a series of stretches; he watches,
head waggling a lot, then makes minute
adjustments to my poses, and by the end
of the session my left arm is somehow
behaving itself and my upper body feels
much looser. Both yoga and surng are
taken incredibly seriously here. Yet despite
being on a par with Oahus North Shore
in Hawaii as an international surng
destination, it has a very chilled vibe.
Nothing much happens in Nosara town

itself; most people head straight to the
beaches Nosara, Pelada and Guiones, a
gently curling six-kilometre bay which is
the best for catching waves. On the back
roads behind it is the Nosara Yoga Institute,
a few low-key bars, restaurants, boutiques
selling exercise kit and a mini-supermarket
with a noticeboard lled with yers for
Pilates classes. As I stand on the coconutstrewn beach to watch the pros practising
for the weekends National Surng Circuit
competition, a lone man sits cross-legged
in the sand, meditating.
Where to stay
The harmony hotel
The Healing Centre and its excellent
treatment programme are at the heart of
this laid-back place, just ve minutes walk
from Guiones beach. So its unsettling to
learn that it is expanding and moving in
2016. Until then, as well as the daily classes
(yoga on the beach, vinyasa body dance),
there are one-off retreats, rst-class guest
instructors and a vegetarian juice bar with
such a good reputation that health nuts
from all around pop in for lunch: heavenly
goats-cheese salads; mango, banana and
ax smoothies; pineapple bread. Dinner
in the main restaurant isnt quite as good.
Everyone lolls around the kidney-beanshaped pool as white-faced monkeys swing
from the nearby trees. The hotel has a mix
of bungalows (they are the most private)
and smart Cocos rooms with hessian lamps,
grey-and-white pinstripe curtains and
rocking chairs on the wooden decks. If
youre up early to hit the waves, book in
for a surfers massage afterwards: a
hardcore combination of deep-tissue and
sports techniques, it will unknot your upper
body after all that paddling. www.harmony
nosara.com. Doubles from about 120
123
the crowd is unselfconsciously

cool. gisele bundchen tied the knot on
the beach here a few years ago
124
Santa teresa
By 7am the sun is white-hot and Santa
Teresa beach is already humming. There
are dog walkers, bare-chested runners in
tiny shorts and surfers with straggly hair. A
couple arrive with a surng instructor and
wade into the water. The boy is condent,
jumping onto his board and easily riding
the small waves into the shallows; the girl
less so, slipping off sideways into the froth
on her rst attempt. Surng is one of the
main reasons people head to this spot, not
far from the southern tip of the Nicoya
Peninsula. It was once a shing village;
now the road that runs parallel to the
beach has cute cafs and the odd fashion
boutique dotted among the surf shops. As
I sit outside The Bakery in Playa Carmen
sipping fresh-mint lemonade, Bob Marleys
Three Little Birds comes over the
speakers. It suits this vaguely hippy town,
which feels like it has the potential to
morph into a less polished Tulum. Later,
as the sun sets over the Pacic in front
and the moon rises above the mangroves
behind, I have my rst surf lesson. After
an hour Ive managed to stand up only
twice on my board. Ive got red, sore knees
because Ive smacked into the seabed so
many times, aching arms and the beginnings
of a bruise as big as my st on my right hip.
But I feel as if Im starting to t in.
Where to stay
Florblanca
This beachfront beauty put Santa Teresa
on the map when it opened 11 years ago
and is still the most sought-after place
to bed down. To get here, drive through
the town until the road ends and all
thats left is a dirt track. Suddenly youre
surrounded by jungle, with a sloping path
to the pool, restaurant and sand beyond.
There are daily ashtanga classes full of
strapping surf dudes in an open-sided sala
cooled by sea breezes, a fully equipped
Pilates studio upstairs, a lemon-scented
spa (try the coffee scrub), and villas with
hammocks big enough for two, outdoor
bathrooms with powerful showers and
four-poster beds. Villa 1 has the best beach
view but Villa 11, the honeymoon house,
is gorgeous. Borrow a bicycle to pop into
town or a board to hit the waves. At sunset,
bag the swing seat by the water. The crowd
is unselfconsciously cool (Gisele Bndchen
tied the knot on the beach here a few years
ago); the food (salads, tuna burgers, sashimi)
is fresh and organic and just part of the
sustainable vision thats so important here.
www.orblanca.com. Villas from about 270
Clockwise from this picture: ora in

the forest; a Santa Teresa surf shop;
locally grown fruit; the beach at
Florblanca; a shipping-container room
at Rio Perdido; the bar at Florblanca.
Opposite, the Harmony Hotel pool
Clockwise from this picture: a bungalow

room at Latitude 10; ora at Nayara
Springs; Andazs lobby; mangoes at a
roadside stall; the pool at Latitude 10;
the Andaz hotel van; fresh juices for
breakfast at the hotel; a surfboard in
Nosara; a surfer on Guiones Beach
Latitude 10
Practically next door to Florblanca but
with far fewer frills (no classes or spa, less
buzz), this decade-old, ve-suite sanctuary
is at the furthest point of Santa Teresa
beach. There are no keys because your room
built from almond wood, with folding
doors, a small deck at the front and an
outside bathroom has no glass in the
window frames (this also means no
air-con). Chattering howler monkeys are
the 5am wake-up call; a friendly cricket sits
in the sink as you brush your teeth. Its
wonderfully simple: theres a canopied bed
and desk in one corner and driftwood
hangers on a rope in the other. In the small
restaurant, the chef, who doubles as the
waiter, cooks chicken quesadillas and
mahi-mahi with amazing garlic-yucca
mash on the stove behind the bar. And
from the pool a path leads to a couple
of hammocks and sunbeds on the
sand. There are mostly couples in this
quiet place, and you wont see a soul
about after 9.30pm. www.latitude10
resort.com. Suites from about 185
Refuge in the north, where a softly spoken

youngster called Jimmy with eagle eyes and
expert knowledge takes me out in his boat.
We glide down the Fro River, past caymans
sunning themselves on rocks, to spot
powder-blue herons, yellow warblers and
velvety green-and-orange pygmy kingshers
among the reeds. Its twitcher heaven.
Where to stay
Nayara springs
Less than a 30-minute drive from Arenal
volcano is this new outpost, a sister property
to Nayara Hotel Spa & Gardens next door.
But once you cross the footbridge from the
original hotel, everything feels more intimate;
there are 16 villas (compared to 50). You can
dip in and out of Nayara but all you could
MAP: JOY GOSNEY
Arenal
When Christopher Columbus landed
in Limn on the Caribbean coast in
1502, he thought hed struck gold. On
seeing the indigenous women wearing
ornate necklaces, he assumed the land
would be full of treasure, so he named
it Costa Rica (rich coast). He was
wrong about the precious metal, but
this country is rich in other ways:
more than 25 per cent of its land is
protected through national parks and
reserves, it has 10 per cent of the
worlds buttery population and there
are 112 volcanoes, including Arenal in
the north, which looks like a murky
witchs cauldron bubbling over. Few
travellers come to Costa Rica without
visiting a reserve. Corcovado National Park,
further south, is the biggest and where
you might spot a jaguar if youre lucky.
But its the volcano and biodiversity that
make the 12,000-hectare Arenal National
Park stand out. On a ve-kilometre walk
through the rainforest here, my guide,
Mainor, points out hollow trumpet trees,
umbrella-shaped ferns and a thick walking
palm that sways with fruit hanging from
thin vines like Rastafarian dreads. We stop
to watch leaf-cutter ants scurrying along
a piece of bark. There are plants as colourful
as parrots, and electric-blue butteries that
utter past as we cross a hanging bridge
and descend to a waterfall. Afterwards, I
swap the rainforest for Cao Negro Wildlife
all crazily colourful, from the public spaces

with blue and sun-yellow walls to Carlota,
the magnicent resident macaw. www.
nayarasprings.com. Villas from about 400
Bagaces
For the past two years, adrenalin junkies
have been making a beeline for Ro
Perdidos 240 hectares of forest to go
canyoning, tubing, mountain-biking (Paolo
Montoya, the Costa Rican champion, comes
here to train in the dark) and hiking on
trails that lead to hot springs or along the
Agua Caliente River. A 30-minute drive
north of the small town of Bagaces, through
farmland and down a bone-juddering track
where clouds of dust billow in the fourwheel-drives wake, takes us to what feels
like the middle of nowhere. Im nervous
as I get harnessed for canyoning but
theres no need to be: Im hooked
instantly and y through the air on
zip-lines that zigzag from one side of
the gorge to the other high above the
milky-blue water. Theres a Tarzan
swing, a wobbling bridge two planks
wide, metal rungs on the side of rocks
to climb up and then a nal zip-line
through the forest. That evening, a
handful of us clamber down to a
natural pool. Two lights are xed to
the trees, theres a pitch-black sky and
as I oat in water as warm as a bath,
a bat swoops low over my head and
out through the canyon.
Where to stay
Rio perdido
Getting there
Steppes Travel (+44 1285 601495; www.steppes
travel.co.uk) offers a 12-day trip staying at Rio
Perdido, Latitude 10, Florblanca and The
Harmony Hotel from 2,195 per person, including
breakfast, ights, transfers and excursions.
want is here, including a steam room and

open-air yoga pavilion. Supper is at poolside
Amor Loco restaurant, which has a
Moroccan vibe, with velvet-covered sofas
and a softly strumming guitarist. Feast on
steamed corvina sh wrapped in plantain
leaves, followed by a perfect chocolate
souf. The lovely villas have four-poster
beds, vast bathrooms and decks with hot
tubs lled from a nearby natural spring.
Staff are bubbly, service is sharp and its
You dont expect to nd this kind

of urban living in the forest. The
rooms at the adventure park, which
opened at the end of last year, are
shipping containers on stilts. Marked
by a neon-yellow or turquoise stripe
hugging their middles, they have corrugated
roofs, concrete oors and brass-piping
lights beside the kingsize beds on castors.
Fresh, graphic touches chevron-patterned
cushions, striped hammocks on the small
deck are contrasted with white corner
sofas, rafa rugs and rope wardrobe doors.
A few minutes walk away, the restaurant
is in an award-winning building with views
of the thermal pools. It was originally
designed to serve a buffet lunch to the day
visitors who ock here for the activities,
so at night it can lack atmosphere. Whats
far nicer is to request supper under the
stars, either on the hanging bridge or the
lantern-lit platform overlooking the
canyon. www.rioperdido.com. Doubles
from about 135
127
A TRAVELLERS TALES
AROUND THE WORLD WITH
CILLIAN MURPHY
PHOTOGRAPH: ROGER RICH/CAMERAPRESS
He fled zombies in London (28 Days Later) and travelled into outer space (Sunshine) but
the Peaky Blinders actor finds camping and speaking French the biggest challenges in life
Where have you just come
back from?
Ive been doing a play in Galway city
for the International Arts Festival. Its
one of my favourite places. A pint of
Guinness on a sunny day in Galway is
one of the greatest things in the world.
Where in the world have you
felt happiest?
Probably West Kerry, again in Ireland.
Ive been going since I was a small boy;
my parents took me there and I take my
kids now. I love going out to the Blasket
Islands, which havent been populated
since the 1950s. No shops, no electricity,
nothing, just seals on the beach. It makes
you feel pure, cleans out your soul, cleans
out the cobwebs from your brain.
Name a place that most lived up to
the hype
Tokyo was pretty amazing. Id only ever
seen it in movies and read about it in
books. I must have eaten my own body
weight in raw sh while I was there and
I thought the energy was incredible. It
really had an effect on me.
And a place that least lived up to
the hype
Vegas didnt do it for me. I felt a little bit
dirty after that, like I was a loser on a
game show. It just felt empty. I can see
why people go there, but it seems to be
trying to ll something that cant be lled.
Which is your favourite city?
New York, although everybody probably
says New York, dont they? Ive gone out
there to work, and Ive gone to hang out
with great friends. It always energises me.
You come away going, YES! I can do
anything! I can take over the world! For
a tiny little island, its quite intoxicating.
Describe your favourite view
Looking out over West Kerry, with the
sun setting, or rising. The thing about
Kerry is it has a micro-climate, so your
iPhone weather app is no use whatsoever.
Totally inaccurate. You just watch the
weather approach from the Atlantic and
see the rain coming. Its quite elemental,
and Im very attracted to that.
What do you pack first?
Im a big music fan, so I always take
this portable speaker I have called a

UE Boom. Its a fantastic little device,
its waterproof and it connects with your
phone via Bluetooth. And then I throw
in my ukulele, too.
Describe a memory from a
childhood holiday
We used to go camping in France a lot,
which is where I learned to play table
tennis. Im terrible at other sports, but
Im good at ping-pong. I have very
fond memories of driving around from
campsite to campsite with all of us in the
back of the car. At one point there were
four of us kids in the back, plus a baby
seat, my granny, and mum and dad in the
front. I dont know how we did it, but
you dont remember the ghts. You just
remember the fun.
Describe a holiday disaster
Funnily enough, trying to replicate
those French trips with my own children,
but they were far too young. We went
camping and I thought I was highly
organised, but we arrived at the campsite
and I realised I hadnt packed the
mattress pump. So I wandered around the
I ONCE TOOK A LIAM

NEESON DRESSING
GOWN, THOUGH
HES A LOT TALLER
AND I LOOKED LIKE
AN EWOK IN IT
campsite trying to talk French to all these
sophisticated European campers, asking
for a pump. The children were so small
they ended up sleeping on us, and
sweating on us we left after two days
and went to a hotel.
Which is the smartest hotel youve
ever stayed in?
The Park Hyatt in Tokyo, the one from
Lost in Translation. Its sensationally cool.
That bar that overlooks Tokyo? Its like
being in a spaceship. And the service is
phenomenal. Ive stayed there a couple of
times and its pure luxury.
Confess to one thing youve taken

from a hotel room
I stayed in the Liam Neeson Suite at
the Fitzpatrick Grand Central Hotel
in New York, and I took a Liam Neeson
dressing gown. I told Liam, which I
think he appreciated, although hes
signicantly taller than me, and I looked
like an Ewok in it.
Who is the most interesting person
youve met on your travels?
I got into an argument on an airplane
with one of the CEOs of Shell after a
massive oil spill. It was interesting,
because he was very succinctly defending
Shell, and I was obviously attacking, but
it went on and on and we left as friends.
We would never agree with each other,
but he was a very bright man, and it was
an engaging conversation. I dont think
I learnt anything, but it certainly made
the plane ride shorter.
Which foreign phrase do you use
most often?
I used to be able to speak French, but
not now. I can conjugate verbs, but Ive
forgotten the vocabulary. So its probably
Sln, which is goodbye in Irish.
Whats your guilty pleasure
I love waterslides. Blackpool, Benidorm,
I dont care if theres a slide, Im there.
And the higher the better, going down
with my kids, head rst.
What would you most like to find in
your mini-bar?
Salted almonds, where youre negating all
the goodness of the almonds with the salt.
Most regrettable holiday souvenir?
I cant do it, I dont see the point. I think
the memory should be in your head.
How do you relax?
Books and music. Recently I havent had
time to read, because Ive been so feckin
busy, but on my last holiday I took Don
Quixote. Its a massive tome, but its
very accessible and so funny. For me, no
holiday is complete without nice music,
a glass of wine and a good book.
Cillian Murphy was talking to Francesca
Babb. He stars in the second series of
Peaky Blinders on BBC2
IN BRITAIN & IRELAND
Clockwise from this picture: the lobby of The Marker

hotel; the salon at Peruke & Periwig; eggs with
avocado and chilli at The Fumbally; the cafs
quirky interior; Lennon Courtney boutique;
Francis Bacons studio at The Hugh Lane Gallery.
Opposite, a barman at Peruke & Periwig
OUR SERIES OF INSIDER

GUIDES CONTINUES WITH...
DUBLIN
The Irish capital is cutting a dash once more as a bright young crew blast away the clouds of recession
and bring back the citys sassy swagger, says Grinne McBride. Photographs by Lydia Evans
he generation that grew up knowing

only good times during Irelands
economic boom the ercely
dubbed Celtic Tiger had to nd
more creative ways to earn their stripes
after it went spectacularly bust in 2008.
Many went abroad to work and see the
world, but now they are coming home, full
of entrepreneurial air and fresh ideas.
Having acquired a taste for the barista
culture of Portland and the street food in
Mexico, they are injecting a cool new
energy into the city with their independent
start-ups, and it is impossible not to feel
the dynamic mood on the streets.
The hip scene may be a relatively recent
arrival, but beards were a feature of the
Dublin manscape long before they became
the global trademark of a skinny-jean-clad
crowd. In the pubs, grizzly-looking
traditional musicians with craggy faces
and porter-stained whiskers have voices
so raw they can make you cry. They are
the essence of this town: along with the
career barmen in the gloriously old-school
pubs, neat as new pins in shirts and ties,
gatekeepers to the Guinness (watch them
methodically take three orders at once
so no one has to wait too long for a pint);
the young ones on OConnell Street,
high-spirited inner-city teenagers with tight
ponytails, freckled skin and cheeky grins;
and the buskers on Grafton Street, lending
their voices to the throng. Dublin is more
infectiously upbeat than it has been for the
past decade, but it hasnt lost its gritty old soul.
HIDEAWAY
WHERE PACKED WITH
TO STAY CHARACTER
Ah, there you are now.
At the door of Number 31, a Georgian
guesthouse down a cobbled lane in central
Dublin, owner Noel Comer welcomes
you as if youre an old friend who just
popped out to get the papers. Inside is a
sitting room made for lounging about,
with stacks of architecture books and a
sunken, horseshoe-shaped leather sofa
and tiny mirrored bar (the place was
designed by leading Irish architect Sam
Stephenson). The 21 comfortable rooms
are across the little garden in a second,
more classic townhouse, with mosaic tiles,
yellow leather armchairs and purpleheather painted walls. Breakfast at big
communal tables includes homemade
cranberry-and-walnut loaf, soda bread,
and smoked salmon with scrambled eggs.
+353 1 676 5011; www.number31.ie.
MODERN MOVER
AND SHAKER
The Marker is the citys coolest new hotel,
a white Gehry-esque cube on Grand Canal
Square in the area nicknamed Google
Docks because of the web giants evergrowing ofces nearby. This neighbourhood
is humming with regeneration (a clue to
its original industry lies in the beautifully
faded Bolands Mill building on the waters
edge). Now young techies working next
door come to hang out at The Markers
large rooftop bar, which has views across
the city to the Dublin Mountains and a
cocktail list thats just as expansive (tangy
Whiskey Sours, killer Negronis). Retreat
to the pampering spa if the weather is
proving unkind and the rooftop is not an
option. +353 1 687 5100; www.themarker
hotel.com. Doubles from about 150
ARTFUL CLASSIC
Across the street from Government
Buildings, The Merrion is a suitably stately
grande dame spread over four 18thcentury townhouses. Its smart but not
showy and all the rooms have been recently
revamped, reecting the colours of a blueand-green-hued painting of Killary Harbour
by Paul Henry that hangs in the marble
lobby. Art is the focus here; the hotel has
the largest private collection in Ireland,
including pieces by Jack B Yeats and John
Lavery. Get a taste for the surroundings
over afternoon tea in the lovely drawing
room, where the artworks are recreated as
dainty cakes. In summer, have sundowners
in the sun-trap Italianate garden; come
winter, gather for reside whiskey chats in
No 23 bar. +353 1 603 0600; www.merrion
hotel.com. Doubles from about 200
SERIOUS COOKING
WITH STYLE
The most exciting new restaurant in
town, Forest Avenue feels like a slice of
Brooklyn cool served up on a quiet corner
in the Irish capital, with sprigs of wild
owers, an antlered head on the darkgrey wall and a soothing soul soundtrack.
Run by an Irish and New Yorker couple
(hes the tattooed chef, shes the glamorous
front-of-house), it is right beside
OBriens, one of the citys most charming
pubs. A glass of Guinness in that creaky
old bar is a nice aperitif before settling
down for a knockout tasting menu that
starts with oyster Chantilly smeared on
thin toast, followed by highlights such as
a chicken-skin sandwich, and turbot
with mussels, and ends with petit fours
of salted-caramel macaroons and mini
doughnuts. +353 1 667 8337; www.forest
avenuerestaurant.ie. About 90 for two
A LESSON IN LATIN
Clockwise from top right: eye-popping art at Super Miss

Sue; vintage homeware at Find; 777 restaurant; lobster
risotto at Super Miss Sue; Kehoes pub; 777 cocktails; the
entrance hall of Number 31; a waiter at The Fumbally
WHERE FOR A BUZZY

TO EAT & BRUNCH
DRINK Slightly off the beaten
track in up-and-coming
Dublin 8, The Fumbally is a big
industrial-style space where yoga buddies
and young foodie couples come to kick
back at the weekend. Opened by two
friends who started out cooking on the
festival circuit, it is lled with mismatched
furniture, lament bulbs and cast-iron
lanterns. The mosaic-tiled open kitchen
serves gutsy dishes with a hint of the
Med and Middle East: eggs with smoky
Gubbeen cheese, garlic and tomatoes;
pulled porchetta on ciabatta; crunchy
falafel. Theres a small stage in a corner,
and impromptu performances are
encouraged. +353 1 529 8732; www.
thefumbally.ie. Brunch about 15 for two
A LITTLE BIT OF ITALY

Having honed his craft at The Harwood
Arms, a Michelin-starred south London
gastropub, chef Barry Fitzgerald came
home to Dublin last winter to open
Etto, a small, white-walled restaurant
on Merrion Row. Sit at the wooden
counter for a carafe of house white and
Italian-inspired bar snacks: stringycheese-lled suppl al telefono; ricottaand-bresaola bruschetta. Or book ahead
for a table (this place has wowed the
critics, so reservations are a must) and
share plates of mussels, leeks and spicy
nduja sausage, and deliciously aky
featherblade beef. Afterwards, pop into
ODonoghues next door for rousing
traditional-music sessions you are in
Dublin after all, not Rome. +353 1 678
8872; www.etto.ie. About 65 for two
Dublin is going loco for Mexican food

at the moment, with burritos being the
hottest fast-food trend in town. A fun and
busy spot, 777 is a hit for its tequilaspiked frozen cocktails and great-value
menu on Sunday when all dishes are
7.77 and the white-tiled walls echo with
Seventies disco tunes. Theres Day of the
Dead paraphernalia scattered about and
rows of pop-bright Mexican soft drinks
lining the wall. Try the spicy green-chilli
pork butt with red rice, and tuna tacos
with pineapple salsa (messy to eat but
delicious); add a Michelada (beer with lime
and chilli) and soon youll be booking the
next ight to Tulum. +353 1 425 4052; www.
777.ie. About 25 for two (on Sundays)
HOOK, LINE AND SINKER

Super Miss Sue is a fresh-off-the-boat
sh restaurant with an adjoining shinybright chippy. So if knocking back briny
Carlingford oysters at the marble counter
while eyeing colourful displays of shellsh
isnt your thing, you can settle for
takeaway sh and chips instead. Or better
yet, order a chip butty with curry sauce:
this combo is ubiquitous in chip shops all
over Ireland although really the sauce
is less jalfrezi re and more gravy with
a hint of spice. The restaurant also serves
great cocktails (the Bloody Mary comes
with a prawn). +353 1 679 9009; www.super
misssue.com. About 15 for two in the
chippy; 35 for two in the sh bar

MAVERICK BURGER MEISTER
The man who kicked off a fresh scene of
casual and quirky places to eat in this city
is Joe Macken. The pioneering Dubliner
opened JoBurger in 2007, with a barebrick interior and a menu offering clever
twists on the humble patty and bun such
as the lamb burger with harissa and mint
aioli. He has since branched out into fried
chicken at Crackbird, which started as a
pop-up, pizza at Skinint, where the dishes
are named after the staffs mothers (the
Lil is topped with blue cheese, poached
pear and pickled onion), and steak cuts
at Bear, co-owned with a beefy former
professional rugby player. www.joburger.
ie. About 25 for two
CALL THE DOUBLE SHOTS

The buzz on the streets could be fuelled in
part by the growing number of independent
coffee shops serving hit-you-between-theeyes espressos. Kaph on Drury Street is
a good spot to soak up the atmosphere
of the area now known as the Creative
Quarter. There are brews from Hasbean
roasters and art exhibitions upstairs.
Dubliners dont seem to mind making the
trip to slightly out-of-town 3fe on Grand
Canal Street, where industrious-looking
types tap away on MacBook Pros and sip
cups of the weekly-changing blend. It is
owned by a former investment banker
who taught himself his barista skills on a
full-scale coffee machine set up in his
spare bedroom. www.kaph.ie; www.3fe.com
Clockwise from left: Kaph coffee shop;

homeware at Industry; browsing at Cows
Lane Designer Studio in Temple Bar
prints by up-and-coming graphic artists

and the Irish Design Shop next door runs
jewellery-making classes in its rst-oor
workshop. Pick up 3D-printed necklaces,
beeswax candles and colourful birdhouses
in the store below. The small but lovely
fashion boutique Lennon Courtney sells
its chic collection in a former dairy. www.
ndshop.bigcartel.com; www.indigoand
cloth.com; www.industrydesign.ie; www.irish
designshop.com; www.lennoncourtney.com
WHAT
TO SEE
& DO
OF ALL THE BARS

On a sunny afternoon whatever the season,
ght off other patrons to grab a seat outside
Grogans on Castle Market. A favourite
with writers such as Flann OBrien, its the
citys number-one spot for people-watching.
On the other side of Grafton Street, the
main shopping drag, is the red-and-whitepainted faade of Kehoes. Inside, its a
rickety, wood-panelled warren that heaves
with happy punters on Friday night. For a
new twist on an old-style boozer, head to
P Macs. The dark-green walls and black
ceiling could make it feel gloomy if it
werent for the abundance of candles and
the hum of lively banter. Theres a great
selection of Irish craft beers on tap, including
Metalman Pale Ale. One of the citys
newest cocktail bars is Peruke & Periwig.
Elbow your way through the crowded bar
to the more civilised salon upstairs, where
gilt-edged portraits ll the walls, chairs are
covered in velvet and staff are dressed as
if theyve come from the set of a mobster
movie. Order the potent Smoking Gun to

see Heston-style theatrics at the table. www.
groganspub.ie; Kehoes (+353 1 677 8312);
P Macs (+353 1 405 3653); www.peruke.ie
WHERE
TO
SHOP
CREATING A STIR
Cows Lane Designer

Market is a little gathering
of stalls on a narrow street
in Temple Bar every Saturday; check out
Scribble and Stone for laser-cut brooches
of Fifties pin-ups. A permanent set-up on
the same street, Find is packed with kitsch
oral crockery and retro furniture, and
around the corner, minimalist menswear
shop Indigo & Cloth has a drip-brew coffee
bar and funky labels including Hentsch
Man for denim shirts and Sandqvist for
sturdy Nordic backpacks. In the Creative
Quarter, homeware store Industry stocks
ART ABOUT
TOWN
Francis Bacon was born in

Dublin and after his death
his entire London studio was donated to
The Hugh Lane Gallery by his heir. See it
in all its chaotic glory exactly as the artist
left it (Krug boxes strewn on the oor
beside newspaper cuttings and a book on
Velzquez). A bit less high-brow but a fun
insight into city life from 1900 to 2000, the
Little Museum of Dublin has a collection
of photographs, letters and ephemera
donated by Dubliners. Look out for the
rst English edition of Ulysses, helpfully
open on the last page so you can say you
have read the end. Golden dragon robes
and beautiful lacquer furniture from the
Chinese imperial court are not what youd
expect to nd in the grey-stone grounds
of Dublin Castle, but the Chester Beatty
Library has a mind-boggling hoard of
manuscripts, rare books and ancient objects
from the Far East, all gathered by mining
magnate Beatty during his fascinating
lifetime. www.hughlane.ie; www.little
museum.ie; www.dublincastle.ie
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Clockwise from top

left: Minke whale;
Thala Beach
Lodges private
beach; Lorikeets;
Baby turtle on
Lady Elliot Island
Queensland, Australia
WILD THINGS
Queensland: one of the most diverse regions on earth in settings, in wildlife and
in truly awe-inspiring experiences, day after day. Let your imagination run wild
here arent many

places in the world
that can claim five
World Heritage-listed
sites. Or that proffer
hundreds of national parks and
forests, vast stretches of unspoiled
beaches,breathtaking landscapes
that encompass everything from
sea to rainforest to outback and,
even better, to-die-for lodges and
camps in the heart of these natural
surroundings. Not to mention an
endless variety of unique wildlife,
with plenty of opportunities to get
up close and personal with a bounty
of amazing creatures. But then there
arent many places in the world as
beautiful, unspoiled and diverse as
Queensland, Australia.
Picture the scene: little more than a

day after leaving London (and feeling
remarkably fresh, having flown what
else but Australias iconic airline
Qantas all the way), you are sitting
on your private deck amid the most
extensive sub-tropical rainforest on
earth. Your binoculars are ready in
hand; just below you, one of the worlds
rarest birds is grazing. At Mission
Beach, the distinctive helmet, striking
blue head and black feathers of the
endangered cassowary, Australias
largest flightless bird, is a regular sight.
And there are few better places to spot
it thanCastaways, an idyllic tropical
escape juxtaposed between beach and
rainforest all the better to enjoy the
nature of both. Not to mention the
beautiful beachside town of Mission
Beach itself, with its sophisticated

eateries, boutiques and art galleries.
North of Mission Beach, the drive
from Cairns to Port Douglas sets the
scene for some of the greatest natural
experiences on earth, with the Great
Barrier Reef making its presence felt
all the way. At Port Douglas, days

are all about the wealth of amazing
activities, from reef trips to rainforest
explorations. But nights will also blow
you away here. Head for Thala Beach
Lodge, take one of the eco-friendly
rooms sensitively positioned among the
''
Its worth the drive up to Lamington National Park for

the fantastic views out over the Gold CoastHinterland
alone. A bush walk around the area is a must! If youre
an enthusiastic walker allow around three hours for an
incredible hike through ancient cool rainforests to the
stunning Elabana Falls. Why not take a picnic with you
and dip your toes in the refreshing waters!
Julie, Travel Designer, austravel.com
T RAVELLER PROM OT ION
headlands 145 acres, sit back on your

terrace and enjoy the show. Thalas
positioning means skies free of light
pollution, allowing exceptional views
of the southern constellations (and if
you want to know what is out there,
an on-site observatory provides a
guided tour).
Head out to the Great Barrier Reef
itself (Qantas flies daily from Cairns
to Great Barrier Reef Airport), and
you can get up close and personal
with a plethora of incredible creatures
in one of the most pristine marine
environments on earth. Swim with
fabulously friendly dwarf minke
whales on the ribbon reefs off Port
Douglas, snorkel with graceful turtles,
dive coral gardens or overnight
on a yacht and watch sunrise over
the reef. Or perhaps stand silently
on the beach at Bundaberg, and
watch one of the true wonders of
the natural world unfold in front
of you at Mon Repos Conservation
Park the largest loggerhead turtle
rookery in the South Pacific.Each
year hundreds of turtles return at
night to these bountiful waters to
complete a cycle that begun at their
own birth. And by day, unspoilt

beaches and the Lady Elliot and
Lady Musgrave islands provide
halcyon hideaways on which to
relax.More a walker than a water
baby? The Main Range National
Park, with its stunning mountains,
ridges, escarpments, forests and
ancient volcanic plateaus set in
the foothills of the Great Dividing
Range is home to the Scenic Rim
Trail. This three-day walk proffers a
treasure trove of unique plants and
animals while nights at Spicers
Canopy and Spicers Peak Lodge
en route provide a delicious escape
''
There is so much to see and

do at Mission Beach, and
whats even better is it doesnt
drop below 25 degrees! You
can explore rainforest and
witness wildlife habitats, and
for those looking for a bit of
adrenalin-fuelled excitement,
why not try a sky dive or
white water rafting?
Chris, Travel Designer,
austravel.com
into a world of natural luxury. Or,

for land-based relaxation of a more
laconic kind, head for Lamington
National Park in the Gold Coast
Hinterland, where OReillys
luxury villas provide contemporary
accommodation designed to
connect with the surrounding
World Heritage Gondwana
Rainforests. Grab your binoculars
and go for a bushwalk; head for
the treetop walkways; bathe in a
cooling waterfall, or just gaze from
your balcony, elevated among the
rainforest canopy, and wait a
memorable encounter with one of
the indigenous creatures is pretty
much guaranteed.
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discover-queensland
Clockwise from this

image: Lady Elliot
Island, Great Barrier
Reef; Qantas distinctive
tail wings; Guest
enjoying Premium
Economy on a Qantas
A380; Treetop walk at
OReillys in Lamington
National Park
T R AV E L W I T H T H E E X P E R T S
Make your wildest dreams a reality with two of Australias most
iconic names in travel.
The leading authority on Australia, Austravels Travel Designers have
explored Australia extensively and pride themselves on their insider
knowledge and unrivalled expert service, using their hidden gems and
top tips to make your holiday that extra bit special. Whether you are looking
to marvel at a meteor, bathe in hidden jungle pools, witness a turtle hatching
or hike hidden trails, Austravel will know just the place, and tailor your
itinerary to meet your wildest expectations.
$QGZKDWEHWWHUZD\WR\WR4XHHQVODQGWKDQZLWKQantas Australias
iconic national airline. With inarguably one of the most comfortable Premium
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FHUWDLQO\OLYHVXSWRLWVUHSXWDWLRQ$QGEHLQJDORFDO4DQWDVKDVKXQGUHGVRI
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LWVIUHTXHQWLHUVFDQHDUQ4DQWDV3RLQWVRQWKHJURXQGDVZHOODVLQWKHDLU
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Few national airlines capture the
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4DQWDV,QVSLUHGE\WZRKHURLF
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mechanic and founded on the deepURRWHGIULHQGVKLSRIWKH4XHHQVODQG
2XWEDFN4DQWDVKDVEHHQ
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from the famed Flying Doctor
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breaking boundaries throughout
its history. Almost a century on, it
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LEVHPY\YV][EXGLIWERHNI[IPPIV]ERHPIEXLIVKSSHW
Suzy Menkes, International Vogue Editor
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For more information: www.CNILuxury.com
+44 20 7152 3472 / adrian.ting@condenastint.com
THE EXPERTS
This months Family Gadgets Food Books Advice

EDITED BY ISSY VON SIMSON
GREAT BRITISH
FAMILY BREAKS
Whether youre after a breezy seaside escape for next summer or a cosy country getaway
this winter, here are six surefire holiday hits to keep everyone happy. By Daisy Finer
THE EXPERTS... FAMILY

COUNTRYSIDE
Yes, its an obvious one, but how can

you resist? Quirky, original, determinedly
informal (suits are frowned upon), yet
glamorous and indulgent, this country
house is everyones favourite cool cat,
with standards that can be relied upon
by the fussiest of urbanites.
Its just as much fun with children in
tow. Theres croquet on one of the many
lawns, follies to hide in, bikes to borrow,
ducks to feed. Best of all, last year the
family suites were updated (a three-month
process, showing just the right amount
of efcient care). The interiors mix the
Soho House groups signature vintage
charm whitewashed bunk beds with
polka-dot blankets and owl-shaped
cushions, a chalkboard draped with a
wooden skipping rope, a sitting room full
of soft edges and velvet cushions with
hi-tech gadgetry, including an Xbox. The
bathrooms are particularly clever, with
half-sized bathtubs and low-level sinks that
even a three-year-old can reach.
Younger children (12 months and
upwards) can be dropped off at the
Teeny House
free of charge
for up to two
hours, which is
just enough time
to make use of
the divine spa,
but not so long
that little Johnny
gets scratchy.
Manager Sharon
has been at the
hotel for six
years and knows
the routine well:
play time, swim
time, lunch time,
nap time, play
time, swim time,
supper time, bed.
She ensures play time is just that, with
giant beanbags, a mountain of toys,
painting, sticking, beads and woodcraft
no separation anxiety here. In the school
holidays, the ante is upped a visit from
Father Christmas is a particular high.
Meanwhile, older kids dance and stomp
upstairs in The Loft.
The food served in the elegant dining
room of the main house is simple and
faultless. The
Little People
menu includes
spaghetti with
tomato sauce,
grilled chicken or salmon with vegetables,
and ice cream or fruit cones.
But the cleverest idea of all is the
new One While You Change service
(available 58pm). One of the treats a
lot of parents miss is that end-of-the-day
wind-down with a drink in hand; instead,
you are busy brushing teeth, reading
stories and endlessly soothing, sometimes
while also getting ready for an evening
out. So imagine the joy of having a

barman come to your room with proper
cut-glass tumblers, ice and entertaining
mixology skills to create the punchiest
Soho Mules. Perfect.
BEST AGE Under-fours. This is when
parents really need a life-afrming break.
INSIDER TIP She may be tiny, but
Toni is the babysitter to book if you have
wild boys shes been on board for 10
years and knows some of the families so
well shes watched them grow up. Kay
and June are the wise-owl baby experts.
+44 1373 812266; www.babingtonhouse.
co.uk. Doubles from 240
Opening page, wellies at Babington

House. Opposite: a bedroom in the
main house; the Babington House bar.
Clockwise from below: Beach Hut coffee;
Watergate Bays cliffside setting; sh
and chips at Living Space restaurant
THIS HIDEAWAY SITS ON A HUGE BEACH WITH

ROCK POOLS THAT MINI-EXPLORERS WILL LOVE
PHOTOGRAPH: NICK BAILEY
SEASIDE
The northern stretch of the Cornish
coast between Padstow and Newquay
is home to the Bedruthan Hotel &
Spa so family-friendly its sometimes
a little manic and adults-only The
Scarlet. But if youre after somewhere
more relaxed, in pretty surroundings,
the stylish yet unpretentious Watergate
Bay Hotel ts the bill.
This newly renovated, family-owned
hideaway sits on a large beach with
tablecloth-at sand and rock pools
that mini-explorers will love. Make your
way along the timber boardwalk down
to the Extreme Academy for surng
lessons, paddleboarding or something
more daring, such as kitesurng or
waveskiing. The friendly team here can
also organise horse riding and suggest
the most spectacular coastal trails for
cycling, walking or running.
Inside the hotel, there are plenty
of spaces in which to hunker down.
For little ones, theres a well-stocked
playroom with activities such as
nger-painting and den-building, lots
of natural light and a safe outdoor
space with slides and bicycles. The
bedrooms are contemporary, with
solid oak oors, splashes of vibrant

colour and paintings by the local artist
Edward Oliver. Stretch your budget
to a family suite with a sea view, if
possible these have two rooms: one
a double, the other with bunk beds
for kids (alternatively, interconnecting
rooms are available).
The Swim Club has a 25-metre innity
pool with Atlantic views great if
you want to do lengths but theres
also a shallow area where children can
splash about at set times. Teenagers
and their parents will love
the outdoor hot-tub, and
theres a well-equipped gym
and a studio for spinning,
cardio and Pilates classes.
The Ocean Room (the
sunshine-yellow and blue
caf) serves juices and
decent coffees; quick meals
and sharing plates are on
hand in the Living Space
restaurant; or you can tuck
into ham hock, pea and
balsamic risotto or roast
Grampound duck breast
in Zacrys. High tea is also
served here each evening, so you can

book a babysitter and eat later should
you wish. Right on the sand, The Beach
Hut has everything from ice cream to
falafel burgers and serious steaks.
BEST AGE Between 10 and 13 to make
the most of the water activities.
INSIDER TIP Jamie Olivers restaurant
Fifteen is a mere hop and a skip away.
Be sure to book ahead if youre coming
for lunch its as good as its reputation.
+44 1637 860543; www.watergatebay.co.uk.
Doubles from 135
COUNTRYSIDE
If you are a travel sophisticate whose
idea of a tranquil break involves a
boutique hotel in muted Farrow & Ball
shades, you might think Gleneagles isnt
for you. Its a sprawling behemoth with
a shopping area (like a mini version of
Londons Burlington Arcade), a cashpoint
and restaurants plonked around.
But embrace the culture shock,
because your kids will love it. Theyll
be scooped up by divine Scotsmen in
kilts and taken off for hours of fun in
all that soft, heathery air. The childrens
activities are exceptional: riding at the
beautiful equestrian school, archery,
falconry, driving all-terrain vehicles.
Meanwhile, parents can retreat to the
excellent, candle-lit ESPA spa.
The other great thing about Gleneagles is
that the food is delicious. Every restaurant,
from the formal Strathearn to the relaxed,
Mediterranean Deseo, has the freshest
sh and locally sourced game, with an
impressive culinary variety on offer. What
makes it such a joy is the attitude of the
staff. They have pitched it perfectly, and
the kids menus dont patronise.
The ethos of the hotel seems to be
if the kids are happy, the parents will
be, too. Interconnecting family rooms in

the new Baird Wing are spot-on; theyre
modern in style, with tartan bedspreads
and remote-control gas res for instant
cosiness. Theres so much to do that
parents nd themselves miraculously
motivated, begging for another game
of air hockey in the teen zone or keen
THE STAFFS
ATTITUDE IS PITCHED
PERFECTLY AND
THE KIDS MENUS
DONT PATRONISE
to do some colouring in the playroom
with the little ones. And the pretty,
supervised crche is open to children
aged two to 12 between 9.30am and 5pm.
Before you know it, youll be swigging
the delicious No-Jitos (zzy apple and
fresh mint) with gusto.
And when it all gets too much, whip
out the credit card and buy yourself
some cashmere while the kids spend
hours in Essentials, probably the most
child-friendly shop youll nd in any
hotel, with sticker books and crafty
Top, the sitting room of the Royal Lochnagar

Suite at Gleneagles. Above, horsing around in
the hotels rosette-worthy playroom
paraphernalia to keep them endlessly

occupied. Gleneagles is a big, bold
crashpad with every bell and whistle.
BEST AGE Between 10 and 13. They
can take part in all the activities and,
if 12 or over, use the pool unsupervised.
INSIDER TIP Dont send any clothes
to the laundry. They come back smelling
of peach-scented starch.
+44 1764 662231; www.gleneagles.com.
Doubles from 235
SEASIDE
This recently spruced-up hotel is what
Salcombe has been waiting for. Because
unless your brood is seriously well-trained,
house rentals with gangs of children can
be hard work, and the South Sands hotel,
though lovely, is a bit too boutiquey
for boisterous larks.
Here is a place right on the estuary,
looking across the water to tranquil little
beaches. The sassy and fun coastal-chic
interiors by London-based DO Design
Studio suit the location; giant black-andwhite photos of Victorian holidaymakers
line the walls, upturned models of wooden
boats serve as fruit bowls, and there is
even a stripy-blazered concierge.
Most of the 50 blue-and-white rooms
have views out to sea and all come with
binoculars, crabbing lines and buckets
for the kids, with bathroom goodies from
The White Company. If youre splashing
out, go for room 514: its huge and has
a roll-top bath with epic views. Or for
families of up to four, theres The Suite.
But youll no doubt want to spend most
of your time outdoors. Learn to sail or
surf, or take out a kayak or paddleboard.
North and South Sands beaches are a
10-minute walk away, or you can catch
a little ferry to the opposite bank. Unlike
at Cornwalls Watergate Bay, here you
Above, the Jetty restaurant at Salcombe

Harbour. Below, the Salcombe estuary
THE BLUE-AND-WHITE
ROOMS COME
WITH BINOCULARS,
CRABBING LINES
AND BUCKETS
can stroll into town, where plenty of cafs

and interesting shops will keep you busy
(particularly good is Bibi Life with its
delicious silver needle tea, coffees, cakes
and cashmere shawls).
And on rainy days? The private cinema
shows four movies a day three of
which are family-friendly with popcorn
to snack on. Theres also an amazing
two-tiered spa with a pool (adults-only
at certain times), crystal steam room,
Hydropool, sauna and cabana beds with
curtains for privacy.
Chef Alex Aitkens menus at the Jetty
restaurant are big on local sh and seafood,
including crab, scallops, sea bream and
lobster, with plenty of interesting fusion
twists, and theres a marble-topped bar
for cocktail/mocktail time.
BEST AGE Between 10 and 13. All ages
are welcome and babysitting is available,
but the hotel has no childrens club, so it
might be better suited to older kids.
INSIDER TIP Be sure to check out the
Edwardian seaside home of eccentric
scientist Otto Overbeck nearby. This
quirky National Trust property has lovely
tea gardens, and children will enjoy
hunting for the mysterious resident ghost.
+44 844 858 9187; www.salcombe-harbourhotel.co.uk. Doubles from 155
COUNTRYSIDE
This is a big, shiny, show-off hotel, but
in all the right ways. Windsor Great Park
and Royal Ascot racecourse (as well
as Legoland Windsor) are within trotting
distance, which is appropriate to the
equestrian theme that gallops goodnaturedly through Coworth Park.
Horse sculptures greet you in the huge
lobby, and quirky racing prints and framed
rosettes line the walls. Outside, theres
a stable full of immaculate steeds. Riders
of all ages are looked after by the jolly,
efcient grooms, so even the most nervous
beginner can enjoy a hack around some
of the 240 acres of rolling parkland. For
the experienced, theres a cross-country
course to y over, and everything from
cute ponies (available for grooming and
cuddles, too) to proper eventers to ride.
And after a day in the saddle, theres
nothing nicer than to sink into a huge,
brass bathtub in one of the 30 deeply
comforting if slightly contrived rooms
in the Mansion House, with their fourposter beds, embroidered linen (homemade
fudge on the pillows at turn-down),
shuttered windows and smoked-oak oors.
Set apart from the main house are the
more modern rooms and duplexes of The
Stables, all clean-cut and bright white.

You can also rent the 17th-century Dower
House, with butler, chef and nannies,
and live out your country-house fantasy.
If the hotel looks oddly familiar, thats
possibly because it was once used as
a location for The X Factor, which gives
you some indication of the moneyed,
EVEN THE MOST

NERVOUS BEGINNER
CAN ENJOY A HACK
AROUND THE 240
ACRES OF PARKLAND
upbeat, slightly golfy vibe of the hotel
(the Wentworth course is just around the
corner for guests use).
Service is sharp, if sometimes overly
attentive, and eating with children is fun
and relaxed in the informal Barn, where
pasta, wood-red pizzas, cottage pie
and sticky toffee pudding are served on
plates with pictures of ponies (one wall
is decked out with horsey accessories).
More serious is the dining room in
the main house, and you might nd
someone tinkling on the grand piano
Clockwise from top left: a view of Coworth

Park from the meadows; horse riding in the
paddock; the Mansion House Junior Suite
in the drawing room at drinks time.

But its probably a lot more relaxing
for everyone if you spare your toddlers
this experience and instead treat them
to cosy room service and a babysitter
who arrives armed with stacks of DVDs
and board games.
There is a kids club for two-to-eightyear-olds if you want to off-load while
you hit the eco-luxury spa, a grown-up
zone, though the swimming hours for
children are generous, and no child will
be able to resist the purple lighting and
underwater music in the pool.
BEST AGE Between 10 and 13. This is
a glamorous hotel where sticky hands and
felt-tips probably wont be that welcome
on the cushions and curtains. Anyone over
the age of four can ride the ponies.
INSIDER TIP Pack your jodhpurs for
daytime fun, but dont forget the Lanvin
and Louboutins for night this is not a
kick-your-shoes-off sort of place.
+44 1344 876600; www.coworthpark.com.
Doubles from 305
Clockwise from left: a birds-eye view of Tresco;

Flying Boat Cottages; Rushy Porth beach
PHOTOGRAPH: ALAMY
SEASIDE
Theres nowhere like Tresco for an
Enid Blyton, bucket-and-spade blast.
Revel in the freedom of your very own
island, where the children can disappear
all day with a gaggle of friends and a
picnic of hefty, buttery ham sandwiches
and hard-boiled eggs eaten straight from
their shells. They can cycle from one
sandy beach to another on trafc-free
roads, the wind in their hair, the sea
on one side, green elds with plodding
horses on the other. The light is spun
with magic, seagulls swoop overhead
and the air is tangy with salt.
Tresco is a vestige of Britain as it
used to be. In the 1970s this was a
ower-farming island with no mains
electricity, but its owners, the DorrienSmith family, have slowly injected new
life. Fifteen years ago, all you could
buy in the shop was Mothers Pride and
baked beans; now, youll nd a swish
deli with shelves full of organic treats,
herbal teas and sun-blushed tomatoes
stock up your cottage kitchen or
order handy one-pot wonders (chicken
curry, shepherds pie) using the new
delivery service.
Old-timers bag the authentic granite
houses; Dolphin House has a beautiful
garden and is one of the islands largest,
sleeping up to 10. Those in search of

something more polished should plump
for the Flying Boat Cottages, which
face the beach, or the more spacious
and private Sea Garden Cottages.
Long summer days are spent on the
beach, crabbing and boating, paddling
and collecting shells. The Abbey Garden
THE CHILDREN CAN

DISAPPEAR ALL DAY
WITH A GAGGLE OF
FRIENDS AND A PICNIC
is astonishing, even for those who arent

particularly interested in gardening,
with its surreal sub-tropical vegetation,
grottos and eerie gureheads recovered
from shipwrecks. If the rain sets in
which it might, despite the sunny Scilly
microclimate there are afternoon lm
screenings, workshops in bead-making
and other crafts, and a wonderfully warm
indoor swimming pool.
Parents in desperate need of some
me-time can de-stress with Iyengar
yoga teacher Lucy Aldridge, whose
calm precision draws a loyal crowd
of locals, and the Ila treatments at the
spa are sensational. Another highlight
is lunch at the Ruin Beach Caf, one
of the best outdoor eating spots youll
nd anywhere, with wood-red pizzas
and glorious views of St Martins and
the Eastern Isles.
BEST AGE Between eight and 12.
You will want your children to be able
to swim and ride bikes independently
so you can relax.
INSIDER TIP Take wetsuits: the Isles of
Scilly may be known as the Caribbean
of England, but the sea is freezing.
+44 1720 422849; www.tresco.co.uk.
A Flying Boat Cottage sleeping six costs
from 1,475 per week
THE EXPERTS... BOOKS
SHELF IMPROVEMENT By Giles Foden
THE GREATEST BOOK ON EARTH

Tim Moore on Letters from High Latitudes by Lord Dufferin
It was my wife who rst
alerted me to the Arctic
journals of Lord Dufferin,
a mid-Victorian adventurer
who had stopped off in her
Icelandic homeland while
sailing to Spitzbergen. Her
drably bound, Edwardian
reprint of Letters from High
Latitudes held all the literary promise of a mildewed
hymnbook, yet inside I discovered the genesis of
the modern comic travelogue Jerome K Jeromes
slapstick misadventure, the deadpan self-deprecation
of Eric Newby, even the germ of Hunter S Thompsons
gonzo absurdism. Then there came over me a
horrid, wicked feeling, writes Dufferin of a bibulous

Icelandic banquet, en route to a condition that nds
him mistaking puffins for rabbits and ramming his
ship into an island off Reykjavik harbour. What if I
should endeavour to oor the Governor? Was I not
an Irish peer? Were there not traditions of claret
casks brought up into the dining
room, the door locked, and the
key thrown out of the window?
Never has that book/cover
judgement maxim been more
rewardingly profound.
Tim Moores latest book is
Gironimo!: Riding the Very
Terrible 1914 Tour of Italy
TOURIST
INFORMATION
FOR
the moon
Our closest celestial neighbour
has been visited many times by
Cyrano de Bergerac in the 17th
century and Baron Mnchausen in
the 18th century, who ew there
in a balloon. The most famous
lunar voyage, though, was by two
Edwardian astronauts, Mr Bedford
and Mr Cavor (the self-styled
rst men in the moon), who
discovered a subterranean race of
ant-like creatures and gold.
WHAT TO DO Go on safari to
spot mooncalves. For star-gazing,
the Moon is even better than the
dark-sky reserves of Wales.
WHAT TO PACK
1 Heavy footwear is best, so
leave the ip-ops and take the
Hunters 2 Your yoga mat doing a
downward dog as the Earth rises is
simply incredible 3 Deet repellent
4 Swimwear (not so much for the
innity pool as for the splashdown
on returning home)
TRAVEL ADVICE The Moon

is the ideal destination for those
who nd the Arctic a little pass;
the air is thin, so altitude training
is recommended and inviting
an eccentric inventor along is
advisable. Dont be tempted to
continue on to Mars: its people tend
to be war-like. RICK JORDAN
PHOTOGRAPH: THE KOBAL COLLECTION
The previous edition of The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World

(HarperCollins, 150) was published 11 years ago. The most important
cartographic event in the interim was an explosion of megacities:
in 2009, for the rst time, the total number of city dwellers exceeded
rural populations. Despite this, less than three per cent of the worlds
surface area is currently urban. The new, 14th edition of The Times Atlas
covers all this and much more, easily bearing out its claim to be
the worlds most prestigious atlas. Partly this claim remains valid because
the atlas is produced by a team of cartographers whose tradition
of excellence goes back to 1826, when John Bartholomew set up
a map-engraving business in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The Bartholomew company
(now Collins Bartholomew) has created The Times Atlases since 1922.
Its new production is up to speed with the latest namings and renamings of places, for
example Mount Obama (formerly Boggy Peak), the highest point on Antigua, and Truth
and Consequences (formerly Hot Springs), a small town in New Mexico which has an
annual esta based on the US television game show. Other changes are more inammatory:
this atlas indicates that Crimea is now administered by Russia, but legally still Ukraine.
Perhaps the most important changes of all are those to the natural environment: the height
of Aroraki/Mount Cook in New Zealand is now 30 metres lower than in the previous edition,
a reduction attributed to erosion of the ice-cap on the summit.
Comparing it with two other world atlases I have on my shelves a beautifully produced,
1979 own-brand Bartholomew and a fairly humdrum 2001 Hutchinson that displays maps
and satellite imagery side by side I was struck by the ways in which atlases have tried to
respond to the increasing availability of maps online. While digital maps have changed the
game, a good, large-format atlas still enables you to see a place in its full geographic context
more easily. There is something fairly mysterious about the difference: its as if you can
feel the dreamy possibility of being elsewhere by seeing its representation in an atlas,
whereas digital maps make it seem as if you are actually there, normalising what remains
exotic on paper. That said, digital mapping is changing the way we live in all sorts of functional
ways. If you want to nd your way around one of those megacities, an augmented-reality
app on a smartphone (check out Cond Nast Travellers own ones at www.cntraveller.com/
iphone) is more useful on the ground than a 320-page atlas.
C N T R AV E L L E R.CO M
SEE THE NEW CITY BREAKS SECTION ON
OUR RELAUNCHED WEBSITE
24 HOURS IN THE WORLDS COOLEST
CITIES, FROM LONDON TO TORONTO
HOT HOTELS UNDER 150
WHERE TO SHOP IN PARIS AND MILAN
NEW YORKS BEST

RESTAURANTS REVEALED
THE INSIDE TRACK ON THE LATEST

HIP NEIGHBOURHOODS
PHOTOGRAPH: JENNY ZARINS
WEEKEND ESCAPES IN EUROPE

TO BOOK NOW
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Follow us at twitter.com/cntraveller
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THE EXPERTS... GADGETS
GEEK GEAR
By George Duffield
Some activities require more technology than others for instance, diving
is at the cutting edge, walking not so much. But regardless of what
you are considering doing on holiday, you will need the latest and greatest
equipment at hand. And that, of course, is what the Geek lives for
VICTORINOX SPECTRA 2.0 DUAL

ACCESS GLOBAL CARRY-ON
Travel luggage is central to the Geeks purpose.
Whenever I see an old lm showing people
hauling large Globe-Trotters around, I marvel
at their strength and also just how much baggage
they needed. This compact, eight-wheeled
beauty, left, is a great carry-on except, of
course, you dont have to carry it. Its modular
interior can accommodate clothes or technology
with ease and, unlike many of its peers, its
relatively affordable. www.victorinox.com; 315
SONY RX100 III CAMERA

The Geek is righteously obsessed with cameras,
especially those made by Canon. However,
the RX100 III is a timely reminder that Sony was
once a byword for perfection in technology. An
extraordinary fusion of power and ease of use,
its the best tiny travel camera by a country
mile. Its hard to see how they will continue to
push the boundaries after this. Unfortunately,
excellence has a price. www.sony.co.uk; 699
YETI HOPPER COOLER BAG

Keeping stuff cold is essential warm Coke is an
abomination right up there with LED TV screens.
Yeti is a super-tough brand and this is its rst
soft carry bag. The Hopper is expensive, but
if youve ever had a cooler leak or rip, you will
know why its worth it. www.yeticoolers.com; 175
AQWARY SMART CONSOLE

The Geek loves to slip beneath the waves, but any
dive can go wrong, and gasping for air at 35 metres
with no one else in sight is not fun. This revolutionary
product generates a communication network
between divers, showing everyones position, depth
and air status. It also has a panic button, alerting
others if you get in trouble. If you dive regularly,
this is a big deal. www.aqwary.com; about 480
T R AVELLER AD VERT ISM EN T FEAT U RE
The Islands of
tahiti
Turquoise Holidays' brand new brochure covering this Polynesian idyll

is an inspirational and comprehensive 'go to' guide on these beguiling
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magine this: soul-healing sunshine, bath-warm sea

and some of the most earth-shatteringly beautiful
beaches on the planet. For a fairy-tale holiday to the
islands of Tahiti, talk to our friends at Turquoise
Holidays. Their gleaming new brochure, written
together with the Tahiti tourist board, is the ultimate
guide to the islands. Their team of experts has
tirelessly scoured all available resources to club
together the best tips, from restaurants and bars to
hotels, and learnt secrets that only the locals know.
Paw through its pages and pick the places you want to
see then sit tight as the Turquoise team stitch
together a tailormade itinerary and whisk you around
this sun-soaked archipelago. When they look this good,
its easy to get comfortable in one place; though the
Turquoise team will urge you to visit multiple islands,
which each hold their own idiosyncratic charm.
RECENT OPENING THE BRANDO: When it comes to luxury

private islands, Tetiaroa, located 30 miles northeast of Tahiti
takes the biscuit. It is here that French Polynesias hottest, newest
resort, The Brando, has recently opened its doors. Totally
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handful of stunning beachfront villas nestled amongst the
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azure lagoon and a truly authentic Polynesian experience.
Keep an eye out for roosting parrots, sea turtles laying their eggs
infront of your villa and if you're lucky, you may even spot the
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TO ORDER A BROCHURE or to speak to a member of the Turquoise team, please call 01494 678 400, visit turquoiseholidays.co.uk, or email enquiries@turquoiseholidays.co.uk
THE EXPERTS... FEASTING
BEETROOT
EAT ME By Joanna Weinberg

Beetroot is a strange one. Aristocratic
in colour, peasant-like in looks, it is not an
ingredient that will tuck itself shyly into the
marginalia of a recipe. If beetroot is present,
it will shout. The Hemsley sisters, whose
healthy eating system has caught on with
the fast and the famous, recommend adding it to avocado and
strawberry smoothies to make them taste more, well, pink.
The beetroot has always been
associated with good health. In
Roman times, it was cultivated for its
deeply coloured juice, to treat fevers
and digestive disorders, but it was mainly
the leaves that were eaten. It was the
gardeners of Germany who decided to
develop the root in the 16th century.
From there, beetroot spread through
northern Europe, sustaining hardy
peoples through war and famine.
Until recently, it suffered at English
hands, soused in vinegar until its
mellow, mineral avour was utterly
masked. It has taken a couple of
generations to recover from this
reputation, but now the beet has
been resurrected, not least out of
laziness. No longer need they be
boiled and peeled, pickled and stored; now, they simply bake in
foil for a couple of hours in a medium oven, drizzled in a little oil,
a few herbs and perhaps a couple of garlic cloves.
Beets like a piquant companion to set off their sweet earthiness.
Cube and toss with a pesto of walnuts, garlic and blue cheese.
Blend with tahini, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and garlic for a regal
houmous. Slice and layer on a platter, piling on Puy lentils and
goats cheese, with a Dijon mustard and parsley dressing. Or warm
up pounded anchovies and garlic in olive oil until just disintegrating,
then add grated raw beetroot and peeled wet walnuts.
THIS MONTHS RECIPE

It is as soup that beetroot appears on my
table again and again as the season marches
into winter. Sweat onion, carrot and beetroot
in a pan with butter and cumin until the
vegetables are soft and tender. Add good
stock whichever sort you prefer and blend
until completely smooth. Or, for something
utterly restorative, chop beetroot into good
quality beef or chicken stock and simmer for
20 minutes to extract the colour and avour.
Strain, then add grated raw beetroot, warm
through and complete with a shot of vodka.
In both cases, season to taste and eat with a
swirl of sour cream and a scattering of dill.
As we conjure beetroot into something

food. With the beetroot soup employing cumin, we have to go
quite wonderful, we require a suitable wine
elsewhere to nd our wine, to Yapp Brothers of Mere in Wilts
to join us at the chopping board. It has to
(+44 1747 860423; sales@yapp.co.uk). For 42 on the barrelhead,
be Champagne. Why Champagne? It is
this quirky merchant will part with a bottle of Pontcin 2011 from
iconic. Like it or not, we cannot escape the
Chteau Grillet in the Rhne. This is Viognier in subtle apricot-y
imagery. Who would lead a cava lifestyle? Or a prosecco one?
form with a hint of grilled sesame seed, along with a oral
And as for leading an English sparkling wine lifestyle, what
undertone. Treat it like a red. Decant for two or three hours and
would the neighbours say? One can only lead a Champagne
let it open up. It reveals a genteel opulence of great aplomb.
lifestyle. Period. This has nothing to
Finally, what to drink with the beetroot
do with whether or not other sparkling
with its shot of vodka? I have two
WHO WOULD LEAD
wines may be as t as, in some cases tter
suggestions. The rst is a most luxurious
A CAVA LIFESTYLE?
than, many a Champagne. It is to do with
Chardonnay: Montes Alpha 2012 (less
OR A PROSECCO ONE? than a tenner at Majestic if you buy
the magic of the disyllable. And so, as
ONE CAN ONLY LEAD
we weave our culinary magic and turn
more than two bottles). The leaness of
the humble beetroot Beta vulgaris, no
this Chilean wine, once allowed to open
A CHAMPAGNE
less into a dish to die for, we shall sip
in the glass, is delightfully provocative.
LIFESTYLE. PERIOD
Charles Orban Blanc de Noirs. It is rich
It has the texture of crimped silk. My
but not rolling in it, chic but far from being prissily overdressed,
second suggestion is to visit your nearest Oddbins and grab
and it shows a profoundly well-textured nesse. Priced at 30
a bottle of Clos Bellane Les Echalas 2011 (17). This stunningly
at Marks & Spencer, this non-vintage Champagne is a bargain.
creamy white Rhne from the village of Valras is composed
For the beet dish comprising a walnut pesto and goats cheese,
of 100 per cent Roussanne grapes. Said the person I drank it
stay where you are in the M&S wine aisles and pick up Renato
with, Its like a beautiful piece of mahogany: polished, reective,
Ratti Nebbiolo Langhe 2011 (another snip at 14). This juniperso elegant. And maternal. Yes, I was puzzled, too. But then
tinged red is like a Barolo on the cheap and its terric with
I thought, well, theres comfort food, why not comfort wine?
ILLUSTRATIONS: HEATHER GATLEY PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK
DRINK ME By Malcolm Gluck
1953
The day I was Queen...
Or at least that is how it felt. The year was 1953

and it was Elizabeth IIs coronation. In similar pomp
and ceremony I was delivered in a large box tied
with a big sash bow. I was delicately lifted out from
layers of white tissue paper then carefully slipped
on with regal elegance. Everyones attention was
on the small nine-inch television dwarfed in its
walnut cabinet. That is until I swirled into the room.
To be continued...
www.oxfam.org.uk/vintage
THE EXPERTS... ADVICE
Q
A
Q
A
Im going to New York with my husband and would love

to know wheres best to eat and drink. Any suggestions?
At this time of year, shops in the city are decked out with
pumpkins and spooky displays, streets are carpeted in red
and golden fallen leaves, and theres a chill in the air despite
the blue skies and sunshine. The seasonal ingredients also
make New York in autumn a foodies dream: apples, pears,
squash, game and foraged mushrooms. My
rst stop is always Del Posto, Mario Batalis
downtown restaurant. Order truffles however
theyre being served, usually shaved on top of
a tangle of fresh tagliatelle. For somewhere
more low-key, I recommend Cherche Midi, the
new place from Balthazars Keith McNally,
where dishes include heirloom beets, sheeps
cheese and lobster ravioli. Go early to get a
seat at the counter. The Carlyle is great for
a post-supper Martini; the bar resembles an
Art Deco jewellery box, with golden walls and
gem-coloured seats. For a drink with a view,
THEA DARRICOTTE
check out The Top of The Standard, which
RETAIL EDITOR
looks over the Hudson River on one side and
the Meatpacking District on the other. Next morning, head to
Sant Ambroeus on Madison Avenue for just-baked pains au
chocolat and you might spot Bruce Willis at a table in the back.
Q
A
Im planning a trip to Morocco for some winter sun but

want to avoid the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.
Where should I go instead?
The shing port of Essaouira on the Atlantic coast isnt
far from Marrakech (about a two-and-a-half-hour
drive) and the bonus is that its warm all year round.
You can either y into Marrakech and take a car
or go via Paris and y direct from there. Clearly dened
by its 18th-century ramparts, the ports medina has all
the spices, leather and traditional North African pottery
of the famous Jemaa el Fna but the pace here is
signicantly slower. The backstreets are lined with
colourful boutiques and pretty,
whitewashed houses, and you can
spend hours wandering the
narrow, winding alleyways without
being pestered by hawkers or
tripping over hordes of tourists.
Take an afternoon stroll along the
shoreline and see youngsters
playing football and kitesurfers
braving the waves, or explore
the harbour, which has imposing
cannons on its battlements. In
TABITHA JOYCE
the evening, watch the shing
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
boats come back to shore as the
sun sets behind them. LHeure
Bleue Palais (www.heure-bleue.com) is a good bet if
you want to stay close to the medina. Out of town, book
into the Rebali Riads (www.rebaliriads.com) in Sidi
Kaouki, an easy drive just south of Essaouira and a few
steps from the propertys own wide, sandy beach.
I am ying into Pisa to start a Tuscan road trip. Is it
worth spending any more than a few hours there?
The leaning tower is the obvious draw in Pisa, but its also
lovely to take a day to explore the compact terracotta
town that surrounds it. Start with an espresso at Caff
Federico Salza on central Borgo Stretto and pick up some
chocolates from the tempting display in the adjoining shop.
Next head to the arcaded market around the corner,
where old ladies sniff out the best fruit and veg from
the colourful stalls. After exploring the maze of alleys
leading to the Arno River, check out the waterfront
Palazzo Blu, once home to the doge; the dusty-blue
building is now lled with gilded 19th-century furniture.
Afterwards, pop into the Gothic
Santa Maria della Spina church,
with its beautifully intricate
windows. The marble tower, like
a skew-whiff decoration on a giant
wedding cake, has to come next;
join the happy snappers trying to
get the angle right on the Imholding-it-up-with-one-nger
shot. Just beside it on piazza del
Duomo is the Romanesque
cathedral, packed full of
Renaissance art. Top your day off
with Pisas best pizza at Pizzeria
GRAINNE MCBRIDE
il Fornaccio on via Bianchi.
SENIOR SUB-EDITOR
KEY W
EST
BIG PINE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS
MARA
THO
KE
With its natural beauty, world-class fishing and diving, eco-adventures, rich history
and fine island cuisine, a week or more in The Florida Keys is exactly what your
DA
inner explorer needs.
RA
MO
A
ISL
a-keys.co.uk 0208 686 2600
LA
RG
For modern-day explorers,

theres no place like The Florida Keys.
innite
horizons
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he azure ocean lapping below, oh-so-blue

skies overhead and crystalline icebergs
framed by snow-capped peaks. Surprising?
Yes. Sophisticated? Absolutely. Youre on a
new generation of cruise ship gliding its way
through Antarctica. This is Seabourn, where
impeccable attention to detail, unique itineraries
and a pioneering spirit come as standard. Think
of it as six-star cruising, because frankly, it is.
Where clichd cabaret is replaced by chilled
Nicolas Fueillatte champagne and the service
is so personal you could almost mistake it
for a friends luxury yacht.
Cruise virgins whove dismissed water-based travel

as outdated and restrictive will be won over by the
breadth, authenticity and intrepid nature of

Seabourns global itineraries. New and beguiling
destinations span Burma, the Philippines,
Antarctica and Patagonia. Seabourns three newest
sisters, the Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest, are
smaller in size than conventional cruise ships
which means they can effortlessly negotiate
narrower straits, harbour at remote islands
and get closer to marine and wildlife.
world heritage sights

As a sign of its commitment to world exploration,
Seabourn has recently signed an agreement with
UNESCO to become the only cruise line member
of their People Protecting Places initiative.
This alliance means that not only do Seabourn

stop off at over 150 UNESCO World Heritage
sites, but guests will benet from specialist
insider information.
ice cruising
Cruising through the white continent of
Antarctica and Patagonia is arguably one of
Seabourns most standout new itineraries. The
majestic Seabourn Quest is your elegant home
during the adventure and provides a sumptuous
contrast to the icy winds, aquamarine lakes and
iridescent glaciers and will feature up to ve
complimentary landings per guest via Zodiac boats
to historic sites, awe-inspiring penguin colonies and
huge glaciers. Kick back with a cosseting body
treatment in the Spa at Seabourn before indulging
in the exquisite seven-course tasting menu at the
cutting edge Restaurant 2 after dark.
By day, immerse yourself in the serene beauty of
the natural landscape and abundant wildlife. The
onboard 20-strong expedition team spans
ornithologists, geologists, glaciologists and
historians. Glean all the inside knowledge on the
diverse species of whales, penguins and seals you
spot as you cruise through Glacier Alley, Cape
Horn and into Drake Passage. Learn about Ernest
Shackletons epic adventures here and visit his
grave at Grytviken. Get up close to Rockhopper
penguins at Port Stanley, Falkand Islands. In the
Chilean fjords take photos to capture the stunning
contrast between verdant forest landscape and
the colossal glaciers rolling down the rugged
fringes of the ocean.
asian allure
If you fancy something more tropical, Seabourn
has added two of Asias more undiscovered gems
to its cruising itinerary for 2015.
First up is Myanmar (or Burma) which sits between
Thailand and Bangladesh. This corner of South
East Asia has remained little changed since British
colonial times and houses many fascinating sites.
A highlight has to be garden city of the east,
Rangoon. Here youll nd the world-famous

Schwedagon-Pagoda, one of Buddhisms most
sacred sites. A gilded structure encased in 27
metric tons of gold leaf, diamond and precious
stones, it is breathtaking at sunset. Overland
excursions also travel to the plain of Bagan
(Pagan) with its thousands of ancient temples,
the Mon capital of Bago or Mandalay.
The Philippines also make their inaugural
appearance. Seabourn has hand-picked some of
the most naturally beautiful of the lesser-known
islands in this vast archipelago dotted between the
South China and Philippine seas. The sunsets,
powder-white sands and coral reefs of the idyllic
Hundred Islands, tiny Boracay, Coron and
Palawan islands will be etched on your memory.
all-inclusive culture
Accommodation onboard the Seabourn Odyssey,
Sojourn and Quest is appropriately spacious. All house
just 229 suites lending the ships an intimate, friendly
ambience, and most suites boast private verandas.
Plus, the all-inclusive lifestyle here lends itself
perfectly to total relaxation. And with Signature
experiences such as Caviar in the surf or Movies
under the stars and staff so attentive theyll know
your favourite drink on day one theres never been
a more tempting way to take to the open seas.
To nd out more or request a brochure call
0843 373 2000. Or visit seabourn.co.uk
Clockwise from
opposite top left:
Seabourn Quest in
Antarctica; The grand
central staircase;
Penthouse Spa Suite;
Champagne at sea;
Sunset on the
extensive pool deck;
Caviar treats onboard;
Service levels are
unsurpassed
COMPETITION
PHOTOGRAPH: SUNGJIN KIM/IMAGEBRIEF.COM
WHERE ARE YOU?

Heres a sight to induce mild panic
in a recently arrived tourist behind the
wheel of an unfamiliar hire car. This
bewildering set of toll gates lies on the
outskirts of a city with about 10 million
inhabitants or if you include the entire
metropolitan area, 25 million, which is
half the countrys population.
A national capital with a history that
stretches back more than 2,000 years,
the city contains ve UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, though today it is better
known for its ultra-modern skyline. The
latest eye-catching addition, now under
construction, is due to open in 2016.
As host to colossal sporting events
with an audience of billions, it has
occasionally become the centre of

the universe for fans of athletics and
football. More recently, thanks to the
internets fondness for a catchy tune
and a click-tastic video, its pop music
has become a global phenomenon.
In fact, if you successfully negotiate
the toll gates and continue along the
highway with steely resolve, youll
eventually come to a wealthy inner-city
neighbourhood whose name has
been made world-famous by YouTube.
Where are you? CHRISTY WARD
To enter, identify the city where the photograph
was taken. Correct answers will be placed in a
random prize-draw. For competition rules and
prize details, please turn the page
COMPETITION PRIZE
WIN
A HOLIDAY WORTH 2,500

If youve ever come back from holiday
feeling like you need another one straight
away, For Friends Hotel in Austria could
be the place for you. A break at this sleek,
modern mountain hideaway is all about
winding down, switching off and ensuring
that you emerge revitalised and ready for
anything. You can do as much or as little
as you like: theres world-class hiking and
climbing, and snow sports in season; the
Mountain Spa has indoor and outdoor pools
as well as health and beauty treatments; or
you can just catch up on your sleep (after
all, breakfast is served until noon), tuck into
Tyrolean or Italian food, or order something
reviving at one of the three hotel bars.
Enter this months Where Are You?
competition and you could win a ve-night
holiday for two here, courtesy of Austrias
Finest Experience Hotels. The prize, worth
about 2,500, includes accommodation
on a half-board basis, one spa treatment per
person, return ights from London and
transfers. It must be taken by 31 December
2014; restrictions may apply during peak
times. For further information visit www.
austria.info/uk/experience
Identify the location,

left, and send in your
entry to arrive by
30 November. All
correct entries will
also be included in the
Grand Prize draw at
the end of the current
competition period
(1 October 2014
30 September 2015).
COMPETITION RULES
1. Entries for the Where Are You?
competition can be sent on a postcard,
by email or online (stating your full
name, address and telephone number),
and must correctly identify the place
described according to the instructions
given. 2. Entries must arrive no later
than the last day of the month on this
issues cover. 3. The Where Are You?
competition is open to readers of Cond
Nast Traveller who are 18 or older on the
date of entry, except for employees of
Cond Nast Publications, participating

promotional agencies, contributors to
Cond Nast Traveller, and the families
of any of the above. Entries by post
should be sent to: Where Are You?
competition, Cond Nast Traveller,
Vogue House, 1 Hanover Square,
London W1S 1JU. Email entries
should be sent to: compcntraveller@
condenast.co.uk. To enter online
and for full terms & conditions, visit
www.cntraveller.com/competitions
AUGUSTS WINNER
The winner of Augusts competition is Isobel Warren
of Kingston in East Sussex, who correctly identied the
beach below as being in Positano, Italy. She wins a
holiday for two at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.
PHOTOGRAPHS: JULIETTE CHARVET; SUNGJIN KIM/IMAGEBRIEF.COM
HOW TO ENTER
READER OFFER
SMART SKIING IN
THE ALPS
Save 15 per cent on a Scott Dunn chalet in

Val dIsre, Courchevel or St Anton
truly great ski holiday isnt just about what happens

on the slopes. When you hang up your gear at the end
of the day, you want somewhere seriously comfortable
to curl up in, preferably with delicious food and drinks at the
ready. Scott Dunns portfolio of Alpine chalets is packed with
stylish places to stay, some with private cinemas, others with
amazing wellness areas. All come with a chef who will rustle up
breakfast, afternoon tea, canaps and dinner with matching wines.
Cond Nast Traveller readers have the exclusive opportunity to
save 15 per cent on a seven-night stay in any Scott Dunn staffed
chalet for the 2014/15 season, on a fully inclusive half-board
basis. Depending on your chosen destination and dates, ights
(with British Airways) are from Gatwick or Heathrow to Geneva
or Innsbruck; transfers are included. The weeks commencing
28 December 2014 and 15 February 2015 are excluded. The offer
applies to new bookings only. Further terms and conditions apply.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Patrick Demarchelier The Cond Nast Publications Ltd
Visit www.scottdunn.com/ski. To make a booking, call Scott Dunn

on +44 20 3582 8269, quoting the reference CN SKI
WANT TO WORK
IN FASHION?
COME AND LEARN
FROM THE EXPERTS
Intensive Summer Course
Four weeks, starting every July
Fashion Certicate
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COND NAST UK:
OUTSTANDING FACILITIES
State-of-the-art learning
environment in the heart of
Londons Soho.
AMAZING RESULTS
Our courses are based on
real life and importantly,
our graduates are finding
jobs all over the world
UNRIVALLED
INDUSTRY LINKS
Students gain advice from
Cond Nasts editors, art
directors and journalists
and attend lectures given by a
leaders in the wider
fashion industry.
INTENSIVE ACADEMIC
PROGRAMMES
At least 15 hours teaching per week,
plus studio visits and structured
project work leaving students better
equipped to pursue a career in fashion
or continue into further education.
To nd out more and apply visit
www.condenastcollege.co.uk
A SUPER-LUXE SKI HOTEL WITH STYLE

The Chedi Andermatt is the ultimate destination for stylish skiers. Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, the hotel
combines Swiss chalet alpine chic with Asian subtleties throughout. The Chedi Andermatts outstanding service
includes dedicated Ski Butlers who ensure that guests equipment is ready upon arrival and, because nobody
likes cold boots, theyll even pre-warm them. Aprs at the hotel involves relaxing in the 2,400 sq ft spa or
indulging in the Wine and Cigar Library where guests can marvel at the 5 metre high cheese cellar.
GOTTHARDSTRASSE 4 CH-6490 ANDERMATT SWITZERLAND T (41) 41 888 74 88 GHMhotels.com
GABRIELLA LE BRETON
WORDS BY
SKI
season
2015
PRODUCED BY
PROMOTIONS
season
INTRO
SECTION
2015
Stop Press
INTRODUCTION
Mankind has been skiing for centuries but
never, thanks to technology, has it been
easier, more luxurious or more varied
ts official: skiing is good for

you. Research shows that skiing not
only burns calories, tones your
thighs and tummy, perks
up your bottom, improves your
cardiovascular fitness and boosts
vitamin E levels but also increases your
endorphin levels. But then, we dont
need a doctor to tell us that whizzing
down a freshly-groomed piste is
exhilarating, that soaking up endless
vistas of snow-clad mountains is the
perfect antidote to stress, or that
cheese and wine-infused meals in
cosy mountain huts might clog up
the arteries but are food for the soul.
The art of sliding on snow has captivated humans for centuries but, thanks
to modern technology and innovative
ski resorts, its never been easier or
more fun. We now have comfy ski
boots and skis that virtually turn themselves. Helmets, magnetised chairlifts
and mobile apps keep our little ones
safe and ski clothing is so stylish you
can wear it back at home (unless
youre still embracing the neon trend).
Aprs-ski isnt strictly about dancing
on table tops you can go husky

sledding, snowmobiling, ice-fishing
and snowshoeing or drop the kids
off at a supervised waterpark and
spoil yourself with some shopping
and spa time.
This winter sees chalets continuing
their inexorable rise from ultra to ber.
A dazzling array of newbies is upping
the ante in terms of scale, facilities
and service offering up vast outdoor
infinity pools, priceless art collections
and wine cellars, helipads, full-service

spas and the sort of high-tech toys
that boys dream of.
Whether youre looking to tone
those thighs, treat the children,
indulge the husband or splash out
on the holiday of a lifetime, the
mountains are calling. And, while
they wont come to you, there are
ski specialists out there wholl make
booking a holiday feel about as
effortless as exactly that eventuality.
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: ICELANDIC
SKIING IS ON THE
UP; LE GRAND JOUX,
NEAR MORZINE IN
FRANCE; RESTING
UP AT KULM SPA
IN ST MORITZ
s4HEFAMILY OWNED-AISONS(OTELS
3IBUETGROUPWHOBROUGHTUS&ERMES
de Marie in Megve and Altapura in Val
4HORENSISLAUNCHINGTHEREVAMPED(OTEL
des Dromonts in Avoriaz this December.
4HESHOTELWILLRETAINITSICONICPINE
cone shape and gain three restaurants,
a Pure Altitude Spa and signature Sibuet
styling. hoteldesdromonts.com
s4HE&AIRMONT#HTEAU,AKE,OUISENEAR
"ANFFIN#ANADAISLAUNCHINGANEW3KI
9OGA2ETREATTHISWINTERLEADBYTHE
CELEBRATEDYOGIC4RACEY$ELFSWHILETHE
&AIRMONT#HTEAU7HISTLERISCELEBRATING
ITSTHBIRTHDAYTHISWINTERBYLAUNCHING
ATWO NIGHTADRENALINE PACKED
(ELI3KI!DVENTUREfairmont.com
s4HEINNOVATIVESKISPECIALIST0OWDER
7HITEISTHElRSTOPERATORTOINTRODUCE
CATEREDCHALETWEEKENDSAVAILABLEIN
SELECTPROPERTIESIN#OURCHEVELAND
6ERBIERFORTHREE ANDFOUR NIGHT
bookings. powderwhite.com
s4HE2OSA!LPINAOURFAVOURITEHOTELIN
Italys stunning Dolomites, is launching
ANEWTHREE BEDROOMSUITETHIS
$ECEMBER7ITHITSOWNPRIVATEACCESS
LIFTANDOUTDOORHOTTUB#HALET:ENO
WILLCOMBINETHEAMENITIESOFTHE2OSA
!LPINAWITHTHEPRIVACYANDSECLUSION
of a chalet. rosalpina.it
s'LOBALSKIANDSNOWBOARDRENTAL
COMPANY3KISETHASPARTNEREDWITHTHE
geolocation services provider Ma Ptite
"ALISETOCREATEANAPPWHICHENABLES
parents to track their childrens location
on the slopes. Simply rent a Ma Ptite
"ALISE'03BEACONFROMYOURNEAREST
participating Skiset shop and enjoy a
WORRY FREEHOLIDAYskiset.co.uk
s)FYOURESEEKINGBLISSFULISOLATION
THENEW,E'RAND*OUXCHALETHASYOUR
NAMEONIT4HEYEAR OLDRESTORED
AUBERGELIESIN!LPINEMEADOWSNEAR
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IN&RANCEANDISONLYACCESSIBLEBY
SNOWMOBILEANDHELICOPTER.OTSORUSTIC
ARETHECHALETSTIMBER CLADBAROVERSIZE
LEATHERCHAIRSFURTHROWSSWIMMING
pool, oatation bath, and outdoor hot
tub and sauna. legrandjoux.com
Slope
STYLE
Scott Dunn ski holidays are as much about the service as the
slopes: we check out a ski scene that is seriously hard to resist
the personal touch

But wherever you travel and wherever you stay, it is
the Scott Dunn service that makes the real difference.
From pre-trip planning (advice on where to lunch on
the mountain, booking ski school, spa treatments and
childcare) through to the on-site driver service,
private chefs and chalet hosts, nothing is ever too
much trouble. The Scott Dunn personal touch is the
secret of its success: the chefs adapt each and every
menu to individual guests and the food and wine is
nothing short of excellent. Wake to the smell of
breakfast cooking, come home to freshly baked
cakes and steaming pots of tea; enjoy long gourmet
dinners starting with homemade canaps followed by
course after course of delicious food complemented
cott Dunn started out back in 1986 with one
man (Andrew Dunn) and two Swiss-based
chalets. Since then it has evolved into one of
the most respected global tailor-made travel
companies in the industry. 2013 saw Scott Dunn
come top of the tour operators in our Readers
Travel Awards, but although they have expanded
into beach, adventure, safari and cultural holidays,
the ski portfolio remains an integral passion. Nearly
three decades on Scott Dunn has a stunning selection
of fully staffed chalets in the Alps. Their sought-after
destinations include St Anton, Courchevel 1850 and
Val dIsre with chalets ranging from cosy yet chic
apartments perfect for individual families to
contemporary penthouses; theres the super-smart
Artemis with its own cinema, the wildly luxurious
Le Rocher and the new-to-the-books Chalet Husky
complete with indoor pool and climbing wall.
Fabulous locations, roaring log res, bubbling utes
of Laurent-Perrier and wellness areas for post-slope
spa treatments, this is skiing with all the trimmings.
Clockwise from top left:

The pool at Le Rocher
in Val dIsre; The
exterior of Le Rocher;
Scott Dunns in-resort
driver service; Gourmet
food and wine; World
class skiing on your
doorstep every day;
The sitting room at
Eagle's Nest
by carefully selected wine. And for those travelling with

children, Scott Dunn ensures that ski holidays are just as
good as in those carefree no-kids days. Scott Dunn has a
wealth of experienced UK-qualied nannies who can
look after children from four months to 13 years. Plus,
anyone Val dIsre-bound can make the most of the
purpose-built Scott Dunn Explorers childrens club
with its toys, games and imaginative creative activities.
It gets rave reviews from both parents and kids.
From crche to crest, chauffeur to chalet,
Scott Dunn gets a resounding 10 out of 10.
For further information visit scottdunn.com/ski
or call 020 3582 8269. Scott Dunn is also offering
15 percent off chalet bookings exclusively for
Cond Nast Traveller readers see page 159
ACCOMMODATION
SECTION
season
2015
Make sure you get to stay at one of the most

sumptuous addresses ever fashioned on the
world's mountain sides
Le Grand Bellevue
Hotel and Saanewald
Lodge, Gstaad
Are we getting older or is Gstaad getting
cooler? Regardless, were particularly
enamoured by two of the Swiss classics
freshly revamped hotels: Le Grand
Bellevue and Saanewald Lodge. The
former is a grand old hotel on Gstaad
Promenade whose new young owners
(who met and got married at the hotel
before buying it) have injected it with
eclectic style, a Michelin-starred restaurant,
lively bar and heavenly spa. The latter is a
quirky mountain lodge, which channels its
1960s heritage with vintage furnishings
and a secluded wood-burning hot tub in
the forest. camelsnow.com; 020 8123
2859; slh.com; gstaad.ch
Chalet Quezac, Tignes

New to Tignes this winter, this remarkable
chalet is owned and designed by the
French rally driver and professional
freeskier Guerlain Chicherit. It turns out
the 36 year-old local lad has a passion for
contemporary art, cutting-edge design
and high-tech toys: the chalets six suites
feature bold, vibrant murals and sculptures,
sleek furniture and state-of-the-art sound
systems and bathrooms. Wrap-around
terraces, a professional kitchen, LED mood
lighting and even the Lazareth motorbike
used in Babylon A.D. starring Vin Diesel,
complete Chicherits fantastical world.
luxurychaletcollection.com;
01993 899 429; tignes.net
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:

CHALET MONT BLANC IN
MEGVE; CERVO MOUNTAIN
BOUTIQUE RESORT IN ZERMATT;
CHALET QUEZAC IN TIGNES
Cervo Mountain
Boutique Resort,
Zermatt
The family-owned Cervo Mountain
Boutique Resort is one of Zermatts most
contemporary and unusual properties: a
cluster of traditional wooden buildings
in a forest clearing that comprise ve- to
eleven-room chalets, available separately
or as a whole, each featuring its own spa,

with a main chalet housing a welcoming
restaurant, bar and lounge. Locally sourced
antiques and materials like felt, loden and
stone blend with stylised deer antlers,
minimalist furnishings and glass-encased
wall res to reect the warmth and beauty
of the mountains, providing a sanctuary
within them. cervo.ch; 0041 27 968 1212;
myswitzerland.com.
Chalet Mont Blanc,

Megve
Were extremely excited about the
quintessentially French resort of Megve,
which is about to have fresh life breathed
into its cobbled streets and designer
boutiques as it welcomes the infamous
open-air bar, restaurant and club La Folie
Douce and this winters hottest new
property, Chalet Mont Blanc. This modern
chalet offers its 12 lucky guests ski-in/
ski-out access, a heated outdoor innity
pool overlooking Megve, an indoor pool,
spa, hair salon, home cinema, wine cellar,
helipad, mezzanine bar with double-height
oor to ceiling windows... we could go
on (and on). consensioholidays.co.uk;
0203 393 0833; megeve.com
Chalet Pelerin,
Le Miroir, France
Luxurious yet understated, Chalet Pelerin
is tucked into the French hamlet of Le
Miroir near Sainte Foy, providing the
intimacy of an authentic Alpine community
and chauffeur-driven access to the
neighbouring resorts of Val dIsre, Tignes
and Les Arcs. Spend your days enjoying
the local off-piste with Pelerins dedicated
guides or grab a helicopter from the back
garden to explore further aeld. Feast on
the nest foie gras at Le Miroirs legendary
Chez Mrie restaurant and relax in the
chalets indoor saltwater pool, outdoor
hot tub, Finnish sauna and steam room.
elevenexperience.com; 001 970 349
7761; saintefoy-tarentaise.com
Nira Montana,
La Thuile, Italy
When it opens in La Thuile this
December, Nira Montana will become
the popular Italian resorts rst ve-star
hotel. Located in the picturesque old town
just steps away from the ski slopes and
built in traditional Aosta Valley style, the
55-room hotels traditional exterior belies
slick, contemporary interiors, an extensive
spa and what promises to be La Thuiles
hottest new restaurant, serving authentic
Italian cuisine to match the resorts
celebrated on-mountain restaurants.
nirahotelsandresorts.com;
020 7630 0808; lathuile.net
SKI
CAPSULE
1. CANADA GO OSE W'S HYBR I D G E LITE

VEST, 29 0, NETCLOTHING .CO M ; 2 .
CANADA GO OSE AVIATOR'S HAT, 250 ,
CANADA-GO OSE .COM; 3 .R ITUALS SUN
PROTECTIO N FACE CREAM , FACTO R 30 ,
16.50 - 60ML; RITUALS .CO M ; 4 . OAKLEY
AIRBRAKE JET BLACK W- FI R E, 20 0 ,
OAKLEY.COM
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP

RIGHT: MONT TREMBLANT,
IN MERIBEL; KULM HOTEL,
IN ST MORITZ; NIRA
MONTANA IN LA THUILE,
ITALY; OUTDOOR HOT
TUB AT CHALET PELERIN
IN LE MIROIR, FRANCE
Kulm Hotel,
St Moritz
Mont Tremblant,
Mribel
St Moritz is synonymous with winter

yet originally enjoyed popularity as a
summer destination, known for its
therapeutic mountain air and waters.
In 1864, the then-owner of the Kulm Hotel,
Johannes Badrutt, laid a bet with his
British summer guests that a winter
visit would be equally delightful; if not,
hed cover the cost of their holiday. He
won the bet and within two years the
hotel was fully booked with winter
guests. The Kulm remains a St Moritz
stalwart today, with its newly-launched
spa continuing the tradition of
invigorating guests throughout the
year. alpineanswers.co.uk;
020 7801 1080; stmoritz.ch
Despite its location just a few minutes

walk from central Mribel, Mont
Tremblant sits in sizeable private
grounds with one of the only outdoor
swimming pools in town. Having nearly
doubled in size following an extensive
refurbishment, the six-bedroom chalet
bursts onto Mribels luxury scene this
winter, with a particularly impressive
double-height master bedroom
occupying the entire rst oor. The
chalet retains traditional styling like
timber-panelled rooms and wood
burning replaces while adding
state-of-the-art bathrooms, a cinema
and games room. meriski.co.uk;
01285 648518; les3vallees.com
APRS-SKI
SECTION
season
2015
Slden, Austria
Save some energy to party into the winter's night at

some of the hottest party spots on the slopes
Ischgl, Austria
SKI
CAPSULE
The compact, traditional farming

community of Ischgl might date back to
the 10th century but todays largely car-free
ski town combines the old-school luxury of
resorts like Kitzbhel and St Moritz with a
modern party scene to match (if not out-do)
St Anton and Verbier. Ischgls winters kick
off and end with legendary on-mountain
concerts given by big names like Robbie
Williams, Kylie and Rihanna and continue
through the season with lively aprs-ski
and table-top dancing at Ischgl icons Nikis
Stadl, Romantik Htte and Pacha (yes,
Pacha of Ibiza fame). ischgl.com;
01483 345 723; inghams.co.uk;
Courchevel, France
Courchevel is a place of unashamed
excess, wearing its manicured ski slopes,
ultra-luxury chalets, Michelin-starred
restaurants and vodka and champagnespraying bars with pride. Located in
Courchevels particularly exclusive ski-in/
ski-out Jardin Alpin enclave, hotel LApoge
was launched last December and quickly
established itself as one of the resorts
most sought-after addresses. LApoge
positively oozes hip glamour from its
three-bedroom Penthouse with rooftop
hot tub and intimate Champagne Lounge
serving Prigord trufe hot dogs to the
stylish Bar de LApoge, where resident
DJ Maxee Bee and guest DJs play each
night. scottdunn.com; 020 3642 9060;
courchevel.com
Verbier, Switzerland
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ISCHGL

IN AUSTRIA; THE DAS CENTRAL HOTEL
IN SLDEN, AUSTRIA. ROOM AT
L'APOGE, COURCHEVEL; THE POOL AT
W VERBIER; DOWNHILL AT ISCHGL
Although well known in Europe for its

virtually year-round glacier skiing and
unfettered aprs-ski, Slden ies under
the radar for most Brits. But it shouldnt
do. The skiing on its three dramatic 3,000ft
glaciers is seriously impressive. As the sun
goes down, Sldens main street echoes to
the sound of aprs-ski rocking the 80-odd
bars, clubs and restaurants that pack it
out. Our top tips: retreat from the aprs
madness to Sldens only ve-star hotel,
Das Central, and dont walk the vertiginous
Tiefenbachkogl viewing gangplank with a
hangover. central-soelden.at;
0043 5254 22600; soelden.com
It could be argued that Verbier didnt need

to launch W Verbier last winter, the rst
Alpine branch of the hip hotel brand, to
conrm its position as the preferred winter
destination of party-loving celebrities.
The Ws chic Living Room cocktail bar
and rocking Destination Bar instantly
made Verbiers list of hot spots, joining the
infamous Farm Club, Casbah, Farinet and
Le Rouge. Complete with a spa, stylish
shops and a restaurant from two Michelinstarred Spanish chef Sergi Arola, the W is
the cherry on the icing on the Verbier cake.
oxfordski.com; 01993 899 420; verbier.ch
1 . MO NCLER JUNIO R ARR IOUS,

FRO M 435 , HARRO DS. CO M
2 . WATERPRO O F ELSA UGG B O OTS,
180 , UGGAUSTRALIA .CO .UK
3 . G UCCI M EN'S SKI GO GG LES,
120 , G UCCI .CO M 4 . SALO MO N
RANG ER C AI R , 1 15 , SALO MO N.CO M
season
FAMILY
SECTION
2015
FA M I LY
Some of the finest ski resorts in the world are
heaven sent for snow-lovers travelling
with their little people
Vail, Colorado
Its hard to beat Vail for skiing with a
young family. The slopes are quieter than
in European resorts, the snow is more
reliable, the instructors are unfailingly
patient and friendly and childrens classes
are kept small. Add to that special ski
lessons for kids and teens such as the
new Ski Girls Rock camp created by
Olympic gold medallist Lindsey Vonn
for girls aged 7-16, dedicated kids

adventure zones on the mountain, and
a pedestrianised village packed with
family-friendly restaurants and attractions
and, as locals would say, its a no-brainer.
ski-i.com; 0131 516 4026; vail.com
La Plagne, France
CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: THE
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
RESORT OF LAXX IN
SWITZERLAND; CHALETS
AT LA PLAGNE IN
FRANCE; SKIING AT
PORTES DU SOLEIL
IN FRANCE
Comprising ten villages and 225km of
Lech, Austria
mostly beginner and intermediate
pistes, in addition to a further 200km
of trails in the larger Paradiski ski area,
La Plagne is big. And, for families, big
is beautiful, particularly when staying
at the plush self-catered Les Granges
du Soleil apartments. Located in Plagne
Soleil & Plagne Village, a smattering
of traditionally-styled chalets in a sundrenched bowl above Plagne Centre,
Les Granges du Soleil offers ski-in/
ski-out convenience, a spa, indoor pool,
sauna and daily breakfast deliveries.
skicollection.co.uk; 0844 576 0175;
la-plagne.com
Lech has long been favoured by the rich

and royal, who have ocked here for
its exceptional hotels, skiing and snow.
The picture-perfect Alpine village takes
exclusivity seriously, limiting daily lift ticket
sales to 14,000 to prevent guests feeling
crowded on the mountain. The unusual
policy works: hotels enjoy unparalleled
repeat guest numbers, with families
returning year after year, particularly to the
Goldener Berg in Oberlech, a smattering
of hotels located above Lech, which is
reached by cable car and has its very own
ski kindergarten. powderbyrne.com;
020 8246 5300; lech-zuers.at
ski in
ski out
With temperatures dropping and nights drawing in, winter is preparing to

drape her snowy cloak over the Alps again. Yes, it's time to get your skis on...
he CERVO Mountain Boutique Resort,
essentially eight wooden chalets tucked into an
Alpine clearing above Zermatt, is a genuine
labour of love. Together with his wife Seraina,
local man Daniel F. Lauber has transformed what was
once his familys chalet into one of Zermatts most
unusual hotels, and its only ski-in/ski-out property.
The original chalet forms the heart of the CERVO,

housing a Gault Millau-rated restaurant, stylish bar
and welcoming lounge with unbroken views of the
Matterhorn. The buildings that cluster around it not
only feature chic guestrooms and suites but each
benet from their own spa for the ultimate indulgence.
Despite its secluded setting and rustic exterior,
CERVO is anything but cheesy Alpine kitsch within

the Laubers had a distinctly contemporary vision for
their property. It was important to Seraina and I that
we created the hotels interiors ourselves, explains
Daniel. We wanted it to reect our spirit, our identity
if you like, which runs through everything.
That spirit is successfully embodied in the CERVOs
sophisticated design and secured the property a
coveted spot in the exclusive Design Hotels
portfolio. Using local materials, the Laubers harnessed
the simplicity of their mountain surroundings with
exposed stone supports, old timber beams and pine
ceilings and then complemented it with tactile tartan
upholstered walls, voluptuous felt curtains and
warming glass-encased res. Antiques sourced from
local markets and stylised deer antlers complete the
subtle hunting lodge theme that infuses the property
(cervo means deer in Italian).
This winter the Laubers are celebrating the CERVOs
fth birthday by launching a new restaurant, the
Ferdinand. Promising to be Zermatts hottest new
opening, complete with New York brasserie-style
interiors, the Ferdinand will feature a menu dedicated
Clockwise from top:
CERVO Mountain
Boutique Resort in
winter; Master bath
of CERVO Owner's
Lodge; Bedroom of
CERVO Master Suite;
CERVO Spa Suite;
CERVO Bar
READER OFFER
Celebrate the CERVOs fth birthday with the
White Horn Package, which includes seven nights
bed & breakfast, two 3-course la carte dinners
at the CERVO restaurant, a 3course la carte
dinner at the Ferdinand and a six-day lift pass.
From CHF4,650 / 3,075 for two people.
cervo.ch; 0041 27 968 1212
to quintessential Swiss favourites fondue, raclette and

grilled meats created using exclusively local produce
and washed down with local wines. Housed in a chalet
just below the CERVO on the Ried piste leading into
Zermatt, the Ferdinand will host daily live music and
regular concerts, ensuring its future as the place for
sophisticated aprs-ski in this iconic Swiss resort.
Saint Martin de
Belleville, France
SKI
CAPSULE
Its impossible not to fall under the spell

of Saint Martin de Belleville as you ski
into it. The sleepy cluster of authentic
Savoyard timber and slate-roofed farms
and stables is watched over by an old
church, several of them transformed
into cosy restaurants like Le
Montagnard, which offers farm-to-table
dining. Boasting sweeping views over
the village, the self-catered Les Chalets
du Gypse apartments offer ski-in/
ski-out access to quiet nursery
slopes, which lead up to the vast
Three Valleys skiing area.
peakretreats.co.uk; 0844 576 0170;
st-martin-belleville.com
CLOCKWISE FROM THIS

IMAGE: APRS SKI AT
ASPEN, COLORADO; SKI
PARK IN GEILO, NORWAY;
FRESHLY GROOMED PISTES
AT LAXX IN SWITZERLAND
Geilo, Norway
Perched on a frozen lake and wedged
between dramatic fjords, Geilo is
the epitome of winter wonderland
perfection. And, while the resort
delivers fantastic skiing for beginners
and intermediates, Geilo also offers
husky-sledding, horse-drawn sleigh
rides, snowmobile safaris, guided
nature safaris and ice-shing. For the
ultimate winter experience, stay in the
Forest Chalet, a traditional log cabin
nestled in dense forest and warmed by
wood res. The catered chalet sleeps
eight, comes with a sauna and is a few
minutes walk from the lifts, ski school
and kindergarten. crystalski.co.uk;
0203 733 1918; geilo.no
1. DIOR ENIGMATIC SUNGLASSES,

365 , DIOR.COM 2 . CHANEL SKIS,
POA, CHANEL.CO M 3 .WATERPRO O F
ADIRONDACK BO OT, 220,
UGGAUSTRALIA.CO.UK 4. VO LCO M EH
GORE -TEX GLOVES , 109 .99,
GORE -TEX.CO.UK 5 . PICTUR E O RGANIC
CLOTHING APOLLA SUIT, 479.99,
PICTURE -ORGANIC-CLOTHI NG .CO M
Aspen, Colorado
Theres something about a grand hotel
like the St Regis in Aspen that captivates
children like little else. The sparkling
chandeliers, roaring res, dapper bellboys
and dainty footprints in fresh snow

that lead to steaming hot tubs create
memories that last a lifetime. Combine
this with learning to ski in one of the
worlds most iconic resorts and youll
also create the habit of a lifetime. Aspen
Snowmass offers skiing across four
diverse mountains, including Buttermilk,
whose forgiving slopes provide one of
the worlds best places to learn to ski and
snowboard. oxfordski.com; 01993 899
420; aspensnowmass.com
Laxx, Switzerland
The relatively young resort of LAAX should
be on every skiing familys bucket list,
particularly if your clan includes a budding
snowboarder or freestyler. Together with
its lift-linked neighbours Flims and Falera,
LAAX is Europes leading freestyle resort
offering 235km of ski terrain, including
40km of dedicated freeride terrain, four
snow parks, a superpipe, minipipe and
Europes rst indoor freestyle training
centre. The stylish self-catered Rocks
Resort apartments in LAAX offer ultimate
convenience, handily located at the base of
the ski area amongst the restaurants, bars
and shops. skisafari.com; 01273 224060;
laax.com
La Toussuire, France
The Maurienne Valley is the nal frontier
of French skiing: a scenic, rural area
encompassing 22 small resorts youve
probably never heard of. Among them is
the old farming village of La Toussuire,
which offers 55km of pistes with plenty
of space dedicated to children and
beginners. Its also lift-linked to ve
other villages, creating the Les Sybelles
ski area, which boasts a surprisingly
extensive 310km of pistes, virtually all
of which are perfect for beginners and
intermediates. peakretreats.co.uk; 0844
576 0170; maurienne-tourisme.com
condenastjohansens.com
Elysian Collection, Switzerland
EXTREME
SECTION
season
2015
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

DOWNHILL AT SALT LAKE IN
UTAH; DINING AREA AT THE
CHEDI IN ANDERMATT; SKIING
IN ICELAND IS COMING OF AGE
EXTREME
Dine out on tales of derring-do for years
to come after a trip to one of these
adrenaline-fuelled specialist resorts
Ski Salt Lake, Utah
Deplar Farm, Iceland
For the ultimate powder safari, put Utahs

claim to have the greatest snow on earth
to the test. Ski Salt Lake comprises the
four resorts of Alta, Brighton, Snowbird
and Solitude in the Cottonwood Canyons,
delivering some of the worlds nest powder
skiing on one lift pass. The towns are small,
quirky and low-key while the terrain ranges
from snow-choked glades and open powder
bowls to cliff bands and pillow lines. Just
dont bring your snowboard if youre heading
to Alta its strictly skiers only. skisafari.
com; 01273 224060; utah.com
When it opens next spring, Deplar Farm

will take adventure travel in Iceland to a
whole new level. Set in a remote valley
near Icelands rugged north-western coast
and encircled by 3,000ft peaks, Deplar is
currently being transformed from a working
sheep farm into a luxury retreat. Guests can
enjoy heli-skiing and ski touring from the
peaks of glaciers to the ocean, descending
the anks of deep fjords under the midnight
sun, as well as heli-shing for Atlantic
salmon in pristine rivers. elevenexperience.
com; 001 970 349 7761; iceland.is
SKI
CAPSULE
Andermatt and
Disentis, Switzerland
Andermatt, a small Swiss town with big
mountain skiing, was catapulted into the
headlines last winter when it welcomed the
rst Alpine Chedi, which outshines many
(more expensive) hotels in St Moritz and
Verbier. With the imminent launch of more
hotels, apartments and villas, Andermatts
previously deserted slopes are getting
busier, so grab the train to neighbouring
Disentis for guaranteed fresh tracks.
Currently a favourite among freeskiing
Swedes the divining rod of epic off-piste
skiing Disentis is our top powder tip this
winter, complete with the hip new Lodge
SAX, opening in December and run by some
of those Swedes. thechedi-andermatt.
com; lodgesax.com; myswitzerland.com
Whakapapa,
New Zealand
1 . WO M ENS BLACK WO O L KNITTED CO LLAR ,

DIO R .CO M ; 2 . SKI GO GG LES, 250 ,
CHANEL.CO M ; 3 . WO M ENS ARC'TERYX
ANDESSA JACKET, 650 , ARCTERYX . CO M ;
4 . M I M I BERRY ZER MATT TRAV EL BAG ,
375 , M I M I BERRY . CO . UK; 5 . CHANEL UV
ESSENTI EL SUN PROTECTIO N CR EAM SPF
30 , 4 1 , CHANEL.CO .UK
As bragging rights go, skiing down a

live volcano is up there with the best.
Whakapapa, New Zealands largest ski
area, cannot only boast that 75 percent of
its runs are for intermediate and advanced
skiers but also lays claim to the countrys
best backcountry skiing. The undisputed
backcountry highlight is the hike up to the
peak of Mount Ruapehu (North Island's
tallest mountain) to admire the crater lake
before skiing into the neighbouring Turoa
ski area. The most celebrated ski run in
the Antipodes, youll be dining off tales
about volcano skiing for years to come.
newzealand.com
HEALTH MONEY
2014
NEXT
GEN
RETAIL
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With four incredibly varied mountains,

Aspen Snowmass is a prestigious ski
resort synonymous with outstanding
service and world renowned skiing,
dining and aprs-ski.
Travel to Aspen Snowmass this winter with

a tailor-made package from Ski Independence
and benet from a huge selection of ights
and fantastic hand-picked accommodation
with savings of up to 30%.
For a tailor-made Aspen quote speak to an expert:
0131 243 8097 ski@ski-i.com

www.ski-i.com/usa/aspen-snowmass
Image courtesy of Aspen Snowmass.
HEALTH & BEAUTY
W
W
COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED
Luxury Swiss skincare specialist Valmont has launched
its Elixir Des Glaciers range at Hotel Caf Royals
Akasha Holistic Wellbeing centre. The Dmaquillant
Prcieux Vos Yeux, made with rose oil, glacial
water and echinacea, removes make-up
leaving lashes strengthened and
protected. 68, hotelcaferoyal.com
LUXURY
HEAD OVER HEELS

Bring a ash of the exotic
to your LBD this winter
with these exquisite
Allenissima shoes by
Christian Louboutin. 625,
0843 227 4322
loves
THE
CHECK THESE OUT

The gorgeously soft shirts from Los
Angeles label RAILS have been a huge
hit with everyone from Gisele to Kate
Moss. Now theyve just launched in
the UK. Divinely comfortable to wear,
its easy to see why theyve been such
a hit with the fashion set. From 115,
harveynichols.com
The new Zrich Worldtimer True

Blue watch from NOMOS Glashtte
showcases nearly every time zone
in the world on a fantastically chic
blue dial. It is also conveniently easy
to use: a simple button on the case,
a small-time disk and the red icon
on the dial are all it requires.
3,850, nomos-glashuette.com
GOURMET
LUXURY
The GC Mini
Chic in polished
rose gold PVD
is part of its new
African Dream
Collection and
will look great
whether youre
on safari or in
far less exotic
climes. 450,
gcwatches.com
Planning your next holiday? Gozo is Maltas sister island and has an abundance
of untouched rural landscapes, dramatic coastal rock formations and a scattering
of ancient temples, churches, even a mighty citadel. When you go, make sure you
dine at Ta Cenc il-Kantra Lido, a picturesque seafood restaurant with a menu
that combines Sicilian and local cuisine. www.tacenchotel.com
LUXURY
PETAL POWER
For the Cruise 2015 season,
Guccis Creative Director
Frida Giannini has
collaborated with artist Kris
Knight on a reworking of
Guccis most iconic print
the result is a strong,
feminine statement piece.
1,200, Gucci.com
RAY OF SUNSHINE
After 75 years of pushing boundaries, you might think
that Ray-Ban would take a back seat, but the eyewear
pioneer's latest collection of leather, denim, steel, titanium
and velvet is cooler than ever. Ray-Ban Steel Aviator
from 135, sunglasseshut.co.uk
FASHION
Weve joined forces with Orlebar

Brown to launch the Cond Nast
Traveller edit of holiday staples
printed with an exclusive selection
of images handpicked from our
archives. www.orlebarbrown.co.uk
LUXURY
FOOD & DRINK
TREASURE TROVE
This eye-catching Topaz
Blue set of lingerie by
Marie Jo Jane is just part
LOVE ME, SQUEEZE ME

Theres a distinct Bellini frenzy
at this time of the year, so Ive
gone in search of the perfect
fruit nectar and discovered
the Jus de Pommeraie range.
It's made using the highest
grade produce from French
farmers, which is processed
within hours to ensure
full avour and aroma are
retained. All you need to add is
a perfectly chilled bottle
of zz! From 1.60,
jusdepommeraie.com
of the jewel-coloured
offerings at Rigby &
Peller this season. Marie
Jo Jane Underwired
Padded Push-up bra,
93.95; Marie Jo Jane
Fashion G-String,
43.95, rigbyandpeller.co.uk
LUXURY
Coconut
oil has
been hailed as the
HEALTH
& BEAUTY
healthiest oil to cook with and is also
the go-to beauty product for many
a beauty journalist. So when Jax
Coco launched the purest Coconut
Oil in the world we were rst in line
As well as keeping your

teeth sparkling white, the
new Oral-B Smart Series
Brush connects to your
iPhone via Bluetooth to
give you detailed data on
your brushing habits.
229.99, boots.com
to vegetable and unrened oils, it

has huge health benets, boosts
energy levels and multi-tasks as
one of nature's greatest natural
moisturisers. Were hooked! 10,
shop.jaxcoco.com
HEALTH & BEAUTY
HEALTH & BEAUTY
to try it out. Used as an alternative
MERCIER MISSION
The new Chameleon Collection from Laura Mercier creates
a gorgeous sultry look for the holiday season the All Over
Face Colour Brush is particularly cute with its leopard-print
design. 35, lauramercier.com
Dream Destinations
Dream Destinations
EUROPE-UK
LA SABLONNERIE HOTEL. A convivial
corner of a beautiful island. Gorgeous
gardens, peace and tranquillity, birds,
butteries, owers, horses and carriages
no cars how could one not enjoy this
amazing paradise? You will nd this hotel
to have a great joie de vivre as well as
terric food. La Sablonnerie has recently
received the highly coveted award from
Cond Nast Johansen - Small Hotel of
the Year. Visit www.sablonneriesark.com
or call 01481 832 061.
Middleham House offers a unique and

luxurious boutique English country house
experience, in the picturesque Yorkshire
town of Middleham. It is the perfect
destination for family holidays, fairy tale
weddings or a myriad of country pursuits.
Phone: 0207 733 5716.
Website: www.themiddlehamhouse.com
Deelin Mor Lodge is a secluded retreat in

the midst of the Burren, one of Irelands
most unique areas of outstanding natural
beauty. This design led family home, built in
the style of an Irish Georgian hunting lodge,
accommodates up to 10 people and is
perfect for holidays, special occasions or a
weekend break. www.deelinmor.com
Tel: +353 65 708 9009.
The Grifn Inn. A 16th century inn based

in the heart of Sussex. Offering thirteen
individually designed bedrooms, it
provides a haven of rest for any traveller.
Their renowned restaurant offers a
seasonal menu with locally sourced
produce and an extensive wine list.
www.thegriffininn.co.uk 01825 722890.
Dream Destinations
EUROPE
Hotel dei Borgognoni. Enjoy your sleep at
this privately owned hotel. With just a 4
minute walk from the Spanish Steps and
the Trevi Fountain, it is ideally located. This
Boutique hotel is offering Cond Nast
Johansens readers an exclusive extra 5%
discount on the web rates. Insert code
johansens2013 in the booking engine of
the hotel. Visit: www.hotelborgognoni.com
tel: +39 06 69941505.
BOUTIQUE BEYEVI HOTEL in ALACATI,
TURKEY. Nestled in the Aegeans stylish
Alacati town, the Beyevi is an oasis of a
boutique hotel lovingly restored from old
village houses. Matching the towns allure of
vintage and contemporary style, it is the ideal
hideaway for relaxation with a beautiful pool,
gourmet cuisine and 15 stunning rooms.
www.beyevi.com.tr E: info@beyevi.com.tr
T: +90 533 602 1600
HERITAGE LISBON HOTELS

Live the Portuguese Charm and Tradition
in the Historic centre of Lisbon. Stay in
one of the 5 Heritage Lisbon Hotels
Collection As Janelas Verdes, Heritage
Avenida Liberdade Hotel, Hotel Britania,
Hotel Lisboa Plaza and Solar Do Castelo.
Tel: +351 213 218 200
heritage.hotels@heritage.pt
www.heritage.pt
Valencia Mindfulness Retreat, a beautiful

bed and breakfast situated in the centre
of Historic Valencia voted one of
TripAdvisors top 8 places to stay in
Spain. Indulge yourself with a visit to the
in the in-house massage room for the
ultimate pampering experience, or a quiet
moment in the early bird meditation room.
W: www.valenciamindfulnessreatreat.org
E: info@valenciamindfulnessreatreat.org
For a holiday set against a backdrop of

Sardinian idyll, look no further than Park
Hotel & Spa Cala di Lepre. This stunning
Delphina hotel will suit couples and
families looking for relaxation, activities
and wonderful views.
Visit www.justsardinia.co.uk
or call 01202 484858.
NORTH AMERICA
ZURICH
HOTEL RESTAURANT HELVETIA
The boutique hotel Helvetia with its 16
individually furnished rooms is a real jewel
among the citys hotels. The family-run
and individual hotel and restaurant offer a
home from home to business travellers,
city explorers and Zurich lovers alike.
Phone: 0041 (0)44 297 99 98
Web: www.hotel-helvetia.ch
PORTIXOL, open all year and located

within walking distance to Palma. The
rooms are light, spacious, well-planned.
Recognized for its food, wines and views,
friendly and efficient service, laid back and
relaxed ambience with a cosmopolitan mix
of guests. Tel: +34 971 27 18 00.
Website: www.portixol.com
ESPLENDIDO, a modern vintage hotel, in
charming Puerto de Soller. Perfect spot
for lazy or active holidays. Enjoy the
outdoor pools and sunbeds, and the spa
which features an indoor pool, saunas and
fully-equipped gym. Bistro serves fresh
Mediterranean food. Sunset views from
the cocktail bar. Tel: +34 971 63 18 50.
Website: www.esplendidohotel.com
Come to the Gran Hotel Atlantis Baha

Real, located in one of the most attractive
areas of Fuerteventura, right on the seafront
near the stunning beauty of Corralejo
Natural Dune Park. This is a hotel designed
for the ultimate in relaxation, privacy and
luxurious pampering, where personal touch
and attention to detail are guaranteed. Tel:
+34 928 53 71 53, E-mail:
reservations.bahiareal@atlantishotels.com
Web: www.atlantisbahiareal.com
Welcome to Galini Hotel and Villas, your

home away from home. Perched on the
imposing volcanic cliffs of Santorini, in one
of the most beautiful spots on the island,
Galini overlooks a cerulean blue immensity
with sweeping views of the volcano, the
caldera and the Aegean sea. We invite you,
our most welcomed guests, to discover our
little paradise. Visit: www.hotelgalini.gr or
Call: +30 22860 22095
La Villa de Mazamet
Luxury B&B in the heart of SW France.
Visit www.villademazamet.com
or email info@villademazamet.com
for more information.
La Maison dUlysse. Escape the bustle of

modern life at this luxuriously renovated,
17th century farmhouse and now luxury
boutique hotel; A heady mix of exceptional
rooms, vineyard views, plentiful gardens
and fine food awaits you.
www.lamaisondulysse.com
+33 6 48 77 67 70
Hotel Botnico
Member of The Leading Hotels of The
World and featuring the award-winning
Oriental Spa Garden, Hotel Botnico 5*
GL offers an elegant and tranquil
atmosphere surrounded by 25.000 sqm of
magnificent landscaped gardens. Located
close to spectacular volcanic beaches
and a picturesque Canarian town centre
with excellent dining facilities in four
speciality restaurants. All rooms and
suites offer extraordinary views of the
Atlantic Ocean or Mount Teide.
Visit www.hotelbotanico.com
tel: +34 922 381 400.
STONEHURST PLACE ATLANTA.

Located in Midtown Atlantas arts and
business district, this eco-friendly inn is a
quick, easy transfer from Atlanta
International Airport and onward to many
of Atlantas best places to tour. Atlantas
crown jewel and Global Top Ten Urban
Inn, Stonehurst Place is the perfect start
or end to a stylish US holiday or business
trip. The original 1896 architecture now
offers beautifully appointed en-suite rooms
and a sophisticated art collection. Prices
from 129 include gourmet breakfast, allday refreshments, parking and wi-fi.
phone: +1 404 881 0722
email: info@StonehurstPlace.com
www.StonehurstPlace.com
HOB KNOB is a 19th century gothic

revival home transformed into the islands
premier luxury boutique hotel. Whether
you stay in the 17-room Hob Knob Hotel
or prefer the exclusive privacy of your very
own private house, guests can expect
individualised hospitality, a gym and locally
sourced goods. Just a short walk from the
town and a stones throw from the
waterfront, rental bikes and even the
Hobknobber 27 ft. boat are at hand for
enjoying Marthas Vineyard to the full.
Visit www.hobknob.com or call
+11 800 6962723.
Evas Escape at the Gardenia Inn, San

Antonio, Texas, is located in the famous King
William Historic District, the house was built
circa 1905 and is tastefully furnished with
antiques and family treasures. Whether
enjoying a stroll along the Riverwalk or
soaking in one of the antique claw foot tubs,
a stay at Evas Escape will rejuvenate your
body and spirit. W: www.evasescape.com
T: +001 210 223 5875
Dream Destinations
AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN

HOT
LIST
THE 60 BEST
NEW HOTELS
IN THE WORLD
THE ZANZIBAR COLLECTION

Exotic, Luxurious, Zanzibar!
The Zanzibar Collection is a privately
owned collection of beautiful boutique
hotels inspired by the magic of Zanzibar,
lying on one of the Top 30 Island beaches
in the world. Offering a range of water
sports, stunning spas and East Africas
only National Geographic afliated PADI 5
star Dive Centre. Baraza Resort and Spa
was chosen as one of the Worlds 60
Best New Hotels on the Conde Nast
Hotlist. www.thezanzibarcollection.com
Hotel Dar Zitoune, a luxurious hotel with
14 beautiful bungalows, 8 suites and
8 stunning tented rooms. The resort
features 2 swimming pools, Jacuzzi and
offers Hammam massages at the spa.
Visit their newly opened Veranda
restaurant for spectacular garden views.
Tel: 00 (212) 528 55 11 41
website: www.darzitoune.ma
Dream Destinations
AUSTRALASIA & OCEANIA

Dream Destinations
ASIA
A stay at Gangtey Goenpa Lodge offers

an insight into the ancient Kingdom of
Bhutan, which to this day remains one of
the worlds most mysterious and
undiscovered destinations in the world. To
experience unparalleled luxury, breathtaking views and Himalayan hot air balloon
flights visit www.easternsafaris.com or call
+975 1716 0666.
THE HUKA RETREATS

www.hukaretreats.com
Three sister properties in South Africa, Fiji
and New Zealand chic and understated
statements of exclusivity and seclusion, all
offering an exceptional hospitality experience
to the worlds most discerning travellers.
GRANDE PROVENCE ESTATE, South
Africa, is located within a one-hour drive
from Cape Town. This 300-year old heritage
estate offers award-winning wines, cuisine
and art gallery with superb accommodation
at The Owners Cottage and La Provenale.
T +27 (0)21 876 8600
E reservations@grandeprovence.co.za
DOLPHIN ISLAND, Fiji offers 14-acres of
Pacific private island beauty, romance and
luxury castaway time for a max. of 8
guests, on an exclusive-use basis.
HUKA LODGE, New Zealand, is famed for
its natural beauty, legendary hospitality and
absolute style since the 1920s. With just
25 rooms within 17-acres of manicured
grounds.
Contact: T +64 7 378 5791
E reservations@hukalodge.co.nz
for both Huka Lodge & Dolphin Island
reservations.

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FEATURE
On The Move...
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PONGWE
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LUXURY CORNISH COASTAL HOUSES
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www.glencanisp-lodge.co.uk
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HOTELLERIE DE MASCOGNAZ
Invitation to tuscany
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ZZZLQYLWDWLRQWRWXVFDQ\FRP
info@cortedigabriela.com
+39 041 5235077
www.hotelleriedemascognaz.com
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Handpicked
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LQ
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www.blueplanetyachtcharters.co.uk
info@blueplanetyachtcharters.co.uk
UK +44 (0)1233 226 300
$IDPLO\UXQDJHQF\(VW
6HOIFDWHULQJSURSHUWLHVZLWKSRROV
3HUVRQDOORFDONQRZOHGJH
)5((&RQFLHUJH6HUYLFH
020 8444 9500
On The Move...
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Distinctive
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in Europe,
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PRIVATE PROPERTIES ABROAD
enquiries@ppaproperties.com
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32578*$/785.(<
)5$1&(,7$/<&52$7,$
2787
Call for a brochure or to speak to one of our specialists
01954 261431
V5643
Now in our 25th year
or visit our website www.vintagetravel.co.uk
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VIEW WITH A ROOM
yoga instructors, along with a raw-food chef and a handful of massage therapists. This 16-million, purpose-built wellness and adventure
retreat opened in January as a place where the urban weary can nd respite for the soul and time out from technology. Founded by
US nancier Chris Madison, a former devotee of The Ashram in California, and his on-site business partner Damian Chaparro, Aro H
is fuelled by an impressive hydro-and-solar energy system. Add a kitchen garden and an earth cellar for harvested produce and you
have guaranteed guilt-free dining for those who care about the planet. Start the day with sun salutations, climb a mountain peak or two
before lunch, then have an afternoon of massages, health seminars and downward dog. Rooms in larchwood buildings like the one
pictured are big, with down-covered beds to get lost in; and if you get bored (unlikely), just suck in the lake and mountain views from
every window. Leave your Louboutins at home (or at least in your hotel at Queenstown, 45 minutes down the road). Dressing for supper
here means running your ngers through your hair post-yoga, and the main lodge is barefoot luxury, literally. RACHAEL OAKES-ASH
33 Station Valley Road, Glenorchy (+64 3 442 7011; www.aro-ha.com). Five-day retreats from about 2,350 per person
PHOTOGRAPH: CAMILLA RUTHERFORD
WHERE ARE WE? NEW ZEALAND

TAKEN FROM THE SPA TERRACE AT ARO HA, GLENORCHY
WHY WE LOVE IT The peace and quiet. Its just you and 11 others, waited on by handsome mountain guides who double as
hard rock hotel orlando
BALI . BILOXI . CANCUN . CHICAGO . HOLLYWOOD, FL . IBIZA . LAS VEGAS . MACAU . NORTHFIELD PARK . ORLANDO . PALM SPRINGS
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ERDEM
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FASHION GUIDE
Voted Favourite Tour Operator at the Cond Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards 2014.
Carrier specialises in luxury tailor-made holidays worldwide. Service is personal, exible and haute couture.
www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide
FASHION GUIDE
MODEL WEARS: SUNGLASSES, 120, KATE SPADE (+44 20 7836 3988). BUSTIER, 280, YIQING YIN (WWW.MONTAIGNEMARKET.COM).
SKIRT, 1,050, ROKSANDAILINCIC (WWW.NET-A-PORTER.COM). SLIDERS, 125, RUSSELL & BROMLEY (WWW.RUSSELLANDBROMLEY.CO.UK)
LOOK OUT!
There are lots of great
offers on our chosen
destinations in this
guide, but only a
limited time to take
advantage of them.
Dont miss out book
now by calling Carrier
on +44 161 826 3556
or visiting www.carrier.
co.uk/fashionguide
Many magazines advise you how to pack: that capsule wardrobe for a long-weekend city break or for two weeks on the
beach bringing only hand luggage. But looking the part is about much more than that. Fashion can take you places,
transport you on fantasy trips; it is also a way to fully immerse yourself in a destination. Here, in the Cond Nast
Traveller Fashion Guide in association with One&Only Resorts and Carrier, we bring together the savviest and most
adventurous insiders to share the smartest addresses, clever beauty tools and distinct style of the places they love.
FIONA LINTOTT, FASHION GUIDE EDITOR

ON THE COVER: ONE&ONLY HAYMAN ISLAND PHOTOGRAPHED BY WILLIAMS + HIRAKAWA HAIR: JENNY KIM MAKE-UP: SARAH TAMMER
MODEL: SAARA SIHVONEN BODYSUIT YIQING YIN TUNIC CEDRIC CHARLIER BOOTS SOPHIA WEBSTER JEWELLERY SEE STORY PAGE 44
EDITOR: MELINDA STEVENS PUBLISHER: SIMON LEADSFORD MANAGING DIRECTOR: NICHOLAS COLERIDGE
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Metcalfe Deputy Art Director: Paula Ellis Art Editor: Jon-Paul Pezzolo Photographic Production Matthew Buck Picture Editor: Karin Mueller Still-life Photography: Sudhir Pithwa
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THE TIME OF PUBLICATION. PRICE DISCLAIMER: UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED ALL TOUR OPERATOR PACKAGE PRICES ARE PER PERSON, BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING
November 2014 Fashion Guide 5
Yellow gold
forever classy!
18K gold
SOUTHAMPTON LAKE TEGERNSEE SYLT PALM BEACH MUNICH

finejewelry@tamaracomolli.com tamaracomolli.com
MIL AN
Felt hat, about 515,
Maison Michel (www.
michel-paris.com)
Leather wallet, 170,

Smythson (www.smythson.
com). Acetate jewelled
sunglasses, 325, Prada
(www.sunglasshut.com)
Faux-fur coat, 595, Shrimps
(www.shrimps.co.uk). Goldplated crystal earrings, 455,
Shourouk at Net-a-porter
(www.net-a-porter.com)
TABITHA SIMMONS
The top tables for Fashion Week
from the stylish shoe designer
BAR MARTINI Dolce & Gabbanas
bar is near to all the best boutiques in
Milan, so its little tree-lined courtyard is
the ideal spot to grab a coffee.
www.dolcegabbana.com/martini
Leather brogues, 590,

Nicholas Kirkwood
(www.nicholaskirkwood.com)
BICE You dont need to understand

the Italian menu here just close your
eyes and point. Everything is delicious.
Bice is one of the oldest restaurants in
town and its always full of fashion editors
and designers. www.bicegroup.com
MARGHERITA MISSONI
PETIT BISTRO A lot of restaurants

in Milan are bold and bright, but this
place is dark and intimate, with amazing
steaks. www.petitbistrogroup.com
LA RISACCA 6 This is the place
for really great sh. The shrimp
and tomato dish is fantastic and it
has the best branzino (seabass) in
the city. www.larisacca6.it
10 CORSO COMO This is a really
popular lunch spot. I go for the tasty
salads and juices perfect for Fashion
Week and afterwards I always spend
ages in the bookshop upstairs.
www.10corsocomo.com
The Italian heiress seeks out the citys secret corners
Beaded silk dress, 795,

Mother of Pearl (www.
net-a-porter.com)
I grew up in Milan, which has so many aesthetic references that

helped forge my taste its a big part of who I am.
Im fascinated by how understated the city is: to see it at
its best you need to explore its hidden parts, the courtyards
and terraces. I go to galleries to relax: Kaufmann Repetto and
Massimo de Carlo are two beautiful contemporary spaces,
and Milan nally has the art museum it deserves with Museo del
Novecento. My favourite place to shop is Spazio Rossana
Orlandi, which is somewhere between a boutique and an
art gallery. The 5VIE area is full of little gems: Wait and See
for niche fashion, handpainted ceramics at Laboratorio
Paravicini, and Artisanal for a great selection of shoes
and ties. In the evenings, bar Jamaica is the only place
for an aperitif, and I always order steak at
Controvapore, where regulars have their own
knives with their names engraved on them.
Patent-leather heels, POA,
Mary Katrantzou (www.
marykatrantzou.com). Leather
bag, 970, Fendi at Farfetch
(www.farfetch.com)
Mink stole,
1,450, Tods
(www.tods.com)
MYKONOS
Raffia trilby, about 35, Bailey

(www.baileyhats.com)
Cotton polka-dot
shirt, about 65,
Saturdays NYC
(www.saturdays
nyc.com)
Acetate sunglasses,
186, Oliver
Peoples (www.
oliverpeoples.com)
Leather trainers,
385, Pierre
Hardy (www.
pierrehardy.com)
YASMIN SEWELL
ERDEM
The sun-seeking fashion
designers holiday hits
AGIOS SOSTIS BEACH
Just past Panormos Bay, this
stretch of golden sand
surrounded by pine-covered
cliffs is quiet and has the
bluest water. Beautiful.
KIKIS TAVERNA
Hidden behind olive trees in a shady courtyard is
this small restaurant above Agios Sostis with no
electricity and no phone. It serves deliciously simple
grilled dishes. Expect to queue, but its worth the wait.
JACKIE O If you are looking to party until the sun
comes up, then this is the place. Its a gay bar in
Paraportiani thats very much for everyone who
enjoys dancing on tables.
Mykonos has a great energy people are here to unwind and have a
chilled-out time on the beach, but theyre also ready to stay up till
3am. Party islands can get a bad rap, but Mykonos is undeniably chic
and very pretty to look at. Summer holidays for me are all
about a small bag, not worrying about a lot of clothes,
just easy throw-on dresses, a hat and a pair of sandals.
My favourite beach is Lia, one of the most tranquil.
Theres a restaurant there called Taverna La Luna,
with great grilled sh and feta, although eating
Cotton T-shirt,
sushi by the pool at Nobu at midnight is also
260, Lanvin
spectacular. But my fondest memory of Mykonos is
(www.mr
the rst time I arrived. I was with my cousin Vanessa;
porter.com)
we had caught the boat from Athens and landed at
dusk. We stood at the port, breathing in the smell of
holidays and freedom that was in the air. It was one of
the best trips of my life... Ive been back six times
since. I think that says it all.
RARITY GALLERY This is the best place to see

contemporary art. Last summer one of my favourite spots
was a pop-up shop at the Belvedere Mykonos, where
Rarity also exhibits, by Santorinis well-known Atlantis
Books, with beautiful art titles. www.raritygallery.com
8 Fashion Guide November 2014
Bluetooth
wireless speakers,
169.95, Bose
(www.bose.co.uk)
Leather holdall,
795, Tumi (uk.
tumi.com)
Surf-print swim shorts,

235, Orlebar Brown (www.
stylebop.com)
NAMMOS The ultimate hangout for an unhurried

lunch. The seafood is amazing and a lounge chair on
the sand at Psarou Beach is the perfect spot for a
post-lunch cocktail. www.nammos.gr
PHOTOGRAPH: LAURENT FABRE
The professional style-setter on her island romance
Airplane travel kit,

20, Malin + Goetz
(www.liberty.co.uk)
Espadrilles, 80,
Castaner (www.
mrporter.com)
Carrier offers ve nights B&B at Grace Mykonos from 680 per person, including ights and transfers, a
saving of up to 110 per couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
CABO
Evelyne bag, 2,840,
Herms (+44 20
7499 8856)
Cotton vest, 70, T by

Alexander Wang at
Harvey Nichols (www.
harveynichols.com)
Denim shorts, 180,

J Brand (www.
jbrandjeans.com)
Leather espadrilles,
POA, Chanel (+44 20
7493 5040)
EVA LONGORIA
Cocktails and cantinas with the glamorous actress
Pink-gold and diamond

bangle, 8,350, Cartier
(www.cartier.co.uk)
THOMASINA MIERS
The street-wise foodie
spills the beans on the
best tacos in town
Acetate sunglasses,
170, Preen (www.
matchesfashion.com)
Cotton shirt, 205,

Equipment (www.
net-a-porter.com)
After-Sun Care Tan

Extender, 94,
Sisley (www.sisleyparis.co.uk)
Silk eyemask,
25, Yolke (www.
yolke.co.uk)
Palace trunk,
POA, Goyard (www.
goyard.com)
Carrier offers seven nights B&B for the price of ve at One&Only Palmilla, Los
Cabos, Mexico from 2,220 per person, including ights and transfers, a saving of
up to 830 per couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
BURRITO SURF
Come here hungry
the burritos are whoppers,
made with real our tortillas,
which are paper-thin and
enriched with lard. Perfect
to set you up for surng.
www.burritosurfcabo.com
LAS CAZUELAS DEL DON

A small restaurant that delivers
seriously good southern-Baja
dishes. Order the tortilla soup.
+52 624 130 7386
LA MEZCALERIA The place
to go to learn about mescal,
traditionally served with orange
and salt, or with a side of roast
worms! +52 624 156 1000
TAQUERIA ROSSY
Famous for its incredible sh and
shrimp tacos, this roadside spot
in San Jos del Cabo is no-frills,
but serves delicious, authentic
food. +52 624 142 6755
NICK SAN Chef Angel
Carbajal gives sushi a Mexican
twist at this fted Cabo San
Lucas restaurant: chilli oils,
jalapeos, lots of fresh lime.
www.nicksan.com
PHOTOGRAPHS: MICHAEL FILONOW/CORBIS OUTLINE; IAN HARRISON/CAMERA PRESS
Polyamide swimsuit,
360, Eres at
Net-a-Porter (www.
net-a-porter.com)
I go to Cabo at least twice a year Mexico has

the loveliest beaches in the world and here is no
exception. The area also has a youthful vibe, but is
rooted in old Mexican traditions. You get the best
of both worlds: fun and authenticity. Packing
is easy: bikinis, a wide-brimmed hat,
ip-ops and cover-ups, so you can take
a dip in the sea, then eat in a beachside
cantina and go back in the water afterwards. I love collecting Mexican serving
platters and the market in San Jos del
Cabo has amazing, brightly patterned
pottery. In the evening, I eat at Agua:
Margaritas, yellow-corn soup, Baja lobster
salad. But my main goal when I come here is to
relax and spend most of my time outside; nothing
beats having an impromptu massage while lying
in the sun on the beach.
ISTANBUL
LAURA BAILEY
The model shares her highlights of the Turkish city
GRAM This is a bakery/caf in the Pera neighbourhood much loved
for its modern menu and homemade ice cream. www.grampera.com
PANDELI I discovered this restaurant (left) in the Egyptian souk one
lunchtime with my daughter. After an early-morning adventure to the
Roman baths of the Basilica Cistern and the Spice Bazaar, Pandeli was
a serene, blue-tiled oasis for a spice-laden feast. www.pandeli.com.tr
GALATA TOWER There are amazing 360 views of the city and
beyond from this 14th-century building its a thrilling climb to
the top. Its in the Beyolu district, which is lled with quirky
hole-in-the-wall coffee, pomegranate-juice and trinket stalls,
guitar stores and galleries.
ORTAKOY I go to this neighbourhood, a village on the river, to buy
bangles, charms and a rainbow of plastic Ray-Bans for my kids. Its great
for rummaging around in lost-in-time bookshops and dusty treasure chests.
ISTANBUL MODERN This art museum in a huge white cube by the
river houses a vast exhibition space alongside a restaurant, cinema, design
store and library. Its brilliant for interactive fun. www.istanbulmodern.org
MARY KATRANTZOU
The print supremo talks jewels and souks
Ceramic tiles (above), 10 each,

Terra Firma Tiles (www.terrarma
tiles.co.uk). Metal and strass necklace,
3,520, Chanel (+44 20 7493 5040)
I'm always blown away by Istanbul's beauty and

vibrancy. Its location is incredible; the entire
length of the city runs alongside the Bosphorus.
Its hot and thats reected in its style Turkish
women are more playful with colour, more
daring, glamorous and condent. I love jewellery
and try to add to my ever-expanding collection
whenever I travel. I went behind the scenes
at one of the stores in the Grand Bazaar and
watched them melting and moulding the silver and I ended up buying an Enamel bangle, 600, Herms
(+44 20 7499 8856)
incredible, intricate piece. Away from the market, I love Beymen in
Istinye Park and Vakko in the Zorlu Center for their diverse selection
of brands. For lunch, Karaky Lokantasi is a hidden gem. Tucked away
on a small street, it has a beautiful interior decorated with coloured
tiles and serves amazing Ottoman dishes.
Macram dress, about 3,800,

Dolce & Gabbana
(+44 20 7659 9000)
Jewelled sunglasses, 155,

A-Morir (www.liberty.co.uk)
Leather sandals, about 710, Dolce

& Gabbana (+44 20 7659 9000)
Floral swimsuit, 320,
Mary Katrantzou
(www.marykatrantzou.com)
Perspex clutch, 450, Yazbukey

at Valery Demure
(www.valerydemure.com)
Leather clutch, 945, Chanel
(+44 20 7493 5040)
Carrier offers three nights B&B at iraan Palace Kempinski in

Istanbul from 825 per person, including ights (+44 161 826 3556;
www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
THE BAHAMAS
INDIA HICKS
I grew up holidaying on Windermere Island, only going across to its neighbour, Harbour Island,
to visit historic Dunmore Town if bribed with ice cream by my father. But 19 years ago I walked into
the boutique hotel here on Harbour that my now-partner David Flint Wood was managing, and
Ive never left. The island is tiny and the tropical heat generates a very laid-back vibe. During the day
people wear Havaianas ip-ops and cut-off shorts; in the evening an embroidered kaftan with bare
feet. Have a Bahamian breakfast of grits and stewed sh at Sybils Bakery, then walk up Gusties Hill
to the Sand Dollar gift shop to buy local treasures. Sip Sip is where youll hear all
Gold-tone brass
the gossip over lobster quesadilla at lunch. Watch a very serious game of dominoes
bracelet, 283, Chlo at
on PLP Dock as the shermen bring in the days catch, then go to the Queen
Matches Fashion (www.
Conch shack next door but ask for tourist strength conch salad or the chilli might
matchesfashion.com)
blow your bikini off. After dinner, stop for a nightcap at the Vic Hum Club.
My favourite thing in the Bahamas is the night sky. On some evenings theres
no moon, just a blanket of constellations and guaranteed shooting stars. On
others, the moons so bright you can see your shadow.
Carrier offers seven nights B&B for the price of ve at One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas from 1,890 per person sharing,
including ights and transfers, a saving of up to 1,500 per couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
PHOTOGRAPHS: BRITT BASEL;

BRITTAN GOETZ; MARY ROZZI
The free-spirited interior designer reveals her inside track on life in the Caribbean
AMBER ANDERSON
The actress shares her

sunshine playlist
I like to listen to a mixture of
music on the beach, but
mainly its something with a
chilled, happy vibe, especially
in the Caribbean. I travel a lot
so always make sure I have
new tunes on my iPod.
ISAAC HAYES
Walk On By
SHUGGIE OTIS
Strawberry Letter 23
LANA DEL REY
Florida Kilos
MAJOR LAZER
Get Free (feat. Amber Coffman)
SYLVAN ESSO
Coffee
To listen, go to www.cntraveller.
com/style-fashion
Straw hat, 335, Eugenia

Kim (www.net-a-porter.
com). Acetate sunglasses,
176, Dolce & Gabbana
at Sunglass Hut (+44
844 264 0870)
Bikini, 215, Marysia at Salt Resort

Wear (www.saltresortwear.com)
Leather Solaris bag,
610, Lara Bohinc
(www.larabohinc.
com). Gold-plated
ring, 197, Eddie
Borgo at Shopbop.com
(www.shopbop.com). Perspex
cuff, 430, Fendi (www.
matchesfashion.com)
T-shirt dress, 755,

Tim Ryan (www.
avenue32.com).
Leather-and-silver Cape
Cod Tonneau watch,
2,600, Herms
(www.hermes.com)
STOCKHOLM
Anglepoise lamp,
149, Anglespoise +
Paul Smith (www.
paulsmith.co.uk)
Wool beanie hat,

45, Orlebar Brown
(www.orlebarbrown.
co.uk)
Stainless-steel
watch, 115, Shore
Projects (www.shore
projects.com)
Jeans, 135,
APC (www.
apc.fr)
Graphic print socks,

6, Happy Socks
(www.happy
socks.com)
Stan Smith trainers,

230, Adidas by
Raf Simons
(www.adidas.com)
Denim quilted
jacket, 420, MARC
by Marc Jacobs
(www.matches
fashion.com)
MAGNUS EK
A avour of the city from the sharpest chef in town
Tray, from 20,
HAY at John
Lewis (www.
johnlewis.com)
I love the architecture in Stockholm and, as it is built across 14

islands, youre always near the water. Its a big city in small-town
clothing, each neighbourhood is different and stylish in its own
way. I live on Djurgrden, a green island where a lot of
people stay on their boats all year round. Seek out Caf
Blockhusporten for a quiet coffee or have a drink at the
Spritmuseum. On the southern side is the old shipyard, where my
restaurant Oaxen Krog & Slip, above, is. When Im not in the
Bicycle, from
kitchen, I eat at Speceriet the no-reservations sister to
699, Pilen
the more formal Gastrologik next door. I really like
(www.there-cyclingwhat it does, focusing on avour and top-quality
shop.co.uk)
produce. For shopping I go to Herr Judit, which
stocks all-mens second-hand and vintage. Nearby
is jewellery designer Efva Attlings store. Her speciality
is playing with words and she makes pieces that
have a message. Buy a gift here for someone you love.
YUKIMI NAGANO
Little Dragons lead singer charts
her Swedish playlist
EL PERRO DEL MAR
Candy
Leather backpack,
1,295, Christian
Louboutin at Matches
Fashion (www.matches
fashion.com)
Cotton sweatshirt,
215, JW Anderson
at Matches Fashion
(www.matches
fashion.com)
Acetate glasses, 295,

Cutler & Gross (www.
cutlerandgross.com)
PETER, BJORN AND JOHN

Ancient Curse
Wool chair, 3,948;

wool ottoman,
1,140, both The
Conran Shop (www.
conranshop.co.uk)
BOB HUND
Instllet fr Musik Frvirring
THE KNIFE
Silent Shout. This track is perfect to get lost in
on a winters day in Stockholm.
To listen, go to www.cntraveller.com/style-fashion
Suede brogues with

neon trim, 175, Russell
& Bromley (www.
russellandbromley.co.uk)
PHOTOGRAPH: NIK HARTLEY
LUKAS NYSTRAND VON UNGE

Melodi
MAURITIUS
V
FIRST
Silk dress, POA, Emilio Pucci

(www.emiliopucci.com). Rubber
and jewel necklace, 380, EK
Thongprasert at Valery Demure
(www.valerydemure.com)
Make your way to the ONE&ONLY LE SAINT GERAN, the smartest place to stay on the
island, and slip immediately into a nautical HEIDI KLEIN bikini.
BREAKFAST
Full LULULEMON workout gear for your post-gym smoothie and eggs.
DINNER
A fabulous EMILIO PUCCI dress for a meal at Rasoi by Vineet restaurant.
BLING AT
Pimp a DOLCE & GABBANA bikini with your stonking JESSICA MCCORMACK engagement
ring and LOOM BAND bracelets made by the little rascals. Bit of rough, bit of smooth.
SLAP ON
Rubber sandals, 70, Ancient

Greek Sandals (www.ancient
greeksandals.com). Surfboard,
about 1,095, The Society Inc
(www.thesocietyinc.com.au).
Neoprene top, 45, Roxy (+44 20
7392 4020). Polyamide bikini, 265,
Dolce & Gabbana at Net-a-porter.
com (www.net-a-porter.com)
SPF50 suncream, 19,

Vichy (www.feelunique.
com). Bat and ball, 140,
Frescobol Carioca
(www.frescobolcarioca.com).
Acrylic Candy clutch, 495,
Jimmy Choo
(www.jimmychoo.com)
Strong brows and eyelash extensions at JOSH WOOD ATELIER before you go
waterproof mascara never works and this is not the place for panda eyes.
SLICK
No need for a pre-mani/pedi as nail god BASTIEN GONZALEZ has a Cure Studio
right here. So itll be Gonzalez signature healthy, buffed trotters for you then.
YOU ARE
Polarised Steve McQueen PERSOLS for all that big-game shing.
WHAT IS YOUR
A LOUIS VUITTON tote. Make sure its Mon Monogram: therell be a few and you dont
want a mix-up. Or the ANYA HINDMARCH Frosties Ebury the kids chose for you.
OOH
Set the mood in a TALITHA kaftan, ready for your holistic body ritual.
GENTS DONT LET

Father-and-son matching Fish Frenzy shorts by LOVE BRAND and a PVD Rolex by
BAMFORD WATCH DEPARTMENT.
OH THE SHAME
One: you forgot to bring your BODYISM sports bra. Two: your teenage daughter
Instagrammed without telling you, and you werent holding your tummy in.
Carrier offers seven nights half board for the price of four at One&Only Le Saint Gran in Mauritius
from 1,805 per person, including ights and transfers, a saving of up to 2,200 per couple
(+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
MALDIVES
IMPRESSIONS
Hop on the yacht straight to the ONE&ONLY REETHI RAH, the most glamorous but also action-stations
hotel in the archipelago just the spot to whack on your FOURTH ELEMENT wetsuit.
CHIC
Plait your hair, stick a bougainvillaea ower behind your ear and slip on a shirt dress by THIERRY COLSON.
DRESSING
A CHRISTOPHER KANE number to wear at the overwater Japanese fusion restaurant, Tapasake.
THE BEACH
Leave the whoppers at home and play it cool with BROOKE GREGSON and NOGUCHI
bracelets, LOQUET LONDON pendants and a SOLANGE AZAGURY-PARTRIDGE star ring.
Underwater video
snorkelling mask, 85,
Liquid Image at www.
amazon.co.uk. Stainlesssteel Seamaster watch,
4,480, Omega (+44
845 272 3100).
Neoprene duffle bag,
260, Hunter (www.
hunter-boot.com)
THE SAND
Avoid the lobster look with a slick of SUPERGOOP sun cream, and add to your
beach-babe glow with Ibiza Beach Stick by CHARLOTTE TILBURY.
DIGITS
A neutral shellac pedi at SOPHIE GASS in Londons Holland Park before you leave.
And a series of fashion manicures once youre here. Lemon yellow, duck-egg blue
or mouse-tummy grey all look so chic with tanned hands.
YOUR SUNNIES
Pink CELINE or green PRADA frames.
Rondinella ns, 17,

Cressi (www.amazon.
co.uk). Wetsuit, 200,
Cynthia Rowley at
Shopbop.com (www.
shopbop.com). Sliders,
235, Dan Ward
at Harrods (www.
harrods.com)
BEACH BAG?
A pompom Sicilian number by MUZUNGU SISTERS. See, you can be boho and relaxed.
LA SPA
A well-tting BODAS bikini for your Watsu treatment in the new pool. Youll be pushed
and pulled in all shiatsu-ish directions not the moment for a wardrobe malfunction.
THE SIDE DOWN

Chic navy shorts, a soft white-cotton T-shirt by CHUCS and a chunky nautical watch
from OMEGA. Looks good with a tan and doesnt distract from the main event you.
OF IT
You didnt cut out the TOPSHOP label on your throw-over dress. And its been
sticking out all day. ALICE B-B
Carrier offers seven nights half board for the price of six at One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives
from 3,300 per person, including ights and transfers, a saving of up to 1,890 per couple
(+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
Lambswool Palmer crew-neck

knit, 160, Orlebar Brown
(www.orlebarbrown.co.uk).
SPF30 water-resistant
suncream, 43, Supergoop!
(www.uk.spacenk.com).
Canvas and leather Keepall
holdall, 1,270, Louis Vuitton
(www.louisvuitton.co.uk). X2
la carte camera, 1,850, Leica
(www.leica-storemayfair.com)
BALI
Friendship bracelets, 55
each, Venessa Arizaga
at Salt Resort Wear
(www.saltresortwear.
com). Cotton washbag,
60, Samudra at Fenwick
(+44 20 7629 9161)
Cotton bikini, 240, Missoni

(www.missoni.com)
Denim Loli bag,

216, Koku (www.
net-a-porter.com)
PHOTOGRAPHS: TOMO BREJC/EVENING STANDARD/EYEVINE;

MARTIN MORRELL; DANIEL SWALLOW/CAMERA PRESS
Earphones, 12.12,
Jonathan Adler
at Shopbop (www.
shopbop.com)
DONNA KARAN
The worldwide fashion star on the wonders of Indonesia
When I rst visited Bali my reaction was immediate it was like my spirit had found its home,
the place I was born to be. I love the calm and peaceful people, the way of life and the glorious
scents and colours. When I come here Im like a child, all my senses awaken. I do yoga in the
morning, take spa treatments in the evening and spend a lot of time just soaking up the nature
around me. I also do a lot of shopping, both personally and professionally. I go to Seminyak and
wander from store to store; I always discover fabulous artisans who work with teak and stone,
as well as exciting collections of batik textiles. As a designer, Im forever inspired by Balis
simplicity and the extraordinary use of natural resources by the craftsmen everything has
a timelessness that feels as modern as it does ancient. The best design has no age. Every
time I go back, I fall in love all over again.
LARA BOHINC
Wander o the beaten track with
the yoga-loving jewellery designer
I think of Bali as a serene, artistic
and mystical place. I like the sense of
aesthetics and attention to detail everything is so
beautifully arranged, from owers and food to the little daily offerings.
The scenery is stunning and very dramatic: the vivid green jungle and
black volcanic-sand beaches. I love the coast, but prefer staying inland
near Ubud, surrounded by paddy elds. Its so lush and peaceful; a yoga
lesson looking out over that view feels really special. Shopping in Ubud
is brilliant, particularly at the market where I buy woven bags, belts
decorated with wooden beads, cotton
kaftans and silk kimonos. And its worth
visiting the jewellery workshops of John
Hardy, about 20 minutes from town.
Wool cap with jewels,
You can see the designers at work,
540, Shourouk (www.
then have a delicious Balinese
brownsfashion.com).
lunch made with vegetables from
Pompom necklace,
their organic farm.
532, Mario Testino
Beauty Marks fake
tattoos, 12, Mr Kate
at Red Ruby Rouge
(www.redrubyrouge.
com). Metal sunglasses,
190, Linda Farrow
at Valery Demure
(www.valerydemure.
com). Gauze-cotton
dress, 160, LemLem
at Beach Caf (www.
beachcafe.com)
for MATE (www.

vickisarge.com)
BEN HOWARD
Beach-worthy tunes from the
wave-riding singer
Music and surng are my two
passions, and Bali will always be
my top place to get away from
everything. When I started to put
this together I immediately thought
of my favourite drinking songs, but
on reection I think these tunes, all
quite different, make for a perfect
soundtrack to this perfect island.
SHARON VAN ETTEN
Our Love
Brass-plated bracelet with
Swarovski cystal, 79,
Sandy Hyun at Fenwick
(as before). Wedge-heel
sandals, from 600, Dior
(www.dior.com)
Carrier offers 10 nights for the price of seven from 2,360 per person,
including four nights at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, six nights at Four
Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, ights and transfers, a saving of up to
1,670 per couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
JOHN PRINE
Fish and Whistle
JJ CALE
Low Rider
NINA SIMONE
Sinner Man
NZCA/LINES
Okinawa Channels
Ben Howards new album I Forget
Where We Were is released on
20 October
SHANGHAI
Queen of Hearts bag, 830,

Olympia Le-Tan (www.browns
fashion.com). Brocade shoes with
pearl and crystal heel, about 790,
Dolce & Gabbana (+44 20 7659
9000). Pearl, gold and enamel
earring, 326, Delna Delettrez
at Matches Fashion (www.
matchesfashion.com)
FAN BINGBING
The X-Men actress is charmed by the sky-high city
Silk top, 510, Roksanda

Ilincic (www.matches
fashion.com)
Black sequin kimono,

415, Filles Papa
(www.llesapapa.com).
Ivana faux-fur scarf,
175, Shrimps
(www.shrimps.co.uk)
Leather and fur trainers,

735, Pierre Hardy at
Harvey Nichols (+44 20
7235 5000). Acetate
sunglasses, 115; and
sequin hat, 475, both Kate
Spade (+44 20 7836 3988)
Denim cropped top, 225,

3X1 at Matches Fashion
(www.matchesfashion.com)
JASON ATHERTON
The best Shanghainese street food dished up by the globetrotting chef
SHENGJIAN BAO
The diversity of food
in Shanghai is vast.
Deep-fried pork buns
are a speciality and
a good place to
try them is Yangs
Dumplings on North
Shaanxi Road.
BEEF BAOZI
A kind of bread
dough lled with
minced, curry-spiced
beef, these are crispy
on the outside, soft
and saucy inside. The
best are found in the
Muslim markets.
SCALLION
PANCAKES
These chewy, aky,
savoury pancakes are
topped with chilli
sauce or a spice mix.
Look for a pancake
skillet anywhere there
is a large crowd.
SHAO KAO
Youll nd a a simple
charcoal grill outside
every bar and club.
Pick a skewer (both
vegetables and meat)
and wait for it to
be cooked right in
front of you.
JIANBING
A pancake with an
egg cracked on top,
sprinkled with
coriander, chives and
pickled mustard
tubers then folded and
smeared with soybean
paste and chilli akes.
PHOTOGRAPHS: CAMERA PRESS; SEAN & SENG/

MANAGEMENT ARTISTS
Rose-gold and diamond ring,

1,550, Geoffreys at Talisman
Gallery (+44 20 7201 8582)
Shanghai is denitely the most cosmopolitan city in mainland

China. Its where home-grown cinema started Im always
reminded of classic lms such as The Difficult Couple or An Orphan
Rescues his Grandfather when Im here. It changes fast and
surprises me every time I come back, but though I can tell the
difference between Shanghai now and the city that existed a few
years ago, its still very traditional. It hasnt lost its enchantment and
I love to nd a quiet spot to enjoy the view of the Bund, or go for
a wander through the Yu gardens. Fashion here has always been
about glamour. Ever since the Shanghai-style qipao was rst
created in the 1930s, Shanghainese have been very original with
their style, balancing Eastern and Western fashion to
mirror the citys history and culture. I love shopping
on the Changle Road, in all the fashionable
concept stores. When Im in Shanghai I feel like
Im in China, but in the China of the future.
MARRAKECH
Sunglasses, 180, House
of Holland at Net-a-porter
(www.net-a-porter.com).
Leather rucksack, 895,
Aspinal of London (www.
aspinaloondon.com).
Beaded shorts, 240,
Emma Cook at Fenwick
(+44 20 7629 9161)
POPPY DELEVINGNE
The travel-mad model gets lost in the buzzing streets
Cotton and Lurex

swimsuit, 300,
Missoni (www.
missoni.com)
Ponyskin sliders, 570,

Marni (www.marni.com).
Turban, 145, Missoni at
Stylebop.com (www.style
bop.com). Silk kimono,
289, Laurence Dolig
(+44 20 7486 4800).
Cotton belt (around
kimono), 45, Isabel
Marant Etoile at Iris (www.
irisfashion.co.uk). Tassel
bracelet, 79, Holst + Lee
at Fenwick (as before).
Sequin trousers, 155,
Laurence Dolig (as before)
Every time Im in Morocco Im instantly uplifted by the glow of the sun on my

face and puffs of orange clouds above my head. I head straight to my
favourite restaurant, Dar Yacout, hidden away so brilliantly in the Medina
you feel like youve won a treasure hunt every time you nd it. I start with
mint cocktails on the roof before chicken and couscous by the pool, drums
in my ear and never-ending beer. I embrace the hustle and bustle of the
streets and head to Noyras boutique, where Im swamped in Technicolor
fabric like Joseph in his dreamcoat. There are kaftans and kimonos, all
locally made. For loafers in tribal prints and French vintage fabric,
Topolina is the place. Then off I trot to 33 Rue Majorelle, a concept store
opposite Yves Saint Laurents Majorelle gardens (great if you like cobalt
blue) for homewares that make Oka look silly. The sun is setting, the
airport beckons, and I swear even my face has a mirror or tassel sewn into it.
PAMELA LOVE
Shopping gems from the market-savvy jewellery designer
BOURIAD KARIM This place sells amazing
handmade traditional clothing. Ive bought several
dresses and jackets that manage to be both rustic
and chic at the same time; they have become
staples in my wardrobe. +212 524 386517
MAGASIN BERBERE I love exploring
the souks, miles and miles of covered markets
with thousands of different sellers. My favourite
is this incredible Aladdins cave of a jewellery
shop in Souk Labbadine. It also has lovely
embroidered fabrics and antique ceramic pots.
Ive never left empty-handed. +212 661 698552
ATELIER MORO A wonderfully curated

mixture of locally crafted accessories, clothing
and furniture. Ive found gorgeous ottomans,
pillows and sheets here. +212 524 391678
AHMED AIT TALEB Come to this store for the
best leather slippers and sandals. The quality is
exceptional and there are endless choices its so
hard to pick just one pair.
KASBEK Great for beautiful kaftans that are a bit
more modern. This boutique also has a good
selection of vintage clothes. +212 6377 5690
PHOTOGRAPH: FRANCESCO CARROZZINI/TRUNK ARCHIVE
Carrier offers four nights B&B at Palais Namaskar in Marrakech from 980 per person,
including ights and transfers (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID CROOKES
CAPE TOWN
Metal and leather

headphones, 180,
Frends at Avenue32
(www.avenue32.com)
Lace top, 167,

Miguelina (www.
miguelina.com)
Cotton T-shirt,
56, Zoe Karssen
at My-Wardrobe
(www.mywardrobe.com)
Acetate sunglasses, 35, Le Specs

(www.net-a-porter.com). Silk dress,
POA, Fendi (www.fendi.com)
HANNELI RUPERT
Emerson jeans, 295,

Citizens of Humanity
(www.selfridges.com)
The boutique owner on her fun-lled home town

Cape Town is so naturally beautiful that it has a calming
effect on people here. Its not a frenetic city and thats
reected in the style: relaxed, with an African rocknroll
edge and a creative mix of local, international and vintage
fashion. Its an outdoorsy place, so Id encourage visitors to
do different things, such as having lessons at Roxy Surf
School. For the best social scene head to Clifton Second
Beach; if you go paragliding off Lions Head, you land in a
eld there just in front of Bungalow for drinks. But town
(the city centre around Long Street, Bree Street, Kloof
and De Waterkant) is buzzy and happening too: cocktails
at Orphanage; DJs at AcesnSpades; dinner at Black
Sheep; contemporary African art at Brundyn. Cape Town
has a charm that hits you at rst sight, but also a
subtlety that keeps pulling you in.
Sequin skirt, 1,995,

Burberry Prorsum (uk.
burberry.com). Silk top,
115, Rebecca Minkoff
(www.fenwick.co.uk)
Leather slip-on trainers,

125, Russell & Bromley
(www.russellandbromley.co.uk)
Cotton lace dress, 375,

Miguelina (www.
net-a-porter.com).
Polyamide swimsuit, 186,
Prism at My-Wardrobe
(www.my-wardrobe.com)
La Tulipe eau de parfum leather

case, 80; fragrance rell set, 70,
both Byredo (www.byredo.com)
Daily Defense
cream, 31,
Kiehls (www.
kiehls.co.uk)
HENRY HOLLAND
Top restaurants for all seasons from the jetsetting designer
THE POT LUCK CLUB People in Cape Town love great food and great wine and
I love both. Id go back to this restaurant, in the Woodstock area, just for the pork belly
and the incredible unidentied substance that was on top of it. www.thepotluckclub.co.za
BABEL This lovely vineyard and restaurant is a must for a trip out of town to nearby
Franschhoek everything here is amazing. www.babylonstoren.com
Wood sandals,
POA, Fendi
(www.fendi.com).
Leather suitcase,
260, DAY Birger
et Mikkelsen
(www.day.dk/
uk/uk)
THE TEST KITCHEN The fancier sister restaurant to The Pot Luck
Club. They deconstruct all the dishes and the combination of sweet
and savoury avours takes dinner to another level. www.thetestkitchen.co.za
HALLELUJAH This little place serves tiny but delicious Asian dishes in
surf-hut surroundings. There are old lifeguard chairs and surfboards on the
wall on top of the eye-popping amingo wallpaper. www.hallelujahhallelujah.co.za
CLARKES Best for a big brunch. Order the mac and cheese and one
of their fresh juices, and watch the cool crowd. www.clarkesdining.co.za
Carrier offers ve nights B&B at One&Only Cape Town from 1,425 per person, including ights and
transfers, a saving of up to 710 per couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
DUBAI
Metal aviators, 345, Victoria
Beckham, exclusive to
One&Only Resorts
Bodysuit, 125,
Lucas Hugh
(www.lucashugh.com)
Stand-up paddle
board, 548.99, Bic
(www.surfdome.com)
ZAYAN GHANDOUR
Yoga top, 40,
HPE (www.
hpeclothing.com)
Tennis racket,
680, Chanel
(+44 207
493 5040)
AL-QAMZI This haberdashery in

Satwa sells everything from beaded
trims to vintage ribbons and buttons
anything you can imagine to embellish
and customise an outt.
DAISO A Japanese version of the
pound shop, with tons of inexpensive
kawaii knick-knacks including
straw baskets, wooden boxes,
origami-paper-covered notebooks and
funny little novelty items.
SOUK NAIF The market of
everything in Deira. This hasnt changed
since the 1980s, and you can
get your hands on baskets, rugs, lamps,
cutlery, even vintage cameras.
ANNA MOUGLALIS
Sand and the city with the actress who played Coco Chanel
Dubai is a shimmering, otherworldly place: a capital of consumption
where sand blows over highways that cut through luxuriant green grass.
More than anywhere else, it makes you feel that cities are a reection
of humanitys will. I was there most recently for Chanels Cruise show.
It took place on an articial desert island where a modernist Moorish
castle had been built for the occasion. The collection reected Dubais
style: light fabrics for the heat, but also a strong taste for luxury and
colour. Its a place where the very modern meets the Arabic mysticism
of One Thousand and One Nights. I love to escape into the desert
away from the bright lights and big skyscrapers to
drink tea and breathe in the fragrance of the
hardy trees that grow in the sand.
Anna Mouglalis is a Chanel ambassador
The co-founder of Dubais

hit concept store Sauce reveals
her shopping secrets
Blue printed
cut-out swimsuit,
110, Paul
Smith (www.
paulsmith.co.uk)
THE GIFT VENDING MACHINE

This 24/7 dispenser on Wasl Square
contains all sorts of presents: T-shirts,
jewellery, scarves, candles, handbags.
brilliant for last-minute shoppers.
KINOKUNIYA I love all things
Japanese, and this bookstore in Dubai
Mall has a huge selection of cool
magazines from all over the world.
Trainers, 155,
Adidas by Stella
McCartney (www.
adidas.com)
Glycolic Fix Body

Cream, 7.99,
Nip & Fab (www.
boots.com)
Nylon bag, 110,

MARC by Marc Jacobs
(+44 20 7408 7050)
Polka-dot
neoprene and mesh
top, POA, Fendi
(www.fendi.com)
Carrier offers ve nights half-board at One&Only The Palm,

Dubai, in a Palm Beach Junior Suite, from 1,900 per person,
including ights and transfers, a saving of up to 1,220 per
couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
PHOTOGRAPH: ANDRE RAU/H&K/JME PHOTO
UP tness tracking
wristband, 64,
Jawbone (www.
amazon.co.uk)
exclusive
WINWZRLJKWV
WR$XVWUDOLDZLWKCarrier,
DQGVWD\DWRQHRIWKLV
\HDUVKRWWHVWKRWHO
RSHQLQJVOne&Only
Hayman IslandSOXVD
2,000UHVRUW
ZDUGUREHIURP
Orlebar Brown
competition
uxury tour operator Carrier, in partnership with

super-chic hotel brand One&Only Resorts and
resort label Orlebar Brown, have put together a
once-in-a-lifetime prize exclusively for Cond
Nast Traveller readers. Recent winner of the tour
operator category in our 2014 Readers Travel
Awards, Carrier is proud to offer one lucky reader the
chance to win two return ights from London and ve
nights at One&Only Hayman Island on Australias
Great Barrier Reef. The jewel in the Whitsunday
archipelago and one of the worlds most iconic private
island retreats, it reopened as a One&Only resort in
July. An AUD$80 million revamp has resulted in
rened glamour meets low-key tropical luxe. Fewer
rooms means more exclusivity; there are now organic
gardens, experts guide a wildlife discovery and the new
spa provides yet another One&Only pampering
masterclass. The setting remains as dreamy as ever,
private powder-soft sand shelves gently down towards
azure waters and the treasures of the Great Barrier
Reef. This one-off prize includes economy class ights
Main Image: Cabanas

at the iconic One&Only
Hayman Island pool on
Australia's Great
Barrier Reef
!
n
i
W
for two adults, accommodation in a Pool Suite,

daily breakfast and return yacht transfers
from Hamilton Island.
fashion fix
In addition, London-based fashion label Orlebar
Brown is offering a 2,000 designer wardrobe. Having
burst onto the scene in 2007 with its tailored approach
to mens swimwear, the brand quickly moved off the
beach and into the resort, showcasing a complete
menswear collection including shorts, t-shirts, trousers
and jackets all with a prominent nod to tailoring.
Stylish pieces translate perfectly from pool to bar, and
it comes as no surprise that Orlebar Brown has now
branched into resort-style womenswear, a collection
perfect for anyone One&Only-bound.
Be in it to win it!
To enter please go to:
www.cntraveller.com/promotions/carrier-oneandonly
Terms and conditions
Blackout dates apply (One&Only:19th December 2014 6th January 2015 & 28th March
12th April 2015 and Carrier 01 January - 08 April, 01 July 31 October & 01
December 31 December 2015). The prize is subject to availability. Prizewinner must be
18 years or over and UK residents. The prize excludes any additional meals, drinks,
excursions, attractions, treatments, travel insurance, personal expenses and visas. The
winner and companion must hold a current and valid passport and any other relevant travel
documentation required for entry into Australia. The holiday must be completed by 30th
November 2015. All elements of the prize are subject to availability, non transferable and
there is no cash alternative.
It cannot be sold or given to an alternative party. Credit card is required upon check-in
for incidentals. The winner and guest may be required to participate in publicity.
''
Thank you so much for recommending our day

trip from Scottsdale to view the Grand Canyon.
Our guide took us to a viewing point with our eyes
closed so that we got the impact of the canyon as
revealed from that point; it was breathtaking.
D & J Cowan Arizona, July 2014
Winning
COMBINATION T
he word tailor-made is consistently overused in

the travel industry. But at Carrier we found it in
its purest form bespoke client-led holidays
that deal in detail. Its not just about combining
a couple of destinations or throwing in a trio of hotels, its
Voted favourite tour operator in this years Readers Travel

$ZDUGVZHJREHKLQGWKHVFHQHVWRQGRXWZK\
Carrier is on top of the world
about really listening to the customer, building a genuine
understanding of their vision and creating an itinerary that

answers every individual nuance. Carriers travel consultants
seem to have an almost uncanny sixth sense. A couple back
from Canada recently reiterated the companys ability to
deliver to spec, writing the entire holiday was truly amazing
and we would like to thank you personally for arranging such
a diverse and wonderful trip which included the entire
itinerary we had asked for.
Talking travel with Carrier is like a tour operator master class.

Their wealth of knowledge borders on encyclopedic and ideas
''
The Rocky Mountaineer was undoubtedly

one of the highlights of our trip the
staff on board could not have been more
knowledgeable and nothing was too much
trouble a truly remarkable experience.
Jean and Ralph Patmore, Canada June 2014
your holiday by theme: family, beach, spa, safari, villas,

itineraries, even emerging trends, eco-friendly and digital
GHWR[HV,QVSLUDWLRQVLVQRWRQO\JHQLXVEXWDOVRIXQ
,QXQGHUDPLQXWH&DUULHUZLOOFUHDWHDVKRUWOLVWRIKROLGD\
recommendations to suit your tastes. My inspirational mood
ERDUGFDPHXSZLWKSODFHV,GQHYHUFRQVLGHUHGZLWKWKUHH
REASONS
To book with Carrier
1. To be voted top of our
Readers Travel Awards a
company has to be nothing
short of exceptional. Whether
surng Carriers awardwinning website or talking
to a consultant, they inspire
travel youve never even
dreamt about.
2. Carrier is service orientated.
Trusted consultants build a
genuine relationship with the
customer and have the ability
to meet every expectation.
3. Experts in what they do,
consultants deliver the most
complex of itineraries at
competitive prices.
roll out like a stream of consciousness. Passionate about the
Among the well-loved faces is Antiguas Janet Lewis, a
world, we can see why so many of our readers choose them as
brilliant ambassador for Carrier. Born and bred in the
their go-to travel guru. First up, Carriers handpicked
Caribbean, she has a passion for her island and contagious
portfolio of hotels is a tried and tested collection that has you
warmth and enthusiasm. A recent guest told us: My daughter
LPPHGLDWHO\UXPPDJLQJIRU\RXUSDVVSRUW)URPYHVWDU
6RDDQG,ZDQWHGWRJRWR6W-RKQVWRVHHWKHFDUQLYDODV
resorts, iconic hotels and super-chic villas to romantic canvas
everybody was saying that it was really good fun. Janet found
tents, boutique boltholes and quirky hideaways, it is as
out and invited us to spend the day with her whole family so
diverse as it is exclusive. Whats more the Carrier staff have
we could have the true carnival experience. They were all so
taken more than 70 trips in the last year to ensure that their
nice and kind. She is absolutely priceless and made our
UVWKDQGNQRZOHGJHLVDVXSWRGDWHDVSRVVLEOH7KH\FDQ
holidays even better; one of the best we had.
advise on everything from the ambience of the properties, the
The perfect place to start thinking and planning is the Carrier
proximity to sights as well as impart excellent local
website, inspiring even the most vague of browsers. Not only
knowledge. The Carrier Concierge service also gets top marks
does it give a taste of each and every destination, it puts all
IRULWVDELOLW\WRRUJDQLVHHYHU\WKLQJIURP9,3FRQFHUWWLFNHWV
properties under the microscope and includes insider tips
and cookery classes to surprise dinners and secret tours.
brought back by staff from recent travels. Carrier has also
Behind every successful Carrier holiday is a long-standing
recently introduced two website additions, Collections and
team of staff, both home and abroad.
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children in tow: Goa, Vietnam and Oman to name but a few.

Born from the fact that 25 percent of people contacting
Carrier had no destination in mind, we love this new way to
instigate our travel wish lists. When put into reality, Carrier
creates authentic experiences that become memories
inspirational travel at its bespoke best.
For further information visit:
CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP

Denim patchwork
shorts, 85,
Laurence Dolig
(+44 20 7486 4800)
Brass necklace, 120,

Pamela Love (www.
pamelalovenyc.com)
Ponyskin backpack,
740, Jerome
Dreyfuss (www.
jerome-dreyfuss.com)
Wool shirt, 147,
Laurence Dolig
(as before)
Oxidised silver ring,
80, Maria
Nilsdotter (www.
marianilsdotter.com)
Mirrored silver
sunglasses, 239, Dior
(www.dior.com)
Locals Only: California
Skateboarding 1975-1978,
14, Urban Outtters
(www.urban
outtters.com)
Ponyskin boots,
565, Tabitha
Simmons (www.
net-a-porter.com)
Panther-print swimsuit,
215, We Are
handsome at Fenwick
(+44 20 7629 9161)
SUZANNE CLEMENTS
Head out on the highway with one half of the British design duo Clements Ribeiro
I dont think you really get the States until
you go on the road. There is something
about the vast outdoors, the natural wonders
and visiting small towns that takes you to
the heart of the USA. I fell in love with the
American road trip way before I ever set foot
there, through Kerouac and movies including
Easy Rider, Wild at Heart and Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas. Then 10 years ago, I
did Route 66 and it started a lifetime habit.
Since then, Inacio [Ribeiro] and I, and our
children, have done multiple trips: the
Midwest, the East Coast and even coast
to coast from Boston to Seattle. But driving
through California is a standout. Palm
Springs, an oasis of modernist architecture
surrounded by desert, is both sophisticated

and kitsch. I love the vintage-furniture shops;
a mid-century rosewood and sisal chair
went into the boot of our car after a visit to
Retrospect. LA very nearly derailed our plans
as the days there turned into weeks. Theres
no better place than LA for vintage clothing in
shops such as Decades and The Paper Bag
Princess. Lunch at The Ivy crossed another
item off our bucket list, but dinner at Izakaya
Bincho was the most memorable meal. Its
worth leaving the city behind for Big Sur: it is the
stuff of road-trip dreams, drenched in beatnik
heritage, with dramatic landscapes and wildlife
(swimming with seals anyone?), as well as
Hearst Castle, a fantasy confection on top of
a hill on Highway 1. We left the road for a

while to visit the national parks. Yosemite is
epic; I felt like a character in an Ansel Adams
photograph. We joined American families
white-water rafting and on nature trails. In
San Francisco we went to incredible exhibitions
at the de Young and Museum of Modern
Art, and ate at Chez Panisse and Bar Tartine,
where we tasted the legendary sourdough
bread from the bakery. Discovering Point
Reyes, just north of San Fran, turned out
to be my personal highlight. Its where
I came across Inverness, a remote,
beautifully wild outpost. The last port
of call was Redwood National Park to
drive through a giant sequoia tree.
Carrier offers seven nights from 2,130 per person, including two at Viceroy Palm Springs, two at Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, one at Post
Ranch Inn, Big Sur and two at The Fairmont San Francisco, plus ights and car hire (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
Bantam skateboard,
75, Globe at Urban
Outtters (as before)
MACY GRAY
Surf-sign print, 47,

September Wren at Etsy
(www.etsy.com)
The LA-based singer cranks up her

favourite driving tracks
JOHN LEGEND
Stay With You
The Joshua Tree
remastered two-disc
vinyl, 45, Amazon
(www.amazon.co.uk)
JAMES BROWN
Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto
ANGIE STONE
Wish I Didnt Miss You
KANYE WEST
Lost In The World
JANIS JOPLIN
Piece Of My Heart
To listen, go to www.cntraveller.com/style-fashion
PHOTOGRAPHS: DEAN BELCHER/CANERA PRESS; BRAD OLSON/PHOTOVOGUE;

PEROU/TIME OUT/CAMERA PRESS
Neoprene camera
strap, 29, iMo
(www.rigu.co.uk)
THE ALPS
Wool and fur bobble hat, 196, Missoni
(www.stylebop.com). Wool and fur
mittens, about 435, Maison Michel
(www.michel-paris.com)
CHELSEA LEYLAND
Sheepskin coat, 1,800, Acne

Studios (www.acnestudios.com)
The DJ picks her aprs-ski hits
Wool and cashmere top, 1,040,

Herms (+44 20 7499 8856)
SOPHIE HULME
Courchevel hotspots from the handbag queen
Ive been skiing in Courchevel since I was a kid. It feels so good to be in the
mountains the air is amazing and I instantly feel healthier and more
relaxed. Plus, Courchevel 1850 is so high theres still loads of snow in March
and you can ski in the sunshine. The fashion can be quite bling here, which
is brilliant to see, although Im a bit more low-key. I have a beautiful
Woolrich jacket that I love, and apart from that, I always pack high-factor
suncream and two pairs of sunglasses, in case I drop one off the chairlift,
as well as a swimsuit, because theres nothing like a swim after
skiing. For aprs-ski Im a big fan of a vin chaud, and I go to Le
Chalet de Pierres for amazing tartiette, the Tremplin for ham,
eggs and chips and Le Grand Caf for incredible Chinese
food. And while Im mostly on the slopes I can ski down
anything, although with varying degrees of elegance
I always make time for building snowmen
and sledging with my niece and nephews.
A Chanel ski lift
in Courchevel
Eye-logo ski jacket, 910, Fendi
(www.net-a-sporter.com). Lace-up
leather boots, POA, Moncler
(www.moncler.com)
LE GRILL
ROTISSERIE, GSTAAD
This restaurant is a smart spot with
the best wine list a glass of red is my
go-to post-ski drink. www.palace.ch
DICKS TEA BAR,
VAL DISERE
More like a nightclub than an
aprs-ski bar; I love the vodka,
watermelon juice and jalapeo
cocktail spicy and refreshing.
www.dicksteabar.com
CHESERY, GSTAAD
An old converted cheese dairy
that serves great French-Swiss
fusion food. www.chesery.ch
FONDUELAND, GSTAAD
There are just two fondue huts up in
the mountains, each with room for
up to eight. Simply order a fondue
backpack (cheese, bread, etc) the day
before, and off you go! www.gstaad.ch
GREENGO, GSTAAD
This is the one club everyone goes
to. In high season its always jumping.
www.palace.ch
Goggles, 280, Chanel

(www.chanel.com). Snowboard,
450, Burton (www.burton.com).
Ski trousers, 250, Perfect Moment
(www.net-a-sporter.com)
Carrier offers three nights B&B at La Sivolire in Courchevel 1850,

from 895 per person sharing, including ights, a saving of up to 570
per couple (+44 161 826 3556; www.carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
basler-fashion.com
FOR RETAIL ENQUIRIES CALL 020 7323 2373
one
of a kind
There are resorts and there are One&Only resorts.

Whether youre looking for an unforgettable family holiday
or the ultimate in romance, the name says it all
rom the urban-resort vibes of One&Only Cape
Town and Dubais two most exclusive resorts
One&Only Royal Mirage, where old Arabia
meets modern city and One&Only The Palm, a
more boutique hideaway estate for those in the know
to amazing exotic escapes in the Maldives, the Bahamas,
Los Cabos in Mexico, Mauritius and the Great Barrier
Reef in Australia, there is no mistaking a One&Only
resort. Impeccable service: tick. Extraordinary
surroundings, including fabulous villas, penthouses and
expansive suites that are perfect for larger groups and
families: tick. And fun, fun, fun (there are, after all,
all sorts of different types of fun to be had): tick.
Take One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives.

It doesnt just come with individual villas beachside
or overwater but some of the largest in the world

(equally wondrous for couples or families alike).
They arent just beautiful; they are sleek, Asianinspired masterpieces. The sundecks not only have
steps directly into the translucent waters (a readymade
playground for older kids), but many have private
pools suspended above the sea. Here, you might wake
to an incredible sunrise over endless turquoise waters
to shower with the warmth of the sun on your back;
sit on your deck for a blissful breakfast and then
decide between lounging on the hammocks draped
over the water as sh dart below you, or snorkel the
surrounding lagoons for marine discovery.
Dining is a theatrical experience, with rich colours and
spectacular settings whether its Japanese tapas waterside; a sun-downer at Fanditha, or the al fresco Chef s
Garden. But I have to t into my bikini, we hear you
cry. One&Only has that covered too. The Lawn Club
offers croquet and bowls; for more serious exertions,
theres everything from Bodyism to Tai Chi (its
amazing what sitting above the lagoons waters does
for your inner karma).
In this watery wonderland spectacular diving abounds
along with everything from pedalos to paragliding to
a traditional dhoni journey at sunset. For all-important
One&Only Ocean Club in The Bahamas is a classic that

has long been known for its timeless elegance, absolute
privacy and exceptional service, making it the ultimate
treasured hideaway. But this being One&Only, it
redened classic as the epitome of ultra-luxury.
Images, clockwise
from far left: Lap pool
at One&Only Reethi
Rah; The lawns at
One&Only Ocean Club;
One&Only Palmillas
Beach Front Junior
Suite; Jack Nicklaus
Golf Course at
One&Only Palmilla;
One of two pools at
One&Only Palmilla;
Private Courtyard at
Villa Cortez; The
Cloisters at One&Only
Ocean Club; Rah Bar at
One&Only Reethi Rah
Blending British colonial style and native Bahamian

elements, the resort offers sumptuous guest rooms and
suites in the gardens or with endless ocean views. Families
will love the luxurious three- and four-bedroom villas,
with over 4,400 square feet, a dining pavilion and private
innity pool complete with secluded sun deck offering
ample space for younger members to holiday
as happily (and loudly) as they wish. Again, being
One&Only, you can expect the best: whether its the
critically-acclaimed Dune by Jean-Georges Vongerichten,
the 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf, a
tness centre with the latest Technogym equipment or
the highly innovative KidsOnly programme.
But its undoubtedly the impeccable, intuitive service
combined with the little touches the personally drawn
bath with rose petals and candles, private beach dining
under the stars, round-the-clock butler service, including
unpacking (heaven) and daily champagne deliveries, the
VIP childrens programmes, the ocean-view jacuzzi
bathtubs in the villas, and the cutting-edge technology,
from Bose systems in the bedroom to iPods with
customised playlists that make memories
guaranteed to last a lifetime.
For further details, visit oneandonlyresorts.com
or contact your preferred travel professional
retail therapy, three boutiques offer the ultimate in

pampering purchases think Matthew Williamson,
Stella McCartney, Heidi Klein and Missoni.
In contrast, One&Only Palmilla exudes authentic
Mexican splendour, with its red-tiled roofs,
whitewashed walls and fountains nestled amid palms
and tropical blooms. As you wander its arched
interiors, fragranced gardens and quiet paths to the sea,
its clear why this has long been a hideaway for the
global jet set. Positioned where azure waters greet
ancient desert and the mighty Pacic Ocean merges
with the gentler Sea of Cortez, the resorts Baja
Peninsula setting gives it an extraordinary sense
of privacy.
Guests can choose from beachfront rooms, casitas with
pool or the ultra-luxurious Villa Cortez, complete with
butler quarters. Indulge in your innity-edge private
pool overlooking your own beach with four bedrooms,
private screening theatre, gym and outdoor area with a
dedicated childrens area (just one reason One&Only
Palmilla is perfect for families). Dining is a journey,
whether discovering the 'Mexiterranean' cuisine of
award-winning Larbi Dahrouch, or savouring the
Euro-Asian cuisine and enviable wine list at Market
Restaurant by Michelin-starred Jean-Georges
Vongerichten. And in the One&Only Spa, with its

private villas, exercise room, outdoor yoga garden and
One&Only Beauty, the new experience for the ultimate
in pampering. Other activities here naturally also
capitalise on the setting, including sailing, diving and
snorkelling the fabulous reef. Deep-sea shing
is a favourite, with over 800 species of game sh.
But most extraordinary of all are the winter whale
migrations, offering unforgettable natural encounters
as these giants play and calve until Spring.
SKRWRJUDSKH,ULV9HOJKH
*\]tL9VZt
;OL<S[PTH[L
ON TREND
USE YOUR WORDS
FRIENDS, FOOD, FAMILY: RECIPES AND SECRETS FROM LIBERTY LONDON GIRL IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.LIBERTYLONDONGIRL.COM
Wearing slogans is a trend thats been bubbling up for a couple of

seasons. Kenzos ethical statements started things off; then, reacting to
a designer rebrand, T-shirts emblazoned with Aint Laurent Without
Yves found their way into French boutique Colette before someone
noticed and they were removed. The need to express oneself in pithy
bon mots on social-media networks has made us increasingly comfortable
with statement clothing: Twitters 140-character limit hasnt stunted
personal expression and Instagram, no longer solely for pictures, is ooded
with photographs of sentiment and signage. While entire brands are being
built around witticisms and social comment such as tre Ccile, whose
T-shirt messages include You make my hard drive full streetwear labels
Reason (with its Homis T-shirts) and Black Score (with its hand-scrawled
You had me at Prada and Queen Delevingne tops) are using slogans
to gently tease the fashion world. Now established names including Anya
Hindmarch and Burberry are getting in on the act, realising that putting
their words in peoples wardrobes is a sure-re hit. SASHA WILKINS
Below, beaded Vroom clutch bag, 440 (www.sarahsbag.com)
TREETS AHEAD
BLOGGER GARANCE DORE PUT SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE FRONT ROW. BUT
Garance dor, frenchwoman, fashion illustrator,

photographer and author of the most charming style blog
around (garancedore.fr) began putting her thoughts and
pictures on the internet in 2006. It was more anonymous
then, she says, in melodious, accented English. It was really
the start of blogging, when people were talking about their
lives; they were more like diaries. In the age before
iPhones, Instagram and dressing-room seles, this was a
wholly new way of communicating fashion. In 2006, Twitter
was a mere chirruping chick; street style was something
that happened at Camden Market or on Portobello Road.
The world of high fashion was an elite sport, hermetically
sealed against intrusion, not least from bloggers. (What
exactly was this strange new species, anyway?) Certainly
no one was interested in what people wore to attend the
twice-yearly fashion presentations in London, Milan, Paris
and New York: the catwalk was king, not its audience.
Or it was until the day that Dor decided to take her

camera to see what was happening at Paris Fashion Week,
and specically what was happening outside Paris
Fashion Week. She took pictures of buyers, stylists, clients
and editors the industrys hidden tastemakers as they
trotted into show venues wearing the latest labels in their
own, distinct way. What inspired me was that the way
they wore clothes didnt look like a magazine spread,
says Dor. It looked like great fashion, great taste, but
something that was personal, different.
Dors site gave voice to a burgeoning phenomenon:
street style. This was fashion for the internet generation,
highly customised, instantly disseminated and gobbled
up by trend watchers around the world. An unstoppable
wave of creative expression began to ow out of laptops,
including Style Bubble, Man Repeller and The
Sartorialist (the much-imitated and soign site of Dors
ex-boyfriend and mentor, Scott Schuman). Bloggers
were keeping diaries of their fashion adventures,
shooting their own wardrobes, attending fashion
weeks, identifying the editors who inspired them
and delineating, obsessively, how stylish women
adapted trends for real life. It was the chattiness
that appealed, the sense of a community, the access.
Gradually, blogs effected a sea change in the
industry itself: big brands began looking to the
digital world specically, these powerful,
uncensored, and as yet commercially unmotivated
style arbiters as a whole new area of opportunity.
As social media exploded, so did the power and
inuence of fashion bloggers. Sites that had been pet
projects started in bedrooms got serious, attracting
advertising and attention from the upper echelons
of the industry, and creating a shift in the power
between print and digital media. Before that, you
wouldnt have imagined that an art director from a
magazine or an ad agency would even go on a blog,
says Dor, who admits her success was anything but
strategised. In those early days the site was more
for me to be able to show my illustrations and
photography and to see peoples comments, she says.
By 2009, however, she was sitting with fashions most
powerful on the front row at Dolce & Gabbana.
PHOTOGRAPH: GARANCE DORE/TRUNK ARCHIVE
SHOWY WAS NEVER HER STYLE, SHE TELLS CHARLOTTE SINCLAIR
Garance Dor photographed

by her ex-boyfriend, The
Sartorialists Scott Schuman
A front-row invitation remains the clearest marker

of fashion hierarchy, and Dor had cleared a distance
from pavement to premium placement that might
traditionally take a lifetime in the industry to cover.
Now bloggers are show regulars, but at that time any
preferential treatment given to those self-styled fashion
experts who had leapfrogged the hard grind and
endless unpaid internships that constituted practised
routes into the business was viewed as
shocking. Not that they cared. Bloggers had
huge audiences, and it was about what they
could do with that, she says. Fashion suddenly
became pop culture. It became democratic.
created, but her instinct is for confession, to share, to

joke. As she says, I dont have a lot of secrets, things
that I like to hide. Her apartment is a light, bright loft,
lled with framed photographs, a leather Chestereld
and piles of fashion books. Dors own wardrobe is made
up of tomboyish classics: jeans and oversized cotton
shirts, leather jackets, hats, heeled boots and miniskirts,
to showcase her knockout long legs.
Dor knows what suits her: I have one closet of grey
knits. I have 15 pairs of white jeans. Im obsessive.
From the moment she and Schuman got together in
2009, until their separation in August this year, announced
on their blogs, they have been pin-ups of the style
blogging scene and regarded as a dual powerhouse of
the industry. They have worked, sometimes together,
on ad campaigns for Tiffany, Net-a-Porter, LOral, Dior
and Burberry. In 2012 they were jointly awarded the
Council of Fashion Designers of Americas prestigious
Eugenia Sheppard Media Award. Their blogs have
become the gold standard for online fashion commentary:
chic, informed, and with a distinct authorial viewpoint.
Where Dors site is chatty, Schumans takes a
professorial approach, decoding the aesthetics of
elegance. Their methods are different, too: Schuman
hunts his subjects like beautiful butteries, whereas
Dor interacts, gossips, befriends.
Dor grew up on Corsica, in the small village of
Girolata. I could never imagine becoming part
of fashion, it felt like Hollywood very far away, very
inaccessible, she says. It was while pursuing a career as
an illustrator in Paris that she began taking a camera
around the city. I was trying to capture what I didnt
understand, that sense of Parisian style, something that
I HAVE ONE CLOSET OF GREY KNI TS AND

Dors blog was at the forefront of the change. Her
photographs captured a highly covetable elegance a
perfectly done-undone composition of jeans, heels,
a silk shirt, a great jacket that was easy to recognise
but harder to pull off. Her witty, conspiratorial writing
detailed current fashion infatuations shoes; sweatpants
or the horror of trying on swimsuits. Her advice
includes fortifying yourself with vodka shots before
nearing the bikini rail. Dors unfussy personal style
spoke directly to her readers. And though her life was
undoubtedly glamorous, it was also lled with the same
uncertainty, heartbreak and bad hair days as the rest of
us, all of which she shared. I never started out thinking
I was going to do a fashion blog, she says. But I realised
that if you want to connect with people, its words that
make them understand who you are. I just started talking
about my life. I never thought about my persona or how
I wanted to appear. And I soon found that fashion is
a great way to talk about everything.
When I meet the 39-year-old in Manhattan, where
she has lived since 2010, she is warm and generous. She
is serious about her work, about the brand that shes
felt so special. I was looking for inspiration, and trying to

gure out what I liked. What was the street-style scene
like in those early days? There were very few other
photographers outside the shows, she says. The editors
didnt know why they were being photographed so it was
easy. They were dressed well but theres a difference
between dressing well and dressing photo-consciously.
Nowadays, you see that editors are really dressed for the
photo. Indeed. Street style has become a spectacle so
overblown it verges on parody. Photographers swarm
like paparazzi outside fashion shows, hoping to snap
one of the scenes stars: industry characters who have
boosted their proles and careers by wearing outlandish

outts with the express purpose of being photographed,
often changing several times a day to maximise exposure.
Its not uncommon to see women outside a fashion
show wearing stilettos and a miniskirt, legs bare, in a
blizzard. In a satirical blog post on the subject, Dor
advises how best to attract attention: Wear heels.
Super high ones OR/AND super bizarre OR/AND
super colourful. If the heel is made of an old doorknob/
Lego/a stuffed animal, +2 pts.
Street style is now part of the fashion mainstream, says
Dor. Its all so thought out people dress in a certain
way for the cameras. In the last two years, everyones
been wearing colours and prints because those outts
photograph much better. Im not saying theres nothing
interesting there, but its not my personal inspiration.
Now an established brand, Dor has her own studio,
where she and a team work on projects for fashion and
beauty labels. She has become an elevated inuencer,
as Gregory Littley, of digital marketing rm ICED
Media, told the New York Times. Meaning: someone
who has been at content creation or in the social-media
game more than seven years, someone in their 30s or
reaching their 40s, which to us indicates legitimacy.
Alhough street style remains a popular facet of her site,
Dors encounters with chic women are a world away
from the fray of fashion week: a house visit with a
modish friend in Montauk, for instance, or a chance
encounter with a well-dressed local on a street in Sydney.
Its this exploration of people and places around the
globe that is the source of much of the blogs continuing
appeal. Dors dreamy photo diaries and evocative
writing describe trips to Bali, Istanbul, Australia,
Morocco and Brazil.
fashion has become global. The most stylish city? New

York. There are so many cities within the city here, from
uptown to downtown, Brooklyn to the Bronx. Everyone
walks everywhere, so the city itself shapes the sense of
style. Her own move to Manhattan was not entirely
seamless. I wanted to live here the moment I arrived,
she says, but it was difcult to adapt. It was things like
the different sense of friendship, of food. We think we
are citizens of the world but actually its not that easy to
detach yourself from your own country and culture.
PHOTOGRAPHS: GARANCE DORE/TRUNK ARCHIVE
15 PAIRS O F WH I T E JEANS. I AM OBSESSIVE

Ive always loved to travel, she says. Growing up on
an island there is a feeling of insularity, of being stuck
somewhere. The rst thing I bought for myself aged 14
was a plane ticket. Travelling is in her blood. Her
grandmother was Moroccan, of Berber descent; Dor
even harboured dreams of being a diplomat, because
I thought that was a great way to see the world, she
laughs. By the time I was 20 I had visited Syria, Africa,
America, Spain, England so many places, backpacking,
hitchhiking, camping, travelling by train. I did everything.
My photography is always about looking for myself,
she says. So Im on the search for people who speak
to that idea. It might be an old lady, a kid, but its
mostly women. Im interested in gaining an idea of
how a woman might live in that place. And I try to nd
beautiful destinations that make your senses come alive,
she says. Recent qualiers include the Arizona desert,
Maisons des Rves in Morocco, Australias Wolgan
Valley Resort and Rio de Janeiro.
Does she see pronounced differences in the way women
dress around the world? The disparities have evened out
now that you can nd the same labels everywhere. Of
course theres a different sense of self in every place, but
Yet cultivating an outsiders

perspective, while reporting the world
in all its beauty and hilarity, is precisely
what has made Dors blog so
successful, and has kept her relevant.
Her readers remain indefatigably
curious about what the cool girls
are wearing in LA, Dallas,
Melbourne and Tokyo and,
equally, why a haircut can
be a traumatic event. Ive
never understood people
who say that the internet
has made us colder,
less communicative,
she says. To me, its
been a miracle.
Street style
photographs and
fashion illustrations
by Garance Dor
(www.garance
dore.fr/en)
UNDERCOVER
THE LOOK IS SLEEK AND SEDUCTIVE ON NEWLY REOPENED HAYMAN ISLAND, AUSTRALIAS
SMARTEST HIDEAWAY. STYLED BY FIONA LINTOTT. PHOTOGRAPHS BY WILLIAMS + HIRAKAWA
For a brighter, more awless

complexion use Diorskin
Star Fluid Foundation,
32. Leopard-print jumper,
145, Kate Spade (+44 20
7836 3988). Silk trousers,
300, Cdric Charlier
(www.avenue32.com).
Sophisticat sunglasses,
275, Dita Von Teese
(www.farfetch.com). Alder
clutch bag, 197, Sophie
Anderson (www.sophie
anderson.net). Serpenti
bracelet in yellow gold and
mother-of-pearl, POA;
B.Zero 1 rings, from 880,
all Bulgari (www.bulgari.
com). Yellow-gold cuffs,
320, Arme de LAmour
Aztec satin-and-exoticskin shoes, 895, Christian
Louboutin (www.
christianlouboutin.com)
Keep skin looking fresh

and dewy with Diors
Capture Totale
Dreamskin, 79. Jersey
body, 368, Yiqing Yin
(www.montaignemarket.
com). Silk trousers, 142,
Clover Canyon (www.
clovercanyon.com).
Perspex pendant, 405,
Lily Kamper (www.liberty.
co.uk). Springbok cuff,
250, Okapi (www.okapi.
com). Dream bracelets,
80 each; Drift bracelet,
80, all PB Jewellery
(www.pb-jewellery.com).
Zebra pony-skin boots,
595, Sophia Webster
(www.sophiawebster.co.
uk). Opposite, maintain a
tanned and toned beachbody glow with Diors
Svelte Body Desire, 55.
Swimsuit, 390, Eres
(www.boutique.eresparis.
com). Silver and yellow-gold
bracelets, POA, Chanel
(www.chanel.com).
Bulgari (www.bulgari.com)
Set off the seasons natural

tones with Rouge Dior
Bar 317 for lips, 26,
and Dior Vernis Bar
902 for nails, 18.50.
Merino-wool jumper,
370, Jonathan Saunders
at Harvey Nichols (www.
harveynichols.com).
Perspex sunglasses, 150,
House of Holland
Gold cuff, 211, Anton
Heunis at Harvey Nichols
(as before). B.Zero 1
rings, from 880, Bulgari
(www.bulgari.com)
For a cool, smoky effect

use Diors Cuir Cannage
796 eye palette, 42.
Cloque top, 332, Tibi
(www.matchesfashion.
com). Print shorts, 220,
DVF (www.dvf.com).
Around me cuff, 1,300,
Dior (www.dior.com).
Springbok cuff, 250,
Okapi (www.okapi.com).
Bulgari (www.bulgari.com)
Hair, Jenny Kim at MAP
using Shu Uemura Art of
Hair. Make-up, Sarah
Tammer at Viviens Creative
using Dior (as before).
Model, Saara Sihvonen
at Union Models. Nails,
Vernis Pied-de-Poule 206
by Dior. Photographed at
One&Only Hayman
Island (www.oneandonly
resorts.com).
Carrier offers seven nights
B&B at One&Only Hayman
Island in Australia, from
2,795 per person sharing,
including ights and
transfers, a saving of
up to 480 per couple
(+44 161 826 3556; www.
carrier.co.uk/fashionguide)
Scandinavian design store Austere in Los Angeles
INDEPENDENTS DAY
IN A MARKET FULL OF MEGA-BRANDS, SMALL CAN BE BEAUTIFUL. KAYLA JACOBS

SELECTS THE BEST OF THE BOUTIQUES RULING THEIR OWN SOVEREIGN STATE
LOS ANGELES
AUSTERE
Design is very much at home in downtown
LA. The surprise here is that Swedish owner
Fredrik Carlstrom has chosen to celebrate
the very best of the Scandinavian aesthetic
in California, where success is usually equated
with volume, not large open spaces with
minimal, understated furniture. A palette
of icing-sugar pinks, greys and greens sets
off the familiar Scandi scene of classic design
and under-the-radar fashion labels. A steel
swing hangs from the ceiling, stacks of wooden
stools are dotted around one side of the store
and a white Volvo makes a statement in
the centre of the room. Carlstrom describes
the space as a virtual magazine, where he
wants customers to try, test and treat
themselves to a new kind of shopping
experience. You wont nd a Please Dont
Touch sign anywhere on the premises
another rarity that makes Austere a standout
in this town. 912 South Hill Street
(www.austere.co)
BYRON BAY
PHOTOGRAPH: JAY HANNA
SPELL AND THE GYPSY COLLECTIVE

Sisters Elizabeth and Isabella Briedis started off
selling their custom-made accessories from
market stalls, and have managed to maintain a
free-spirited outlook as their operation has
grown: they now mix business with the beach
at their Byron Bay boutique. The shop itself is
straight out of Woodstock, complete with
ankle bells and crowns of owers with which to
adorn yourself. There are plenty of nativeAmerican inuences, including a vast

collection of turquoise and feather jewellery
displayed on worn driftwood and rough leather.
Spell has a strong online presence with nearly
300,000 Instagram followers and the
collection sells out quickly. Log on for fringed
vests, tasselled knits, kimonos, lace, velvet,
animal prints and the obligatory cheeky shorts:
festival fashion all xed up. 1/1 Marvell Street
(www.spelldesigns.com)
TEL AVIV
Mexico. The words refer to owner Anne Hartes

global wanderings and the fact that she has
nally put down her roots. Inside, where the
scent of incense wafts through each room, the
mix of accessories and homewares is dizzying.
Theres La Chamba handmade pottery from
Colombia, African tribal art, hand-printed linen
textiles from Santa Barbara and a large
selection of ornate Spanish antiques. All rooms
lead into the central courtyard, where you can
refuel at the cool outdoor restaurant serving
tacos, tostadas and great Margaritas. Calle
Sollano 16 (www.sollano16.com)
KASTIEL
Occupying 3,500 square metres in a former
Bauhaus textile factory, this family-owned
interiors store is a destination in its own right.
Its been an industry secret for years and is the
kind of place that prompts quiet nods of
approval when mentioned in interior-design
circles. The bright-white walls and polished
concrete oors are a suitably muted backdrop
for the content: a mix of substantial, graphic
artworks, classic furniture-design pieces and
eclectic home accessories, sourced on
co-owner Anat Kastiels travels. Look out for
the increasingly recognisable own-label designs
and if you dont see the chair of your dreams,
they will create it for you in any style or fabric.
36 Alfasi Street (www.kastiel.com)
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE

SOLLANO 16
Life and Home are written next to the
entrance of this sprawling 18th-century
building in the beautiful colonial town in
LONDON
MOUKI MOU
The shopfront of this Marylebone boutique,
with a lone mannequin in a white, Victorianstyle smock standing in the window, is as
subtle as the decor you will encounter
inside. Maria Lemos has made her store a
personal portfolio of discoveries from around
the world, focusing on the most minutiae of
detail. Shes peppered the shelves with
Binchotan charcoal beauty products by
Morihata, East African kitchen utensils from
Kirsten Heckterman, New Yorker Rachel
Comeys swimwear and clothes from cult
Japanese label Sacai. All the pieces are in
high demand and of limited availability.
Stairs lead into the basement, where
theres a collection of beautifully decorated,
gradually smaller rooms full of more
carefully selected homewares, jewellery
and accessories. 29 Chiltern
Street (www.moukimou.com)
GOOD TO
GLOW
PHOTOGRAPH: JAMIE NELSON/BLAUBLUT-EDITION.COM
BEAUTY EDITOR OLIVIA FALCON HAS TRIED

EVERY TREATMENT FROM LONDON TO LA.
WE THREATEN HER WITH POWERFUL LASER
BEAMS AND FORCE HER TO REVEAL
HER HAND-ON-HEART, NEVER-FAIL FIX TO GET
YOUR BODY READY FOR THE BEACH
ts Friday night, before a 7am ight

to Puglia. Im faced with bags to pack,
small, unreasonable people to feed
and a husband with man u.
Normally I would feel desperate,
but right now the usual end-of-theweek exhaustion is absent. Im
bouncing around like Bambi, thanks
to an earlier visit to the Infusion
Clinic, just off Londons Harley
Street, for a Fit-amin Infusion (227).
This is the private jet-sets secret
weapon for seamlessly transitioning
through time zones. Rihanna, Cara
Delevingne and Simon Cowell are all
fans of intravenous vitamin drips.
You might have to bite your lip
if you dont like needles but, take it from
a girl who used to faint at the school
u jab, this is really not a big deal. Just
a small scratch, then a slightly warm
sensation along your arm as high doses
of vitamin C course through your system
to nourish overworked adrenal glands
a blessed relief for people whose stress
levels need lowering. It also contains
vitamin D and magnesium, great for
regulating sleep cycles and a help with the
jet lag, and a complex of B vitamins that
works to calm the nervous system. For
anxious yers like myself its a godsend.
It boosts immunity (how many times
have you arrived on a beach with a fresh
EasyJet cold?) and improves energy
levels so you start your holiday with a
spring in your step rather than crawling
on your knees.
As a beauty editor with a Girl Guide
predisposition towards organisation,
I have developed a travel routine that
pre-empts pretty much any kind of
vanity-related drama. Rogue spot erupting
on a plane? Let me introduce you to
Sarah Chapmans genius Spot Stickers
(19, www.sarahchapman.net). Crocodile
lips and puffy eyes? Try La Prairies

snappy Perfection A Porter (100, www.
selfridges.com), an eye and lip rescue duo.
Most importantly though, I know that once
you have energy, anything seems possible.
I am not a fan of body treatments. Im
allergic to body wraps: too claustrophobic.
I have gritted my teeth through several
courses of Endermologie because it works
to banish cellulite, but it is very expensive,
often causes bruising (not a good bikini
look) and that dratted orange peel
resurfaces more or less the second you
stop doing it. Neither is there a single
uro-orange gaffer tape. This sort of tape

has been used in sports medicine for
years to speed up muscle recovery and
is now dbuting in spas. It gently lifts
supercial skin folds, increases circulation
and encourages drainage in the lymph
glands, all of which help to improve muscle
function. You wear the tape for three to
ve days (its not visible through clothes),
before it starts to peel off. A course of ve
or six sessions is suggested but I noticed
a difference after just two. The crpiness
around my tummy, which is the deal
breaker when it comes to deciding between
I NOTICED A DIFFERENCE AFTER TWO DAYS:

THE CREPINESS AROUND MY TUMMY WAS
SMOOTH. NO CREAMS EVER DONE THAT
cellulite cream that Ive ever met and
loved, for the simple reason they dont
do what they say on the tin. Smoother
skin? Yes. Cellulite cure? Its a case of
the emperors new clothes. But if there is
one treatment that I would recommend
before you squeeze into your Heidi Klein
two piece, it is this: Natura Bisss
Maxi-Firm Body Citric (from 840 at
Grace Belgravia, www.gracebelgravia.com).
This two-pronged attack on ab promises
to signicantly tone skin rather than rid
you of inches. And, astonishingly, it works.
First your body is rubbed with a zesty
bitter-orange scrub, before ascorbic acid
(chemist-speak for high-potency vitamin C)
is massaged in all over. This kickstarts
collagen and elastin production and
drains excess uid. Hyaluronic acid
plumps up cells and evens out dimpling.
Next, problem areas (arms, thighs, bums
and tums frankly, everywhere) are
expertly wrapped with what looks like
swimsuit or bikini, appeared smooth and

rm. No cream has ever done that.
Im also a believer in Clarins Triactive
Body Sculptor (67, www.selfridges.
com), a no-nonsense body massage that
stimulates the lymph glands to ush out
excess water and waste toxins, followed
by a stomach massage that wakes up
the colon to relieve bloating, which for
many is the bane of air travel.
To de-puff cankles after a long-haul
journey, I turn to Legologys Air-Lite cream
(60, www.liberty.co.uk), a lemon-scented
potion with caffeine that makes tired legs
feel lighter. If youre feeling lazy pre- or
post-trip, make for the Beauty Works West
spa (www.beautyworkswest.com) in Notting
Hill, London, where they will rub in the stuff
with brisk slaps to your bottom and legs.
Hair removal is always high on the
holiday to-do list. Having a shaving rash
on your legs is never a good look and
waxing, in my opinion, is for sadists. If
you really must, see Arezoo Kaviani

(+44 20 7584 6868), the fastest waxer in
west London. If youre looking for a
permanent solution, make a beeline for
the Vectus laser (from 150 per session at
Harley Streets Phi Clinic, www.phiclinic.
com). It may sting, but this is the Usain
Bolt of lasers. Half a leg takes just three
minutes, and after six treatments you will
be fuzz free forever. It works on all skin
tones and hair colours, even the very
fairest. The only caveat is that, as with any
laser, you need to be organised. You must
nish your course at least six weeks before
you travel, as lasers and sun do not mix:
youll end up looking like a burns victim.
The next step is exfoliating. Elemental
Herbology Macadamia & Papaya Radiance
Body Scrub (30, www.elemental
herbology.com) wins the prize for best
body buffer: it has a great scent, isnt
scratchy and leaves skin peachy. But for a
real treat, book into Urban Retreats new
women-only MarocMaroc hammam
(from 120, www.urbanretreat.co.uk). This
is the real deal: heated marble slabs on
which to offer up your esh for the most
thorough top-to-toe scrub with black soap
and exfoliating Kessa gloves. The result is
the most buttery-soft skin imaginable.
Only after this are you ready to tan.
For the most even nish, always exfoliate
the day before you fake tan and then four
to ve days into your holiday to prevent
patchiness, advises James Read, my go-to
guy for bronzing. Follow Reads rules and
youll avoid that weird, dappled, Monet
effect. The Studio by James Read, a jazzy
space at Harvey Nichols, inspired by Studio
54, offers a range of options to expertly
build up colour. The One Week Away tan
(from 60, www.jamesreadtan.com) forges
the look of seven days in the sun to give
you a head start for posing poolside. Reads
products use citrusy-scented Monks Pepper,
a botanical ingredient, rather than the

more traditional DHA (a chemical used
since the 1970s that reacts with amino
acids in the skin to turn the surface layers
brown), so you dont have to walk around
smelling like a biscuit tin. I am also a fan
of St Tropezs new Self Tan Express (33
at Boots), a genius bronzing mousse that
takes one hour instead of the usual eight
to deliver a attering golden hue. I tried it
recently at home while packing a suitcase
the quick-dry effect left me not only a
lovely shade but also relieved not to have
to deal with fake tan on my bed linen.
Always take a waterproof SPF with you
(I like Lancasters Sun Sport range), as it
can help seal in fake tan and protect against
the erosive effects of salt and chlorine.
If you want to avoid pigmentation
problems, wrinkles and general withering
and ageing, sun care should be your top
priority. French classic La Roche-Posays
yourself, and the star ingredient, a scented

black-rose face oil, hydrates with omega
oils. I have also learnt some essential lessons
from my regular facialist, the nimble
ngered Su-man Hsu (www.su-man.com).
Firstly, avoid using any peeling or clay
masks pre-ight as they tend to make skin
feel parched. Secondly, pack a mini bottle
of toner (I use Su-mans own Rehydrating
Toning Essence, 37) to cleanse skin while
travelling, as water can be drying. And
lastly, decant two or three of your core
skincare products into smaller containers
to take with you, to maintain consistency
in your regime and avoid breakouts.
When it comes to my feet, after years
of trial and error Ive arrived at the
conclusion that if youre hitting the beach
for longer than a week, a nail bufng
trumps polish. Sand dulls the brightest
colour, but the shine on a freshly buffed
nail lasts for weeks. Bastien Gonzalez
THESE SELF-TAN CREAMS USE BOTANICAL

INGREDIENTS RATHER THAN CHEMICALS
SO YOU DONT SMELL LIKE A BISCUIT TIN
Anthelios XL (14 at Boots) is still the
SPF to beat for your face. The great
formula wont give you spots and doesnt
leave you looking like a ghost. But I have
also been impressed with Lancmes
Sun BB Cream (24 at Boots), which is
SPF50 and has a hint of colour.
To prep skin for that mile-high moisture
suck, I head to the little spa at Claridges
for Sisleys Supreme Anti-Ageing Facial
(from 135, www.claridges.co.uk). If this
doesnt get you into the holiday mood,
nothing will. The indulgent hour-long facial
massage brightens skin, soothes eyes and
makes you look like a happier version of
(www.bastiengonzalez.com) is the absolute

expert and uses what looks like an industrial
sanding machine to soften soles and chamois
leather to get toenails gleaming like glass.
Because Gonzalez is rarely in the UK (he
has salons worldwide in London, Paris,
Monaco and New York), I visit Margaret
Dabbs salon for the Ultimate Luxury
Foot Therapy (135, www.margaretdabbs.
co.uk). All of her therapists are podiatrists
and are trained to turn hobbit feet into
something more elegant. The medi-pedi
features a scalpel to trim down corns and
calluses, electronic tools to le feet and the
most sublime foot scrub, soak and massage.
For nails, manicurist Marian Newman

at the Josh Wood Atelier has the most
cutting-edge treatments. Try CND Vinylux
(from 45, www.joshwoodcolour.com),
a polish that lasts eight days rather than
the standard four. Her IBX Strengthening
and Repairing treatment (75) is a painton toughening process that seals the top
layers of the nail plate and repairs and
strengthens nails, preventing peeling and
protecting against water damage.
Joshs Atelier is also great for hair
treatments. I go to Gary Glossman for a
snappy trim to remove split ends. This is
a must before you head to the sun, as the
heat makes a spilt travel faster up the hair
shaft. But this year I have taken things
one step further and tried Krastases
new Protocole Hair Discipline (60) at
the Daniel Hersheson salon (www.
danielhersheson.com). This is the latest
generation keratin treatment and a move
on from the Brazilian blow-dry. The
Brazilian method, which went mainstream
about ve years ago, is a salon treatment
that uses a combination of keratin and
formaldehyde to keep locks straight for
Salon at Home Instant

Root Concealer, 10,
Charles Worthington.
A genius root cover-up.
three months. While it is unquestionably

an effective treatment, and works for
people with uncontrollable frizz, its best
to proceed with caution and make sure
you have healthy, strong hair from the
get-go, as it has a tendency to weaken
highlighted or regularly coloured hair.
Just ask Jennifer Aniston who recently
THE FIZZY COMB-THROUGH MASK IS

A BIT LIKE BEROCCA FOR HAIR, AND
RESTORES BRIGHTNESS TO HIGHLIGHTS
admitted she had to cut her hair due to
damage caused by a Brazilian blow dry.
Krastases version is more appealing
and signicantly cheaper. Designed to
protect hair from humidity, it contains
amino acids, wheat protein, ceramides
and a special keratine complex. A
welcome side-effect of the treatment
is that it reduces blow-dry time, as it
coats the hair and lasts for up to 10
washes, even when faced with a sun/
Hair band, 5,
Popband (www.
thepopband.com).
No-kink hair elastic.
Discipline Bain
Fluidealiste Shampoo,
17, Krastase.
Tame the mane.
Tan Maximiser,
24.50, James
Read. Aftersun
with added glow.
3 in 1 Swim, 4,
Childs Farm. A
must for mothers.
Exfoliating
Facial Polish,
40, Su-Man.
The ultimate
wake-up call
for skin.
Black Rose
Precious Face
Oil, 136,
Sisley. A
facial in a jar.
shine. Charles Worthingtons Salon at Home

Longer & Stronger Strength & Repair Hair
Masque (6 at Boots) is also great. I use
it twice weekly in the lead-up to a trip to
make my hair less porous so it wont soak
up all the chlorine in the swimming pool.
Sleek as a seal, coiffed as a cockatoo
and buffed as Beyoncs bum, Im now
heading to a sun lounger to put my
perfectly manicured feet up and do
precisely nothing.
Solid stick in
Copacabana,
20, Le Soft
Perfume (www.
thisisbeauty
mart.com).
Sublime scent,
no spillage.
Organic Eucalyptus towelettes, 10,

Mendill (www.thisisbeautymart.
com). Individually wrapped wet
wipes that smell great.
Chubby Stick
Baby Tint
Colour Balm,
17, Clinique.
Balm with
a splash
of colour.
salt-water/chlorine assault. The shiny

results are very impressive.
For an at-home hair x, I love Louise
Galvins Vitox treatment (25, www.louise
galvin.com), a zzy comb-through mask
(a bit like Berocca for hair) that restores
brightness to highlights, gets rid of a khakicoloured root line and gives plenty of
Olive Virgin Oil Cotton

swabs, 6, DHC (www.
thisisbeautymart.com). Fresh Glow BB
Pre-soaked cotton buds
Cream, 30,
a handy alternative to
Burberry.
eye make-up remover. Cheat your way
to dewy skin.
Gold Energizing Eye

Recovery Mask, 185,
Chantecaille. Bag-free
in the blink of an eye.
Extra Balm Rinse, 20,
Bobbi Brown.
Super-soft skin
cleanser.
SPF40 Diamond
Mist, 71.40,
Natura Biss.
This spray-on
invisible
sunscreen wont
mark your clothes
and is gentle
enough to use
on a toddler.
READER
exclusives
For your eyes
only
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RQO\ZKHQERRNLQJ2QH 2QO\KROLGD\VZLWK&DUULHU+HUHZHKLJKOLJKW
VRPHRIWKHEHVWH[SHULHQFHVLQFOXGHGHVSHFLDOO\IRURXUUHDGHUV
Dinner in Dubai
All at sea
One&Only The Palm boasts three of Dubais best

restaurants: the Arabian-inuenced ZEST, superstylish STAY and ultra-hip 101, all under the
culinary guidance of Michelin-starred chef
Yannick Allno, some with panoramic views over
Dubais iconic skyline. In addition to the already
brilliant 10% saving on accommodation, readers
can enjoy complimentary half board.
In addition to fantastic savings, One&Only Hayman Island is

offering Carrier travellers complimentary breakfast, an island
excursion (snorkelling in Blue Pearl Bay or swimming with
turtles at Langford Island) and luxury yacht transfers.
In credit
When booking One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos
with Carrier, not only do readers get seven nights
for the price of ve they benet from
complimentary breakfast, two rounds of golf on the
house and $200 credit. Splash the cash on anything
from a blissful spa treatment to an exquisite dinner
at Jean-Georges Vongerichtens Market
Restaurant.
Tea for two

The food at One&Only Cape Town is exceptional with
Nobus rst ever restaurant in Africa as well as local celebrity
chef Reuben Riffel now in on the action. Be sure to leave
room for a spectacular complimentary afternoon tea for two
on the house. The spread is as jaw dropping as the Table
Mountain views.
Be sure to book by 2 November 2014 to guarantee the best
possible deal. For further information please call Carrier on
0161 826 3556. All offers in the Fashion Guide are subject to
availability. For full terms and conditions go to
Images clockwise
from top: New Dubai
skyline from the 101
bar at One&Only The
Palm in Dubai; Jack
Nicklaus golf course at
One&Only Palmilla in
Mexico; Afternoon tea
at Vista Bar & Lounge
at One&Only Cape
Town; Blue Pearl Bay
at One&Only
Hayman Island
in Australia
FACE TO FACE
DARIA WERBOWY
The Canadian model spills her tness and beauty secrets
What is your skincare routine before or

after a ight? After I y I use essential
oil compresses; it is like a herbal steam
for my face. I also love the Lancme
Visionnaire moisturising
cream; it soothes my skin
when I travel.
How do you protect your hair in the sun?

I quite like the way my hair goes a little lighter in the
sun; to condition it, I use Argan Moroccan Oil.
What make-up do you travel with? I dont

usually wear mascara during the day, but at night
I use Lancme Hypnse mascara. Its smooth,
and you can apply a lot without smudging.
Your favourite spas? The Four Seasons one in
the Seychelles is incredible. I was there for a
shoot. When Im in New York, I go to Soho
Sanctuary. Ive been going there for years.
What fragrance do you wear? During the day,
I use patchouli oil on my skin as a perfume.
From far left: Hypnse Mascara, 22.50,
Lancme (www.lancome.co.uk);
Le Labo Patchouli 24, 85, Liberty
(www.liberty.co.uk); Visionnaire Cream, 59,
Lancme (www.lancome.co.uk); Argan
Moroccan Oil 100ml, 31.85, Moroccanoil
(www.feelunique.com)
Any beauty discoveries from your travels? Ive

learnt a lot about women in different places from
travelling so much. In India I found that they use
mustard oil to massage the body. Its incredible.
Your favourite skincare brands? Ive been using

the new Visionnaire CX serum by Lancme,
after I wash my face in the morning. The range
corrects any imperfections, tightens my pores
and evens out my skin texture its easy to apply
and leaves my face feeling so soft.
How do you relax? I relax most when Im back
home in Ireland it has a certain mysticism
about it. I have a connection with this country
that I cant explain.
What do you always have in your handbag?
Usually a couple of books and tea, and I always
travel with a few small crystals and minerals. Then
I pack a sketchbook, pencils, paper and thats it!
Daria Werbowy is the face of Lancme Visionnaire
PHOTOGRAPH: ALEXI LUBOMIRSKI FOR LANCOME 2014
How do you stay t? I do yoga every morning.

I also sail. It was passed down the generations in
my family and when we moved to Canada from
Poland my father taught me. I like the rush of it,
and the fear that things can go wrong. You really
learn about yourself, and act on instincts.
With a deep sea divers

license and a high seas patent:
the new Ahoi Atlantik
Find out more about this and other models at

nomos-store.com and nomos-glashuette.com
Voted Favourite Tour Operator at the Cond Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards 2014.
Carrier specialises in luxury tailor-made holidays worldwide.
Service is personal, exible and haute couture.

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120 Costa Rica

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For CHANEL, light is at the heart of beauty. It reveals the singularity of

38 Short break Looking for the

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50 Snapshot The far-out treehouses

53 Where to stay An exclusive

68 A letter from Greece, where

70 Style file Mens On the voodoo

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Metamorphosis, an Herms story

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My cabin in the Berkshire Mountains in Monterey,

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The Andaman Islands have long been on our

26 Cond Nast Traveller November 2014

When Melbourne chef Shannon Bennett

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30 Cond Nast Traveller November 2014

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