Home//Conde Nast Traveller UK/March 2016/In This Issue
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016EDITOR’S LETTER‘THE LIGHT, THE LIGHT, let us marvel at the light!’ I keep saying to the 12-year-old.The two of us are lying supine on sun loungers in Oman, catching the reflection of it on the tremulousness of the sea, and watching the way the crag and thrust of mountainous rubble gorges on it in the ravines within. ‘How shall we describe the light today?’ I say, sighing. ‘Does it have a tint of peach cobbler from 1950s Savannah or the dying embers of a Tequila Sunrise when the party’s long over? Perhaps it is reminiscent of the inside of a baby Indian elephant’s ear?’ She is not really listening, she has a pencil in her mouth and is thinking of the next answer to her crossword, her long legs stretched out…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016FRONTIERS OF FASHIONMONGOLIATHE KNITWEAR NAMEWhen Paris-born Mali Marciano decided to relaunch the heritage cashmere brand Le Kasha, she was inspired by the freedom, calm and tranquillity of this beguiling country, where she sources goat hair from the Alashan and Arbus regions deep in its heartland. ‘The big attraction for me is being cut off from daily urban life. There’s no race against time here.’ lekasha.com• ‘On my last trip to Mongolia I slept every night in a yurt in a different place, but the most special was The Three Camel Lodge in the middle of the Gobi Desert – in the morning I woke up to the most amazing orange sunrise.’• ‘All over the region you can find what the locals call ovoo – sacred mounds on which you spin around three…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016CAST AWAYMemories of teenage holidays on a far-flung Italian outpost between Sicily and Tunisia prompted director Luca Guadagnino to set his latest film, A Bigger Splash, on the volcanic island. A remake of the 1969 cult classic La Piscine, this is a tale of recuperating rock star Marianne (Tilda Swinton) and her boyfriend Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts), who are holed up on a romantic holiday until the peace is shattered by the arrival of record producer and old flame Harry (Ralph Fiennes) and his daughter Penelope (Dakota Johnson). Shot in the torpid heat of summer, the story unfolds around the sun-bleached landscape of the island, whose increasingly menacing majesty becomes a metaphor for the mounting desire, passion and regret experienced by the four main characters. Filming took place in the ancient village…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016STAIRCASESTop row, from left: zigzagging trails lead to a viewpoint high on the Trollstigen National Tourist Route in western Norway; lengths of reclaimed timber are supported by steel rods at Hotel Hotel in Australia’s Canberra; two intertwining staircases encircle The Ribbon Chapel, which is dedicated to wedding ceremonies in Onomichi, Japan; the exterior of Nauset Light is a familiar symbol of Cape Cod, but few people would recognise the red Fibonacci staircase inside; designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape of Bryce Canyon National Park, steps are set into a stone wall at Amangiri in Utah.Middle row, from left: Munich’s Infinite Staircase is in fact a continuous walkway; architect duo Anne Peyroux and Emmanuèle Thisy designed the hidden monochrome stairway for Hôtel de Sèze in Paris; a sculptural stairwell…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016BILLION-DOLLAR BABYNO ONE EXPECTED THE mammoth outside the lobby. Or the golden unicorn in the restaurant, or the psychedelic rollerskating rink in the sand. And yet, when Argentine Alan Faena announced that he was hiring Baz Luhrmann and his Oscar-winning wife Catherine Martin to collaborate on the head-to-toe redevelopment of Miami Beach’s Saxony Hotel, ears pricked up around the world. Everyone knew it would be bold, everyone knew it would be different.It would also prove to be highly secretive. Anticipation built and built. A delay or two? Understandable. Because Faena wasn’t promising just a hotel. Having purchased three square blocks of a city, he was promising an entire neighbourhood. And who doesn’t love one of those?Right at the end of December, the doors finally opened.If you haven’t heard of him, Alan…5 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016FROM START TO FINNISHWHAT TO SEEKiasma Museum of Contemporary Art The permanent collection focuses mainly on Finnish artists but changing exhibitions such as the current Demonstrating Minds: Disagreements in Contemporary Art have a more global flavour. +358 29 450 0501; kiasma.fi Design Museum For a snapshot of the city’s design heritage, from chairs by Alvar Aalto to modern fabrics by Marimekko. Spring’s blockbuster show is a retrospective of Eero Aarnio, best known for his groovy 1963 Ball chair. +358 9 622 0540; designmuseum.fi Galerie Forsblom A serious player on the Finnish art scene – global names on the books include Chantal Joffe, Julian Schnabel and Secondino Hernandez. +358 9 680 3700; galerieforsblom.comWHERE TO EATSpis Expect experimental Nordic cooking: nettle soup with cottage cheese and nutmeg, scallops with parsley, lavender and rhubarb sorbet. +358…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016LOCAL KNOW-HOWMeg BaberCO-FOUNDER OF STICK NO BILLS POSTER GALLERY‘Avoid the midday heat and come early via the Old Gate to the east. Start with a coffee or fresh king–coconut juice at Amangalla hotel’s terrace, watching chattering school kids and their sari-clad teachers walk past, before having breakfast at Fortaleza. Dedicated shoppers can abandon friends here to sneak off to Church Street to explore the art stores, antiques warehouses, clothing boutiques and jewellery shops. For lunch, order beetroot gazpacho at The Fort Printers before exploring Pedlar Street. Don’t miss Galle Fort Lighthouse in the southern ramparts. This lovely landmark is best visited after 4pm: stroll around the elevated grassy circumference of the fort, overlooking the Indian Ocean, towards the Clock Tower and Galle International Stadium. Catch a tuk-tuk from here to Sugar…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016PACK YOUR TRUNKBACKSTAGE PASS: CYCLIN’ JAIPURAnyone can explore the city’s well-known sights (Hawa Mahal, City Palace). But Eleonore Gaspa and Ophélie Teyssandier specialise in introducing visitors to the local artisans such as stone cutters, carpet weavers and bustling bazaars, havelis, market stalls and little nooks. The personalised tours begin first thing in the morning, avoiding the intense heat and traffic, followed by a well-earned street-food breakfast of sweet kachori pastries and chai. cyclinjaipur.comAERIAL VIEWS: SKY WALTZ BALLOON SAFARIIt’s been seven years since Sky Waltz started running hot-air balloon tours over Jaipur, but the novelty of it never seems to grow old. This is a very special way to get your bearings and take in the sea of palaces, forts and winding streets of the old town. skywaltz.comFASHION FIX: KALEEThe city’s latest concept…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016TRENDWATCHTHAT SHRINKING FEELINGSome architects grab headlines with ever more bombastic designs: the world’s biggest 10,000-room hotel is currently under construction in Mecca, while in Jeddah the glassy spike of the Kingdom Tower is set to be the first building to top one kilometre in height and will include a Four Seasons hotel when it opens in 2020. Others are proving that bigger isn’t always better with clever constructs of diminutive dimensions. This month a new book, Nanotecture: Tiny Built Things, brings together 300 of these small-scale works. The miniature marvels range from inflatable structures to woven nests; from a whimsical, cloud-shaped pod to glorified sheds, including the two-metre-long Mirror House, photographed, built by sculptor Ekkehard Altenburger on the Scottish isle of Tiree. All prove that modesty in size is no…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016STRIKE IT RICHWHERE TO EATColombian cooking now rivals that of Peru in South American foodie circles. In a country with every kind of habitat and climate, menus are full of exotic fruits and vegetables, as well as first-rate meats and fish from both the Atlantic and the Pacific. All this with young, energetic chefs who have returned home after training abroad, fizzing with ideas and influences.CARMENSet in an elegant colonial building, this has a choice of three spaces: a courtyard with fountains and plants; a roof terrace with stunning views and a more formal (air-conditioned) dining room. Californian chef Rob Pevitts explores the diversity of local ingredients while throwing in a few Asian twists. Try the sea-bass fillet, smoked at your table with carbonised coconut, served on plantain ‘sand’ and accompanied by…6 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016AROUND THE WORLD WITH MATTHEW PERRYTell us where have you just come back from?‘I was in New York working on the play I’ve written, and then I had a little holiday in Mexico, which was very sunny and very different to London, where I am heading now.’Where in the world have you felt happiest?‘At my house in Cabo San Lucas. I’ve had it for about three years. It’s right on the beach and is a good spot to write.’Name a place that most lived up to the hype‘Florence and Venice, although sadly both were very short trips – only a couple of days in each – but I thought they were incredible, with so many lovely restaurants and so much to see.’And a place that least lived up to the hype‘Boston. I don’t know what…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016WORLD ON A PLATETHIS MONTH’S RECIPETo make Middle Eastern spicy roast carrots with feta, first fry a tablespoon of cumin seeds lightly until just fragrant. Take them off the heat and pound to a rough paste with twice as many coriander seeds, a pinch of salt and a couple of cloves of garlic. Then mix the paste into a slug of olive oil, the juice of a lemon and a teaspoon of sugar. Scrub the carrots well, then slice lengthways or keep whole if very small. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix in the carrots, massaging them well. Spread out in a roasting tray and roast at 180˚C for 30-45 minutes or until tender and caramelised. To serve, dot with labneh or feta.EAT MEBy Joanna WeinbergCarrots are such steadfast footsoldiers…5 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SIP TRIPART FEEDBorn in Munich but based in Canberra, photographer and art director Domenic Bahmann is always looking for ways to turn everyday objects into light-hearted art. ‘Food is something everyone thinks about at least three times a day, so inspiration comes from all over the place – whether I’m buying oranges at the market or eating at my favourite Canberra restaurant, Space Kitchen.’ TABITHA JOYCE stopthinkmake.comGINJINHAI like to think that a God of Small Things lives in Lisbon, blessing the city in countless delightful, scaled-down ways. The minuscule shops, for instance, such as Luvaria Ulisses, which since 1925 has sold handmade gloves from premises measuring barely four feet by four feet. The toy-like trams. The tiny, sublime custard tarts. And if I’m right about the Portuguese capital’s presiding deity, then…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016FAMILIESBEST FOR An island escape JUMEIRAH DHEVANAFUSHI, MALDIVESIf you’ve always wanted to live your own Swiss Family Robinson adventure, a Beach Sanctuary Villa will create the illusion that you’re on your very own private island. With two luxury bedrooms (one en-suite), a private pool and day beds on swathes of white sand stretching right into the sea, it’s the perfect set-up for spending some quality time together as a family. A week from £1,350, sleeping four, including breakfast through Jumeirah (0800 082 8000; jumeirah.com)BEST FOR Beach lovers VILLA CASA SHAMBALA, CARVOEIRO, PORTUGALThe glorious beach of Praia do Carvalho is just a short walk from Casa Shambala, making it ideal for families who like to spend their days in and out of the sea. Back at the villa there’s a good-sized…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016The personal touchHolidays may be all about relaxing, but anyone who has ever booked one knows how stressful arranging it can be. How can you be sure you’ve booked the best villa for your needs? Chosen the right location? Picked a company who really mean what they say when they use words like ‘gorgeous’, ‘idyllic’, ‘unspoilt’? The answer is to choose a company run by those who love the region they represent, who know it intimately and personally vet every property they offer. A company like Invitation to Tuscany.Invitation to Tuscany isn’t like other villa operators. It is the creation of one man, Dan Wrightson, who moved with his sister and parents to an old Tuscan farmhouse in 1974 and, in one way or another, has never really left since. Dan’s passion…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016VILLA TIPSDo be realistic about how isolated you want to be. Are you really happy to drive for 20 minutes every time you want a pint of milk?Don’t underestimate the importance of space, particularly on a multigenerational or group holiday. Villas with bedrooms or living spaces spread between more than one building can take the pressure off.Do plan ahead. Many villa companies offer a shopping service, so that you can arrive to a full fridge, and put off the trip to the supermarket until the following day. After a long journey, this can be a godsend.Don’t think that booking at the last minute is necessarily a good idea. The best villas always get booked up in advance – if you leave it till just a few weeks ahead you may get…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016CALMING THE STORMTHE REMEDY Gentle nurturing at Europe’s best-value Ayurveda resort SonnhofThey called it ‘the cure’ at the spa. I craved it, but that also made me think of the Bob Dylan lyrics about staying up for days in the Chelsea Hotel. People flock to Sonnhof for its intensive detoxification and rejuvenation programmes, but I was here to banish the anxiety that arrived in my life like an unwanted house guest three years ago, when I was knocked sideways by postnatal depression not once, but twice. It terrified me, rising up like a macabre jack-in-the-box. That vicious internal voice mocked me relentlessly, telling me I was a failure and fraud, a pathetic excuse for a woman beside my dazzling elder sisters. Grief added an extra shot of misery as my mother died…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016MID-LIFE TURNAROUNDTHE REMEDY A three-week transformation at the USA’s hardcore Hippocrates InstituteI was at my lowest point. Fat as butter, taking too many prescription drugs, chain smoking, grey with London life, crazy with exhaustion and pretty foul-tempered. The truth was, I was struggling to face every day. When I realised that my 50th birthday was looming, I decided it was time to take action. So I booked into the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. Health-freak friends had recommended it to me in tones of high reverence, framing it as a hospital-clinic-motel so ruthless, effective and revolutionary that they hardly dare share it. I had heard it was one of the best in the world for fixing issues, for the ultimate in raw food, for a serious dose of…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016PERFECT tonicSilky soft sand, rustling palms, jungle-strewn hills and twinkling turquoise waters, Thailand is a natural idyll that whispers relax. Whether soaking up the sun on a remote beach, elephant trekking through national parks or exploring local villages, this is a country that encourages you to get away from it all, escape the rat race, slow down and reconnect. Thailand is tonic alone. But book into one of its many died-and-gone-to-heaven spa retreats and a new you will be sipping green tea by the pool. Thailand is a oneoff, the original article, laying claim to one of the world’s first destination spas. And since then, its spa scene has gone stratospheric with hoards of devotees returning year on year for their annual karma fix. The original handful of spas has been…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016restore the BALANCETucked away on Koh Samui, Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa is a spa with a soul. Built around a tiny cave where Buddhist monks used to come to meditate, there’s a real sense of spirituality and a genuine holistic approach to healing. Hidden in a jungle-clad ravine, strewn with granite boulders and leading down to a small private beach, the setting is bordering on fairytale. A stay alone works wonders on mind and body, but throw in any one of the uniquely tailored programmes, and a new you will be sipping homemade smoothies, detoxing on herbal teas and eating honey scraped straight from the comb.Karina Stewart, Kamalaya’s co-founder and Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been an integral part of designing the result-orientated wellness programmes. There’s everything from detoxing…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016UNDER THE SKINTHE REMEDY A seven-day stay at Germany’s digestive-health hub, the Lanserhof TegernseeSo you know when you’re asked, ‘What do you like most about yourself?’ by a gaggle of girlfriends and you go all coy and say something like, ‘My feet…’? Yes, well that’s me. In truth I have always loved my skin. Freckled and English it may be, but I admired its sheeny-shininess. Until one day, quite suddenly, I woke up with acne. I had hoped that by some miracle the spots might disappear overnight, just as they appeared. They didn’t. Besides which, on top of which, I was living life full-throttle: working hard, playing hard but beginning to feel exhausted and vaguely depressed.As my husband and I pulled into the Lanserhof Tegernsee near Munich, one of the managers quietly…5 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016ALL THE FAMILYROYAL PALM MARRAKECH, MOROCCOIN BRIEF A confident game-raiser with a flurry of activitiesTHE LOWDOWN This is the sort of place where you are ferried about in a golf buggy, and yet it manages to retain a wonderful sense of calm, intimacy and sophistication. The spa is rather glamorous, with an Art Deco-meets-Morocco vibe, and the most geometrically pleasing indoor pool. Long corridors glow with musky scented candles, and the Clarins treatments are performed by truly reviving hands. The facials leave you peachy perky, and you can follow a stimulating argan oil and orange body scrub with a clay-and-coconut body wrap (smells divine, makes skin silky). Everything from hot stones to deeply nurturing rose oil are used in the massages, and traditional hammam sessions involve black soap, aromatic oils, mud and…12 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016PHYSICAL BLASTNEW BODYISM AT THE CAPRI PALACE CAPRI, ITALYWEIGHT LOSSIN BRIEF Latest outpost of the hottest overhaul aroundTHE LOWDOWN The moment you get off a plane on the island of Capri and emerge in a world of lemon-infused sunshine, crisp white Panama hats, leather sandals and fresh ceviche, you feel better instantly. This brand-new base for wellness warrior James Duigan’s Bodyism programme is the best possible environment in which to reinvent yourself. At the heart of the Bodyism philosophy, Duigan’s fitness and healthy-eating brand, there’s good, old-fashioned common sense. It’s all about moderation rather than setting rigid regulations. By simply letting go of the ingrained negativity associated with exercise, and ditching the idea that restricting your diet will make you healthier, you will already be closer to your goals. Do you…9 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016GET UP, STAND UPORIGINAL SUPERSTARThe Modern Honolulu Hawaii From the broken surfboards behind the reception desk (smashed-up testaments to the encounters of top surfers Kelly Slater and Andy Irons with the monster waves on Oahu’s North Shore) to the bookshelf of vintage surf titles that rotates at night to let you into the Study Bar, this place has Hawaiian beach style down. Initially designed by Ian Schrager as the first Edition hotel, it has added a dash of cool to what was previously a cheesy stretch of high-rises. At the edge of Waikiki, overlooking Ala Wai harbour, this is where surfing began: when Captain Cook showed up in 1769 he was astonished by the sight and skill of Polynesian royalty ‘wave-sliding’ on 18ft redwood boards. The break here is justifiably famous: long and…11 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016CONTRIBUTORSKristian Schuller Photographer, India fashion (p112) ‘When the weather is cold, I like to have a traditional breakfast at Café Einstein on Unter den Linden in Kreuzberg, Berlin. It’s a great place to sit and read the newspaper. Just two blocks away is Borchardt restaurant, which does the best Wiener schnitzel around.’ Born in Romania but now New York-based, Kristian is working on his second book, named after his son OskarAlice Gao Photographer, Paris (p102) ‘For a perfect food day, go to the Gramercy/Flatiron area in NYC and have a fried egg and sausage sandwich at Maialino and, later, duck carnitas at Cosme. After dinner, head over to the NoMad Bar for some of the best co*cktails in town.’ Alice lives in New York, but tries to spend as much…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THE TRENDS TAKING OFF AND THOSE RUNNING OUT OF FUELHOKKAIDOThe powder snow of Niseko will be even closer thanks to a new bullet train linking the northern island to the rest of Japan.CHANNEL CROSSINGsh*t restaurant Frenchie is hopping over from Paris to London, while Experimental co*cktail Club follows up Le Grand Pigalle hotel with a place to stay in Covent Garden.TROPHY ROOMSSoccer stars and hotels are making the headlines for non-controversial reasons: there’s Hotel Football from Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, and Terry Venables’ La Escondida. Now Cristiano Ronaldo is launching four boutique hotels, including Madrid and Lisbon.SCOOTERSGoing down literally, thanks to Scuba-Doo: underwater scooters that look like jolly one-man submarines zipping around tropical fish. Try one in Mauritius or off the Great Barrier Reef.TIPPINGThe mathematical minefield of the bill is being made easier in some New York restaurants…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016AUSTRALIAHotel news in Miami The Cotswolds + Manolo Blahnik’s favourite spotsSURFING STARHALCYON HOUSE, BYRON BAYThere’s a touch of the Italian Riviera coupled with swaggering Australian surf culture at this gorgeous beach hotel, formerly a bland 1960s motel and now utterly transformed by Brisbane hotelier sisters Elisha and Siobhan Bickle and their talented interior designer, Anna Spiro. The 20 bedrooms and the two-bedroom Halcyon Suite are all different and done out in refurbished antiques, intricately patterned fabric wall coverings, pretty and quirky original artworks, brass lamps and polished oak floors. A magnificent palm-frond chandelier from Jillian Middleton Home, a Byron Bay interior design store, hangs in the bar just off the restaurant, Paper Daisy, which is headed by chef Ben Devlin. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is often booked…5 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THYME AT SOUTHROPWHY STAY? For the love of good food, beautiful interiors and astoundingly pretty countryside.WHY NOW? After some time available only as an exclusive-use property, Thyme has just opened as a hotel, and it’s the most elegant place to stay in the southern Cotswolds.WHAT IS IT? A 17th-century manorhouse hotel, several cottages and renovated farm buildings with a bar, cavernous dining and general loafing room. There’s also a cookery school set around a Mediterranean courtyard garden filled with herbs. It’s all located in a wistfully alluring part of the West Country, where morning mist shrouds the apple trees and kingfishers flash across the river.BEHIND THE SCENES Owner Caryn Hibbert and her husband bought the derelict estate back in 2002 and have completely renovated it, stone by Cotswold stone. Although food is…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016TAKE IT AWAYShopping Jewellery Beauty Men’s Hotel On The SceneFashion follows its own dialectic, taking a thesis to an absurdist, illogical conclusion before turning volte-face and hurtling headlong to its antithesis. Within just a couple of seasons, the mood might shift decisively along one axis or another: opulent/austere, gaudy/grave, militaristic/mumsy. Unsurprisingly, it’s always at its most notable, its most zeitgesity, when it’s at either extreme. Take shoes and their recent back-and-forth between the folksy and fur-lined, and the egregiously exacting. It started in the mid-Noughties with the cultural phenomenon of slipper boots: lovely, bumpy, super-schlumpy shoes that pampered paws in those cuddly pre-crash years. Even by fashion’s standards, the turnaround that followed was intemperate. In 2010 we had McQueen’s nigh-on unwearable lobster claws, then two years later Prada’s Hot Rods, with their…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016URBAN TRIBESSome jewellery references become so entrenched in our stylistic blueprint they cease to be defined as trends. And while the dissemination of tribal influences into the mainstream hasn’t yet reached its half century (pieces from the 1960s were still too formal and prissy), the aesthetic is now firmly part of our cultural DNA. In its original context, this is jewellery that conveys everything from a rite of passage to religion and status. Materials are key: while fine-jewellery houses have been known to create precious neck pieces, the results are often too polished. In contrast, the fashion crowd has no such limitations and are happy to embrace wood, shell, glass and resin. Chloé is the mistress of this: its Janis wood-and-brass cuff blends tribal naivety with a hint of Parisian gloss.…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016MAN ON A MISSIONTHE MAN: LEVISON WOODWhen the all-action hero and former paratrooper goes for a walk, he really goes for a walk. First he trekked the length of the River Nile, now he’s traversed the whole of the HimalayasTHE MISSIONThis epic trip started in Afghanistan, but we join Wood on a three-man trek through the militarised zone of Kashmir across a previously unexplored glacier pass high in the mountains: four days, three mules, dozens of checkpoints, thousands of Indian soldiers, and one life-saving campfire.MILES TRAVELLED LAST YEAR54,000MUST PACK‘A smart linen shirt by Dundas London, my IWC Schaffhausen watch and an old-school compass, as you never know when your iPhone is going to die.’Here I am in a small army outpost in India-controlled Kashmir talking to a major, one of the 700,000-odd Indian…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SWEET AND LOWDOWNBAMBU INDAH BALIBali is a complicated paradise and the deeper you dive under its surface the more interesting and beautiful it becomes. Which is why it helps to stay in the right place and meet the right people. This bohemian eco-hotel in central Ubud will set you on the right track. With just 14 suites in beautiful bamboo buildings and antique Javanese bridal houses surrounded by lush gardens, it overlooks an expanse of emerald-green rice fields and the spectacular Sayan Gorge. Owner John Hardy – a jewellery designer and founder of Bali’s Green School – is here most mornings and he knows everything about the island, and seemingly everyone on it. Hardy’s son Orin oversees the hotel’s permaculture gardens, which feed the excellent onsite organic restaurant (try the club sandwich…17 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016LITTLE MIXLA TETE DANS LES OLIVESIt’s a shame Cedric Casanova himself cannot preside over the table d’hote that takes place by night in his magical lock-up shop on the other side of Hopital Saint-Louis, as his charisma and knowledge would make him a captivating host. Cedric or no Cedric, if you want to squeeze in here, as a privileged party of between two and six people, to taste wonderful ingredients from Sicily (where Cedric is usually to be found, consulting with more than 60 olive-oil producers), you’ll have to be lucky, and plan ahead. It’s all about flavour, from antipasti of olives, aubergine puree, mushrooms stuffed with marinated carrots and ricotta, and salad of orange and fennel, to pasta alla Norma, or trecce (‘braided’ pasta) with amazing cherry tomatoes, mint and…8 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016North-south DIVINESome countries are naturally blessed. New Zealand is definitely one such country. In an area little larger than the UK, it boasts a truly extraordinary diversity of jaw-dropping spectacles: soaring mountains, plunging fjords, sweeping wine regions, windswept seas and gleaming glaciers. The true beauty of New Zealand, however, lies in the luxury in which you can enjoy this breathtaking natural backdrop. As you wend your way from the North Island to the South Island (or vice versa – but experiencing both is a must), you can stop over in cosmopolitan cities that buzz with a bounty of restaurants offering delicious cuisine, featuring fresh farm and sea produce, Pan-Pacific influences and Maori favourites such as kina (sea urchin) and kumara (sweet potato). Instead of ‘tramping’ in Tongariro National Park, you could…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016CHEF’S SECRET SUPPLIES SKYE GYNGELLMURANO GLASSES FROM VENICE‘I first saw these humbug-striped tumblers by Marie Brandolini years ago at a friend’s house. I bought some for myself, but love them so much that we now use them at Spring. They add some much-needed colour – just looking at them gives me pleasure.’COCOA POD FROM SAN FRANCISCO‘Before opening Spring, I took a research trip to San Francisco and bought a cocoa pod from Dandelion Chocolate, a bean-to-bar factory and café in the Mission District, and decided it should be our lucky charm. It worked, bringing us Sarah Johnson from Chez Panisse in California to be our head pastry chef.’CONFIT JAR FROM THE LANGUEDOC‘When I was teaching in the area about 10 years ago, I picked up a lovely old confit jar from a brocante. It…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016BARBADOS: 50 BestSPORTSFor a small island, Barbados is big on sport:26. Polo: the international jet-set have played on the island since 1884 – and today entertain crowds on four state-of-the-art polo fields.27. Cricket: catch world-class matches at Kensington Oval, followed by a tour of the Legends of Barbados Cricket Museum nearby.28. Horseracing: for the sport of kings – along with street food, vendors, parades and picnics – it has to be Garrison Savannah.29. Diving: wreck and reef dive sites litter the ocean floor just off Barbados’s coast, such as the incredible 365ft Greek freighter, the Stavronikita.30. Big Game Fishing: dorado, kingfish, blue marlin, sailfish, tuna – Barbados has the full line-up.NATURE/VIEWS31. Flower forest: seven acres of wild garden in the ‘Scotland District’ are home to majestic palms, colourful shrubs and tropical flowers.32.…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016rustic CHARMThere are few better countries for a villa holiday than Italy; tranquil countryside, wonderful food, glittering beaches and the chance to pretend – just for a week or two – that the fantasy home in la bella Italia is actually a reality. Tuscany and Umbria are the most popular regions for British visitors, but for those who want somewhere a little quieter, where most of the visitors are Italian and the beaches rarely get crowded, Puglia – a long, slim stretch of coast and countryside that runs down to the heel of Italy’s boot – is the perfect choice.CV Villas has a wide range of properties throughout Puglia, ranging from villas by the sea that are ideal for younger families, to lovingly-restored masseria – rural farmhouses – that can accommodate…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016NORTH YORK MOORSI was born and brought up on the northern edge of the North York Moors. At the weekend, throughout the summer, we’d cycle or drive down Esk Dale or Rosedale, or into the daffodil valley of Farndale, go fishing in the streams (you could still catch crayfish in them, back then), or stop and watch cricket or quoits matches in the hamlets of sandstone and pantiled cottages. Often we’d end up at the coast. Runswick Bay, Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay form Yorkshire’s answer to the Cinque Terre – small, picturesque fishing villages clustered at the base of soaring cliffs. Here we’d collect fossils on the beach, admire the local jet jewellery (the black funeral stone popularised by Queen Victoria), and have a pint and a sandwich in one of…6 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016ROOM WITH A VIEWWHERE ARE WE? SCARABEO CAMP, MOROCCO WHY WE LOVE ITGetting to the Sahara from any of Morocco’s main airports is a good eight-hour drive. But the stone desert of Agafay is just 45 minutes from Marrakech, rippling beneath the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas. It’s here, among undulating dunes, that you’ll find Scarabeo. Named for a pretty, tawny-backed beetle that scuttles around these parts, the camp is the lovechild of graphic designer Florence Mottet and photographer Vincent T’Sas who were both born in Belgium but lived in Africa as children. Dotted across the hillside like giant sugar cubes, 10 white canvas bedrooms billow in the breeze. Antique Beni Ouarain carpets cover woven straw floors, vintage travel trunks provide wardrobe space and beaten brass lanterns shine from wrought-iron posts. They…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016HEAD SPACENEW GRACE SANTORINI CYCLADES, GREECEIN BRIEF A smart digital detox in the AegeanTHE LOWDOWN This is a made-to-order retreat in a private villa where you can de-clutter the mind as well as gently cleanse the body with revitalising food and gentle exercise. Part of the draw is the location itself. The Grace Hotels group specialises in sleek places to stay in settings as diverse as New England and Panama. But its Santorini outpost is something else. Just to gaze at the caldera is balm for the soul, even if it were from the back of a dusty donkey. Expurgating technology is the main idea here, so those who have signed up for the threeday cleanse must surrender digital devices for the duration, including iPads, smartphones, Kindles and laptops. It’s up…10 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016DETOX SQUADABSOLUTE SANCTUARY KOH SAMUI, THAILANDWEIGHT LOSSIN BRIEF A sunshine escape without breaking the bankTHE LOWDOWN A week on a tropical island eating feel-good food while losing weight and being tended to by tip-top practitioners can cost less than a weekend in Paris. Including flights and transfers. What a revelation. Ignore the odd chipped tile around the pool; this bolthole offers one of the best no-frills, health-focused stays around. Since opening in 2008, Absolute Sanctuary has got better by the year, refining its programmes – the clean-eating detox in particular – and winning many loyal fans along the way. The simple low-carb, high-in-fibre diet of fresh vegetables, fruits, salads and protein-rich foods really sorts out digestion, easing overloaded intestines as well as helping to drop the pounds. A creative use of…14 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SHORT-HAUL HEROESNEW SIX SENSES DOURO VALLEY PORTUGALWEIGHT LOSSIN BRIEF Grown-up rural relaxation for glamorous downtimeTHE LOWDOWN The Six Senses group has chosen the dramatically verdant landscape of the Douro Valley in northern Portugal for its maiden foray into Europe, mixing the integrated wellness focus it has built its reputation on with the world of wine. The terracotta-coloured walls of a 19th-century quinta (a solid building set around a courtyard with views over the valley) now house an interactive wine library, where you learn about the local vintages and terroirs at the nightly tastings. A dining room, which in summer spills out onto a terrace, overlooks a large swimming pool and the manicured fruit and vegetable garden provides ingredients for dishes such as light-as-a-feather gnocchi with artichoke hearts and peach gazpacho with…14 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016WELLNESS wonderlandHealth haven Chiva-Som is the world’s original destination spa, and it continues to pioneer the industry with its comprehensive and innovative approach to wellbeing. Combining Asian traditions with cutting-edge diagnostic techniques and the latest in technology and treatment philosophies, it remains a benchmark for wellness retreats the world over. Chiva-Som’s comprehensiveness has always been encyclopedic, yet it is continuously improving, expanding, adding and inventing, so there’s lots of news for 2016. Set on the idyllic Thai shores of Hua Hin, vast tropical acres are home to a staggering number of treatment rooms, pools, studios, pavilions and contemporary Thai-style accommodation. This year sees a whole new look with the revamped Ocean rooms. Lighter, brighter and larger, they have been given a contemporary gold-and-ivory Thai makeover by Ed Tuttle as well as…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016ADVENTUROUS ESCAPESSONG SAA KOH RONG, CAMBODIAWEIGHT LOSSIN BRIEF One of the world’s most progressive destination retreatsTHE LOWDOWN What magic. Daily yoga and meditation are held on a platform overlooking the crystal-clear sea, and the island setting provides a soundtrack of birdcalls and cicadas. Treatment rooms on stilts over the water are reached via reclaimed-wood walkways along which you’ll spot a lotus flower in an antique copper bowl and a ‘do not disturb’ sign handwritten on a stone from the beach. It’s all about the little things here, right down to the red-string bracelets given with a blessing post-treatment. Everything is wrapped up in the hotel’s gentle eco-social approach. It is done very subtly but with true meaning, because Song Saa is as far from cookie-cutter as imaginable. For example, while a…8 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016DEEP healingOn Puglia’s coast, cocooned by olive and lemon groves lies the gorgeous Borgo Egnazia, home to the even more gorgeous Vair Spa. We can’t rave enough about this destination. We love its authenticity: from Roman bath to essential oil, it celebrates the soul of southern Italy. But it is the spa’s unique psychoemotional approach to wellbeing that makes it stand out from the crowd. This is about nurturing the mind, body and spirit by learning to love oneself. Spa director Patrizia Bortolin is inspirational; she meets each and every guest before tailoring his or her individual journey. The treatments can be very personal, but when carried out by Vair’s sensitive therapists, they can be life changing.DON'T WORRY BE HAPPYThis new approach to achieving psychological fulfillment is the result of two…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016mountain TRIOPARKHOTEL IGLSIn-the-know devotees flock to Parkhotel Igls for its emphasis on nutrition, exercise and regeneration, based on Modern Mayr Medicine. Winner of Most Effective Medi-Spa in the Condé Nast Traveller 2015 Spa awards, it continues to innovate this branch of medicine under the expert direction of Dr Peter Gartner. Mayr is the theory that modern syndromes often have their origin in the digestive system, with symptoms improved or even eliminated via diet, exercise and lifestyle changes. At Parkhotel Igls, Mayr is based on six principles: resting the digestive tract via diet, cleansing the system via ‘bitter water’ and increased fluid intake, learning how to chew properly and adjusting dietary habits, supplementing, exercising and self-discovery. A basic programme covers examinations, a Modern Mayr Cuisine plan (seven dietary stages), group exercise, lifestyle…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SNAP HAPPYWhat’s new in Sicily Texas Tel Aviv Brooklyn MongoliaPhotographer Michael Muller is best known for his glossy Marvel movie posters and candid portraits of A-listers such as Eva Mendes and Mike Tyson, but it’s his close-ups of hammerheads and blacktips that are now collected together in a new book, nine years in the making. ‘I was already a keen diver but my first underwater job was an ad campaign with Olympic swimmers in 2003. I realised how amazing it would be to light up a shark with a proper rig. People think I’m an adrenalin junkie because I never shoot with a cage; but I just have to be vigilant.’ His closest call? Photographing these lemon sharks in the Bahamas. ‘We were actually trying to shoot tiger sharks when this…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SPIN THE BOTTLE‘We just want to make wine-drinking fun,’ says Dan Keeling, co-founder of Noble Rot, a garrulous magazine on the subject and now an eponymous bar in a townhouse in London’s Bloomsbury. As former MD at Island Records, Keeling has brought a dose of muso-cool to the endeavour, unstuffing the intellectual posturing of the industry and enticing oenophiles with his (and co-founding ex-wine merchant Mark Andrew’s) favourite bottles. There’s a similar ethos at Cordobar in Berlin, above. This laidback Mitte bar was opened by an Austro-German group that includes Christof Ellinghaus, owner of record label City Slang, whose menu showcases small wine-makers around central Europe. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, The Four Horsem*n is far from apocalyptic. Opened by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and wine consultant Justin Chearno, it showcases the latest trends…3 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THE SOCIAL NETWORKThe hohenlohes were to 20th-century Marbella what the Medicis were to 14th-century Florence. They changed everything. The German family name, however, is likely to be harder for many of us to pronounce than the Italian one. It’s closer to ‘Hoy’n’Loy’ than it is to ‘Ho’n’Low’. But if you can somehow roll both together at once, so much the better.It was Alfonso Hohenlohe – a prince, no less – who, in the years after World War II, put the somnolent little Spanish fishing village of Marbella on the map. He did so by opening a simple hotel, which he called the Marbella Club. Through a combination of good luck, good judgement and sheer force of personality, this moustachioed roué – not quite destitute but pretty much down to his last schloss…6 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016BED-HOPPING WITH MANOLO BLAHNIK‘THE PEOPLE HERE ARE VERY NICE, ESPECIALLY FOR LOS ANGELES, WHERE EVERYBODY IS RUDE’FOUR SEASONS HOTEL MILAN‘I’ve been coming here since it opened in 1993, and I’m part of the family. They’ve changed the staff, but there is always the continuity of wonderful ervice – that’s what makes a great hotel. Not like those “Have a nice day, sir” places. I’ve stayed in the same room for more than 20 years.’ fourseasons.com/milan. Doubles from about £495THE PENINSULA HONG KONG‘The views are lovely, especially at night when you don’t see the smog. I have happy memories of staying here with my friend Tina Chow. They serve delicious tea, and some of the rooms are nicely done in a Thirties style.’ hongkong. peninsula.com. Doubles from about £375SAN DOMENICO PALACE TAORMINA‘I don’t like…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THE GREAT EUROPEAN ESCAPEHELSINKI MAY seem like a curious choice as the location for the new Guggenheim museum. There are already several galleries with a serious art-world presence such as the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, The Amos Anderson Art Museum (which is set for a huge expansion) and Galerie Forsblom where, two years ago, Japanese sculptor Mariko Mori held a major solo exhibition. But the arrival of the American outpost will boost Finland on a global scale.Helsinki isn’t a place that brags many look-at-me attractions. It’s more underthe-radar than Reykjavik. It has a gentler beat than Stockholm. And in terms of chasing Copenhagen’s apron strings when it comes to food, there’s still a little way to go. And yet. On my first night I am served a bowl of risotto, the grains…6 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SHOPPING IN SRI LANKAINTERIORSKK THE COLLECTION If you want to plagiarise the elegant look and feel of George Cooper’s nearby boutique hotel Kahanda Kanda, come here. Brass elephant statues, wood carvings, racks of smartly tailored men’s shirts and hand-poured scented candles are presented like a beautiful interiors shoot. But beware the assistants on strict ‘no photography’ patrol. It’s also the place to get your hair done or have a cup of Sri Lankan tea in the charming courtyard café. The flag out front declares ‘Home, Rice & Curry, Salon, Fashion’. 71 Pedlar Street (+94 91 721 2391; facebook.com/kkcfort)BESPOKE JEWELSMILLENNIUM GEMS In a workshop at the front of his showroom, Mr Mahesh sorts through cuttlefish bones plucked from nearby beaches to be used as moulds. As one of the many designermakers in the fort,…5 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016IF YOU ONLY PACK 4 THINGS …for flyingFOR EYESBobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick is essential for those on a red-eye flight. They come in the prettiest shimmery-pastel shades, which help make the whites of your eyes seem brighter, creating a fresh-faced appearance. Crease-proof and fool-proof, just swipe across lids and you’re ready to go. £21; bobbibrown.co.ukFOR FACEI have a little beauty ritual to spruce up skin on a long-haul flight and it works a charm. Right after dinner, when the alcohol is starting to kick in and my face begins to feel like it’s been vacuumpacked, I delve into my handbag for Eve Lom’s White Brightening Mask. Each sheet is impregnated with skinbrightening ingredients to combat a blotchy complexion. Slap it on when the cabin lights are dimmed, as it might freak out your neighbour (it’s…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THE MOOD: SPLASH PACKA decade ago people didn’t think of Oman as a fly-and-flop hot spot. It was all Bedouin tents, low-key adventure and desertscapes. Shangri-La changed things for the kind of guy who wanted to hang onto his cool credentials while overseeing the children stroking a camel – but without roughing it. This sprawling retreat, just a 15-minute drive from Muscat, is separated from the rest of the world by a Bond-esque tunnel through a mountain. There are three hotels: Al Waha (the Oasis), where indulged British preschoolers and weekending Middle Eastern families are kept busy in one of the many kid-friendly pools. With its traditional Dhofari architecture, Al Bandar (the Town) is for suave sun-seekers who don’t want to walk far for lunch – there are 22 restaurants to choose from…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SHIMMY SHIMMYIN CARTAGENA GOLD HAS been out of the news for a couple of centuries or more. Time was, it was all people talked about. But really, since the Napoleonic wars, conversation has shifted to more mundane matters: independence, a civil war, the drug trade, American imperialism.But then suddenly, just a couple of months ago, gold was back. The Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, flew down to Cartagena to call a news conference in the shadow of the great fortress built to keep English pirates at bay. A Spanish galleon, the San José, had been found offshore. Described as the Holy Grail of shipwrecks, she was sunk by the British in 1708 and was said to contain, in the breathless words of the president himself, the largest haul of gold ever…9 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016MATERIAL GIRL2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016TABLE TO BOOKFood and drink fixes from Sweden Lisbon London Montreal CanberraSpontaneous socialising with strangers is not something you’d immediately associate with the sometimes stiff Stockholmers. But now a fresh breed of restaurants, including acclaimed Woodstockholm in the heart of hip Södermalm, is bringing reticent diners together at long tables for a more intimate, communal experience. These are not just any tables either: Woodstockholm started as a furniture business (how very Swedish) and the restaurant’s beautiful, blond-wood pieces, designed by Lars Stensö, are also sold in the shop next door. The chalked-up menu is edgy and dynamic, using sustainable Nordic produce, including wild duck with blackberry sauce, to create themes such as the Forest and the Last Supper, whose intricate food contrasts with the simple, pared-back design. TATTY GOOD woodstockholm.com. About £80…1 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016tropical SANCTUARYBanyan Tree Seychelles is like stepping barefoot into an other-worldly, tropical paradise. Set on one of the Seychelles’ most beautiful beaches overlooking Intendence Bay, this exclusive and enchanting resort features an elegant collection of whitewashed, colonial-style villas dotted along the beach or in the lush, green, tropical hills teeming with birdlife and flora. It’s the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate, and Banyan Tree’s new Spa Sanctuary Villas promise to do that and much more. On arrival, frazzled nerves are instantly calmed by a deeply soothing footbath ritual followed by a discussion with your therapist who’s there to advise you on every aspect of your journey to serenity. An extensive massage menu is at your disposal and unlimited daily massages are all part of your experience. Choose from a heavenly…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016Eat the street10AM breakfastPatrice Pâtissier, No 2360 Pair your morning coffee with a cake such as Le Vert, a tongue-melting combination of apple granita, white-chocolate yogurt, pistachios and coriander, or a Breton pastry, crusty and caramelised with a light, buttery interior. Hungry for more? Take a class and learn to make them yourself. patricepatissier.ca11AM SHOPBoucherie Grinder, No 1654 Behind full-length windows, ribs and haunches are showcased like expensive jewels, pictured. Grinder ages its own beef and boils its stock, but if you’re not sure you can do the 30-day dry-aged rib steak justice yourself, walk a few doors down to the excellent restaurant. boucheriegrinder.ca1PM LUNCHChez Sophie, No 1974 After studying with the great French chef Paul Bocuse, and setting up a top restaurant in Lebanon, Sophie Tabet came home to open this…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016SUPER LUXEBEST FOR Seafront chic LAS VENTANAS AL PARAISO, MEXICOThe neat white cubist architecture of Las Ventanas spreads along the spectacular coast at Los Cabos, offering a really stylish beachfront base. Villas come with their own infinity pool, outdoor dining area and spacious patio with alfresco hot-tub, and guests can choose to dine in the privacy of their own house, or stroll through the elegant grounds to one of the resort’s three restaurants. All villas open directly onto the beach, offering a sense of escape from the rest of the resort. Eight nights from £10,199 including flights and transfers, sleeping two, through Trailfinders (020 7368 1500; trailfinders.com)BEST FOR Rural bliss MASSERIA COSTANZA, VENDICARI, S ICILYSurrounded by the lush citrus groves of the Vendicari Nature Reserve, Costanza is a truly spectacular house,…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016GROUPSBEST FOR Foodies VILLA KONAK, KALKAN, TURKEYTurkey’s most sophisticated resort, Kalkan is famous for the hundreds of restaurants that dot its streets and rooftops. Base yourself at the elegant Villa Konak, and you can spend days lazing by the huge infinity pool, before heading to the charming old town for evenings out. The house has a contemporary feel, with an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area and five en-suite bedrooms including a spacious master suite, with stunning views through three double-height windows. A week from £4,884, sleeping 10, through CV Villas (020 3051 5953; cvvillas.com)BEST FOR Drama TORRE LE SIRENE, POSITANO, I TALYStaying in Torre le Sirene is an event rather than holiday; the imposing tower dates back to the 13th century, with a lattice of grottoes and passageways leading…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016ROMANCEBEST FOR Culture SIX SENSES SAMUI, THAILANDFew countries offer the same mix of spectacular beaches and exotic culture in such a small place, and on the beautiful island of Koh Samui, you have the island in miniature. Stay in a coolly-elegant, colonial-style Hideaway Villa, surrounded by tropical foliage, and mix days lazing on your private deck or drinking in the views from the stunning infinity pool, with trips out to local temples, bustling markets and unique historic sites. A week in a Hideaway Villa from £1,930, sleeping two, including breakfast through Six Senses (00 66 7724 5678; sixsenses.com)BEST FOR Spa lovers BANYAN TREE, SEYCHELLESTucked away between swaying palm trees and a lush rainforest canopy, the hillside Pool Villas at the Banyan Tree offer the chance to live a real island…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016FLORAL TAKEOVERTHEA DARRICOTTE uncovers your worldThe hottest scents right nowHANDBAG ESSENTIALThe new additions to Canon’s IXUS point and shoot camera series are designed to adapt to any situation. £129.99, canon.co.ukTHE LUXURIOUS ESCAPETravelling to India? ITC Hotels has recently opened ITC Grand Bharat in the New Delhi Capital Region which is spread over 300 acres and embodies its ethos of ‘Responsible Luxury’. With a Jack Nicklaus golf course, ‘Kaya Kalp’ spa, ‘wellbeing’ cuisine and ‘Retreat Hosts’ it is an ideal destination for families and couples alike. itchotels.inThea’s DON'T FLY WITHOUT...SOMEWHERE FOR THE WEEKENDItaly is known for its romance and it doesn’t get much more seductive than the Brunelleschi Hotel in Florence. Trotting distance from the Duomo – with many of its 96 rooms and suites overlooking the stunning city – it also…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016BIG HITTERSKAMALAYA KOH SAMUI, THAILANDWEIGHT LOSSIN BRIEF Total rejuvenation in a rainforest wonderlandTHE LOWDOWN Kamalaya has one of the most stratospheric repeat bookings of any long-haul spa. Try it, love it and you don’t have to think about looking anywhere else. If you’re coming here for the first time, book in for at least seven nights or 10 if you can. After an 11-hour flight from London, a few hours’ layover at Bangkok airport and the hour-long hop to Koh Samui, it’s another half-hour in the car before you’re sipping a welcome ginger tea. It takes a couple of days to recover, and once you’ve had a session or two with the astounding yoga teachers, a hard-hitting fitness class or meditation with Rajesh – a former monk so profoundly wise some…14 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THE SILENT TREATMENTTHE REMEDY A restorative break at Eremito, a monastic eco-retreat in UmbriaThe sweet smell of chopped wood hangs in the air as I step off the train at the sleepy village of Fabro-Ficulle, between Rome and Florence. The lovely Enzo is there to greet me and he leads me not to a fancy limo, but to a beaten-up, two-door saloon and steers me, Italian-rally-driver style, along the final stretch of the journey to my bolthole for the next five days.Things in life were becoming crystal clear after spending the previous three months on the emotional roller coaster that is cancer treatment. The C-word was never used by the medics who treated me – the condition I had turned out to be a non-invasive pre-cursor to breast cancer. I didn’t have…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016pure GENIUSWith a heritage that spans three decades in the professional spa arena, favoured by some of the world’s most famous faces (think Grace Kelly and Catherine Deneuve), Anne Semonin is one of the world’s most iconic beauty brands. Founded by Anne Semonin herself in the fashion capital of the world, at the flagship – and magnificently renovated – Atelier de Beauté, today it is in over 200 luxury hotel spas around the world. Best of all, its groundbreaking range enables you to bring the spa experience to your home, with results-driven skincare using unique plant and marine extracts, natural active ingredients (essential oils and trace elements) and cryotherapy techniques for face and body. The result: effective made-to-measure skincare guaranteed to restore radiance.Take the innovative Anne Semonin Express Radiance Ice Cubes…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016THE WAKING DEADTHE REMEDY A dedicated sleep programme at SHA, Spain’s foremost medi-clinicIt feels like a hangover, doesn’t it? That rising nausea and dizziness known to everyone who suffers chronic interrupted sleep. I am blessed with good sleeper genes. But take one late-life pregnancy (now one toddler) and one full-time job and I’ve turned into a dead sleeper. Within minutes of lying down, darkness slams me into dreamless oblivion until shrieking from my little one’s bedroom jolts me into changing a nappy faster than a Ferrari pit stop. Although I’m never awake for long, waking rejuvenated is but a dream. Instead, I get out of bed each morning exhausted and dragging.I’ve signed up for a seven-day sleep programme at the SHA Wellness Clinic near Alicante. It’s a multi-pronged attack devised with a…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016absolutely FabulousRegarded as one of the best places in the world to practice yoga, Absolute Sanctuary remains an unsung gem of a place. Hidden in the hills of Choeng Mon on the northeast coast of Koh Samui, this boutique retreat has just 38 Moroccan-style rooms. Small in size but big in results, its all-encompassing centres and array of original programmes explore different routes to help guests cleanse, recharge and revitalise. Whether detoxing, losing weight or getting fit, the results speak for themselves.Yoga at Absolute Sanctuary is nothing short of 100 per cent brilliant. The dedicated centre offers everything from hatha, yin, ashtanga, vinyasa, detox and restorative to hot yoga sequences that help flush out the body’s toxins. The teachers are inspirational and the mood is focused but zen.Although Absolute Sanctuary primarily…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016Health havenSituated on Spain’s southern coast near the traditional fishing town of Altea, SHA Wellness Clinic is a five-star hotel-cum-clinic with wow-factor facilities. It won Europe’s best spa in last year’s Wellness Travel Awards and is brilliant at what it does (which is a lot). This however is not for the spa dabbler. Anyone dreaming of fluffy white dressing gowns and gentle pampering should think again. SHA is a medically minded, result-driven healthy haven. It tackles all sorts of issues. From weight loss, detoxing, nutrition and fitness to sleep recovery, anti-stress and total rejuvenation, there are a host of inspirational programmes and a seemingly exhaustive list of treatments. Spa aficionados and celebrities swear by SHA, so check out what’s happening for 2016.Since opening in 2008, improving and maintaining guests’ mental and…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016mind over MATTERStep out of life’s routine and let India’s ancient healing powers work their magic on mind, body and soulHoly, healing and spiritual, there are few better places in the world to head for a wellness wake-up-call than India. The ancient practice of Ayurveda is integral to Indian culture and has created a unique, life-enhancing travel destination. Alongside Ayurveda, India’s wellbeing offerings have long included yoga and meditation – increasingly popular amid today’s mindfulness boom. Retreats are now all-encompassing, opening their heaven-sent doors and covering everything from holistic health and stress reduction to personal growth, nutrition and fitness. India provides the chance to escape the daily treadmill, enhance spiritual growth and learn to live life to the full. Take a look at these three unique retreats, all courtesy of spa experts…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016island MAGICWhat devotees love about luxury tour operator Cleveland Collection is the all out attitude to pure escapism. It understands that good health doesn’t necessarily have to be just about deprivation, calorie-busting bootcamps and days of detoxing, leaning instead towards the pampering side of wellbeing. There are a host of idyllic hideaways on its books that simply deal in relaxation and rejuvenation, both equally as vital to the body’s healing process. Cleveland Collection is one of the UK’s most bespoke tour operators, with an expert team that travels the world, researching and unearthing the best of the best. They only ever give recommendations based on first-hand experience (and approval). From private-island pamperfests to unique overland journeys, from outdoor adventures to small-ship cruising, Cleveland’s handpicked portfolio has something for everyone. Constantly on…4 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016FIX YOUR ISSUESProblem LOW-LEVEL ANXIETYSolution INNER PEACE OIL BY ILAMagic in a bottle. Suck up the heady sweetness of jasmine, sandalwood and ylang ylang but use it sparingly as you won’t want to waste a drop. Rub the oil into your solar plexus, as well as the pulse points on your wrists. It is instantly calming and comforting, reducing nervous anxiety while also nourishing dry skin and lifting lagging spirits. Ila is one of the most authentic spa brands out there. It’s organic and handmade in the Cotswolds by women who listen to chanting as they work. Look out for the incredible holistic treatments in Wiltshire’s Lucknam Park, the Anassa and Almyra in Cyprus and Four Seasons properties around the world. £48; ila-spa.comProblem TOXIC LIFESTYLE AND VITAMIN DEFICIENCIESSolution FULVIC ACIDThe latest in…2 min
Conde Nast Traveller UK|March 2016NEWS FLASHLIGHT SAVIOURSWeather-wise, London may have a reputation for 50 shades of grey but a new range of light-therapy treatments are brightening things up. The Light Salon at Harvey Nichols offers snappy 11-minute sessions under LED face lamps imported from Korea, which work to smooth fine lines and boost collagen. In Chelsea, super-facialist Sarah Chapman’s new Skinesis clinic has Skin-Glow LED Light Pods, which treat concerns from acne to ageing. And across town at just-launched Bodyism on Westbourne Grove, Alexandra Inch administers Psio Light Therapy treatments for seasonal affective disorder, during which you wear illuminated goggles that beam diffused light along to a calming thetabrainwave-enhancing soundtrack.MORE ON THE MENUAt Bodyism you’ll also find the magnificent Clean and Lean Café, which makes the tastiest gluten-free cookies and green shakes. Even the water…2 min
