Conde Nast 2014 03 UK PDF

MARCH 2014 3.
99
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Contents
March 2014
Features
62
Botswana A very big

adventure for all the family on a bushand-desert safari in southern Africa
74 UK pubs with rooms
Two pints and a packet of crisps oh, and

a lovingly crafted bedroom for two, please
86 Madagascar
PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID CROOKES
Its not just the

wildlife that evolved independently on this
mysterious island so have the places to stay
94
St Barths The most

fashionable address in the Caribbean
inspires this months swimwear story
106
Kashmir All aboard for the

latest lakeland sensation: fabulous Raj-era
houseboats relaunched as oating hotels
March 2014 Cond Nast Traveller 5
March 2014
37
17
In this issue
10 Editors letter
12 Contributors
17 Word of mouth Whats

creating a buzz around the world,
from Mumbai to Margate
52
24 Ski break The mountain mecca
127
where showbiz meets snowbiz, Aspen

is polishing up its lustrous image with a
serious hit of art and culture
118
30 Neighbourhood on the up
Hang out with an arty crowd in
Karaky, Istanbul
37 Where to stay Reviews of

Provences top hotels; Bed-hopping
with Tinie Tempah; Point Yamu,
Phuket; The Weekender in Cornwall;
Sally Shalams Great British Breaks
24
50 A letter from Denmark, where a

sing-song can keep society in harmony
On the cover
Le Sereno hotel, St Barths.
Photographed by Richard
Phibbs. Styled by Fiona
Lintott. Model, Sophie
Vlaming. Hair by Noah Hatton
using Redken. Make-up by
Carmindy using Collection
Notes de Printemps by
Chanel. Top, bikini bottoms
and bangle, all Chanel,
Sandals, Valentino. Hat,
Lock & Co. Bag, Mia Zia
8 Cond Nast Traveller March 2014
52 Style file The detox guru that

Gwyneth Paltrow raves about, Londons
new beauty spot and more. Plus,
Mexican-inspired jewellery. Men: test
your mettle with an Ironman challenge
in Brazil; the best ski jackets; how to
look Bullitt-sharp. On the scene at the
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendme
61 If you do one thing in

March, check out the architecture of
Frank Gehry
30
118 In Britain Strike a rich seam
of seasonal food, country views
and outstanding architecture in
and around Durham
124 A travellers tales Around
the world with Ty Burrell, the star of

TV show Modern Family
127 The experts Round em up with
the best shing guide in the Wild

West. Plus, Sienna Miller reports back
from the Caribbean on a post-baby
pick-me-up; gadgets you will thank
for the memories; which wines to fork
out on for a spaghetti dinner; a guide
to family-friendly Barcelona; this
months best new travel titles; your
travel questions answered by our team
158 Competition Win a sensational
6,000 holiday at the Conrad Algarve

hotel in Portugal
161 Reader offer Save 20 per
cent on a weeks stay in one of CV

Villas property in Puglia
176 Room with a view Soneva

Fushi, Maldives
PHOTOGRAPHS: MEHMET ARDA; SEAN ELLIOTT; RICHARD PHIBBS
Contents
Editors letter
his is a photo of me and two of my daughters, the eldest of whom is
now, around eight years later, about to take her rst exam. It has been a
curious ride. In the early stages it would be wrong to describe my behaviour
as anything but psychotic. It came, it saw, it was ugly and then, for a
mixture of curious reasons, it dissipated. The emphasis on learning, however the
background insinuation that this should be a time for acquiring knowledge has,
for the past few months, given a curious architecture to our family life.
It started in the car while listening to the radio. Do we like this song, girls?
I asked as I noticed them jigging in their seats. This track is by a group called
Rudimental. Let me spell that. R.U.D.I.M.E.N.T.A.L. The beat that you are reacting to is called Drum and
Bass. Can you hear it? Yes? Drum and Bass or indeed Drum N Bass is identied by very fast beats.
These beats are known as BREAKBEATS.
One morning we were all lying in bed watching an old MGM musical, with those big dance numbers and
ladies in dresses the colours of boiled sweets. The girls loved it. I struck while the eyes were hot. Children, I
said, pulling out an old DVD, this is How to Steal a Million. In this classic lm from the 1960s, Audrey
Hepburn is dressed entirely by Givenchy. Choose your favourite outt and at the end we will discuss. Please
do also note the particular qualities in the voice and timbre of Peter OToole.
And again: This is the news, children. For the news we must do the OPPOSITE of what we do with classic movies:
we must NOT judge the outts in any way. Do please listen instead to what the newsreader is ACTUALLY
saying. As we watch certain reports from Syria and Iraq, however, it is difcult (for all of us, it has to be said)
to work out who the goodies and baddies are. Goodies and baddies are not always what they might at rst seem,
I say, meaningfully, although perhaps, I add, warming to the theme, it might be possible to make a sweeping
statement and suggest that countries beginning with the letter I Iraq, Iran, Israel, Italy, for example tend to
have more nuttiness surrounding them than those beginning with the letter C. Such as Canada. And Costa Rica.
Disney, anything to do with Disney, was out. Studio Ghibli was in. This is Japanese anime, girls. Please do
focus on the certain moral ambiguity that you will not nd in the Disney oeuvre, and more peculiar story arcs
that you might recognise from our discussions regarding the Middle East.
On the eve of the big day, my daughter and I sit splaying our ngers against her plasma globe in the hope it
will make us more electric. Ive rather enjoyed this whole exam ride, she says, cheerily. Indeed, in our brain
hunger we have thrilled to ruminate on how Jeff Koonss big blue sweet at Frieze could possibly be worth like
a million zillion pounds, we have argued vociferously who would win in a magic throw-down between David
Blaine and Dynamo, and we have watched an astonishing amount of David Attenborough and anything and
everything with the word Planet in it. We have done sudoku in the bath, played chess well past bedtime, we
have built a replica of St Basils Cathedral, a 3-D puzzle of the Eiffel tower, and a KNex Big Wheel and
Rollercoaster with carriage. We have started collecting money so Oxfam can buy a cow, and studied the
various theories regarding the lack of eyebrows on the Mona Lisa.
Have we, perhaps, gone off track? Do we, in fact, know how many pots of one-litre paint will be needed to
cover a wall 18 metres long and a third of that high, if one litre of paint covers four square metres of wall?
Meh. Anyway, she continues, happily, its all been rather sensational. And do you know who you might be
referencing when you use that word sensational? I ask. Could it be Grace Kelly in the night-time pool
scene with Frank Sinatra in High Society? she wonders? Correct, I say, most satised, that is absolutely,
magnicently, sensationally correct.
This is the new issue of Cond Nast Traveller. For those who know that sometimes you dont have to go very
far at all to have your eyes opened.
Melinda Stevens
Editor
@MelindaStevens3
MelindaLP
Truth in Travel is this magazines promise to the reader to be an essential source

of honest, rst-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
Every day a new

destination every
bit as beautiful
as the last.
Contributors
Inspired by this months feature on the best

inns with rooms, we asked our contributors
to tell us about their favourite pub
Lucia van der Post Writer, Botswana (p62)

Im not much of a pub-goer but lunch at The Gumstool Inn, part of
Gloucestershires Calcot Manor, has become a Boxing Day ritual. Not
too poshed-up, it has roaring res, lots of buzz and really good food.
Lucia is a freelance writer and magazine editor. She has a deep love
of Africa and heads into the bush whenever the opportunity arises
Lucy Hughes-Hallett Writer, Kashmir (p106)

The Anchor at Walberswick, in Suffolk, is a great place for
lunch, with locally caught sh and Adnams beer. Then you can step
straight out through the garden gate onto the marshes.
Lucy won the 2013 Samuel Johnson Prize and the Costa Book
Award for her biography of Gabriele dAnnunzio, The Pike
When it comes to your dream holiday,

the boat is just the beginning
In 1969, Charlie Cary and his beloved wife
Ginny followed their dream by establishing
The Moorings, allowing their passion for the
water to be experienced by all.
U N F O R G E T TA B L E
MOMENTS
on the water
Call 0845 154 0876 or visit www.moorings.co.uk
David Crookes Photographer, Botswana (p62)

Publik in Cape Town shares a space with the butcher Frankie
Fenner. You can get amazing cuts of meat and swill boutique wines.
South Africa-based David is currently collecting a stone from every
country in the world, wrapped in the front page of a newspaper
Zakynthos - Ionian Islands - Greece
Richard Phibbs Photographer, St Barths (p94)

Im a big fan of McSorleys pub in New York, which used
to have the motto Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies;
but I also love the bar at the Soho Grand the best part is
I can take my dog and they serve vegan bar food.
Canadian-born Richard lives in New York; the follow-up to
his book Chasing Beauty will be published later this year
Sienna Miller Writer, Parrot Cay (p128)
PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVID CROOKES
Gerry Stonhills Individual Mason Arms is a 15th-century

thatched haven outside Oxford, with a charismatic proprietor
in the shape of Gerry himself. It has a real sense of community
and is one of the places I miss most when I am away.
The actress, known for her break-out role in Layer Cake,
stars in the upcoming lm Foxcatcher. She lives in London
Cathrine Wessel Photographer, Kashmir (p106)

For a Friday afternoon pint of Brooklyn Lager, I always head
to Fanellis in New Yorks SoHO. Its old and original and the
sort of place where you always bump into a friend.
The photographer was raised on a farm outside Oslo but now lives
in Greenpoint and returns to her familys summerhouse every year
EDITOR
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Refined travel for discerning tastes

B H U TA N O N E PA L
SRI LANKA O MALDIVES
INDIA
ATOL No. 4023 ABTA No V9610
Word of mouth
Whats hot in New York
Cape Town Seoul Mumbai Margate

EDITED BY FIONA KERR
GAME OF
THROWINGS
PHOTOGRAPH: GEORGE MARKS/RETROFILE/GETTY IMAGES
Keep your aim steady and

rock the sure shot for New
Yorks latest bar craze
ew Yorkers practically invented drinking games.
Not the shot-lled student variety, but pingpong over cocktails (head to SPiN), and bocce with
a beer (its like boules, try it at Floyd NY). Tabletop
shuffleboard has been the latest retro pastime to
hit New York. The aim? To rack up points by sliding
four metal pucks as close as possible to the end of a
long wooden table. Now Brooklynites are graduating
to the full-size version that their grandparents used
to play on cruise-ship decks swapping small
pucks for large biscuits, using a wooden paddle called
a tang to send them to the scoring area. The newly
opened Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club (www.
royalpalmsshuffle.com) has 10 regulation-size courts,
painted a Floridian blue and surrounded by cabanas
and a pool deck where you can sip on a Key Lime Fizz
while waiting for your next game. SUNSHINE FLINT
Word of mouth
NEW YORK 2014
PARK LIFE
Founder Nick Jones

COOK THE
PERFECT ROAST
I do my Friday-night
chicken either simply
with creamy mashed potato
and peas, or with all the
trimmings: bread sauce,
sausages wrapped in bacon
and potatoes roasted in duck
fat. I salt my chickens really
well and ll them with tarragon
to rest overnight. For
Sunday-lunch beef, you want
rib-eye, a bit fatty and cooked
nice and rare near the bone
and better done on the
ends for those who like it.
Actress Hayley Atwell

MIX THE BEST COCKTAIL
I always begin the night with
a Soho Mule: simple, not too
sweet and very refreshing.
50ml Grey Goose Vodka;
20ml ginger syrup (boil and
reduce fresh ginger juice
and caster sugar in equal
measures); juice of half a lime
Shake everything together
with an ice cube, and then
pour into a Collins
glass. Top with ice
and soda water
and garnish with a
crystallised
ginger on a stick.
Artist
Jonathan Yeo
FIND ART
Prints are a
good way to get started.
Check out the Paragon Press,
White Cube editions and the
Multiplied in London fair.
Secondly, art doesnt have
to match its surroundings.
Edgy contemporary work is
more effective juxtaposed
with traditional settings.
Lastly, step into the unknown
and go to a gallery that you
havent visited before.
Sooner or later youll make
an exciting discovery.
No diving, no
bombing In Japan,
the ritual of ofuro
bathing is taken very seriously. Rules are strict: soap and
shower rst, then slip into the bath, naked. Sit still and
quiet, submerged up to your neck in the hottest water,
ngers and toes slowly pruning. Practise this in the UK at
Gilpin Lodge (www.thegilpin.co.uk), which has a cedar tub
by the lake, heated by a log re. But the new Gainsborough
Bath Spa (www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk) is
the only place in the country with ofuro fed by natural
thermal waters. Take a lead from the Japanese and dont
rinse after: this allows the minerals to take maximum
effect, and marks you as an ofuro pro. KATE CROCKETT
LONDON 2017
GARDEN BRIDGE (www.gardenbridgetrust.org)

doesnt need to dig deep for a plot: it will stretch
367 metres over the Thames from Temple to the
South Bank. Chicago unveils its own High Line this
year, too: The Bloomingdale Trail (www.the606.
org), along nearly three miles of former freight
line. And in place of the Hotel Rossiya next to
Red Square, MOSCOW will have ZARYADYE
PARK (www.parkzaryadye. com) from High Line
architects Diller Scodio + Renfro. Just as The High
Line translates the unruly beauty that took root
after the railway fell into disuse, Zaryadye is inspired
by the cobblestones of Red Square overgrown
with nature, says Ric Schodo. The natural and
the articial co-habit to create a new type of park.
MOSCOW 2016
PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES; MASAAKI TOYOURA/GETTY IMAGES
Since Soho House opened its unassuming grey door on Londons Greek Street
in 1995, the members club has rolled out across the globe, from Berlin (pictured)
to Mumbai, Chicago and Istanbul (all opening in the next year). Now, thanks
to the insider secrets in Eat, Drink, Nap: Bringing the House Home (30,
Preface), you can re-create the House party whenever and wherever you like.
Snaking up MANHATTANs west side, THE

HIGH LINE not only transformed an old railway
line but also the idea of a park, as part of the
city rather than an escape from it. Now, with the
nal section opening later this year ending in a
tree-lled amphitheatre theres been a growth
in High Line-inspired greenery across the globe.
Over on the Lower East Side, designer James
Ramsey and former Google exec Dan Barasch
raised money on Kickstarter to get The Lowline
(www.thelowline.org) off the ground, or more
accurately, under it. The plan? By 2018, to turn an
abandoned tram terminal into an underground
park, using solar panels and bre-optics to bring
in the sun. In LONDON, Thomas Heatherwicks
KNOWING
WHERE TO GO
STARTS WITH
KNOWING
WHERE TO STAY
loewshotels.com/regency-hotel
800.23.LOEWS
OPENING NEW DOORS.
Word of mouth
THE ARTIST
Lauren Fowler
An illustrator and graphic designer who produces quirky line

drawings see The Ouroboros, far right at her studio in the
hip Woodstock Foundry. My favourite place for discovering
work by new artists is Salon91, a small gallery on Kloof Street.
For fashion, I love the Take Care and Adriaan Kuiters
boutiques [left, a Kuiters promotional image]. Take Cares
womenswear, right, is minimal and simple,
while Adriaan Kuiters designs mens clothing
in a muted palette of black, grey, beige and
blues. www.lostisaplacetoo.com
CAPE
Even before it took the crown as World Design
been buzzing. Much of that energy has been
with forgotten factories, now home to independent
is spreading. As the Design Capital celebrations
galleries, four of the citys most respected locals
THE BARTENDER
Nick Koumbarakis
He shook it for South Africa in
the World Class Bartending of the
Year Final 2013, but most days
you can nd him behind the counter
at motorbike-workshop-bar The
House of Machines. Check out
Benjamin Reisner, who goes by the
DJ name JanuaryOne and plays
very progressive house music at the
speakeasy-style Orphanage Cocktail
Emporium. For great hand-crafted
design, head to Wolf & Maiden,
above left, which makes wooden
lighting and furniture, and Matblac
for leather iPad and iPod sleeves.
www.thehouseofmachines.com
THE CHEF
Luke Dale-Roberts
At The Test Kitchen in Woodstocks Old

Biscuit Mill, Dale-Roberts produces some
of South Africas most innovative food.
Theres a growing natural-wine-making
movement, going against the tradition for
manipulating the grapes. Try a glass with
a plate of cured meat at Publik, left, a
wine bar inside Andy Fenners butchery
on Church Street. Hes equally passionate
about ethically sourced meat. Ive also
been blown away by natural winemaker
Eben Sadie. Im buying so much of his
stuff that Ive put in two new fridges to
store it all. www.thetestkitchen.co.za
COOL
Capital for this year, Cape Towns creative scene has

centred on Woodstock, once a run-down suburb lled
shops, galleries and cafs. This cultural regeneration
get underway with a street-food festival and pop-up
tell Emma Love about the names to watch
THE BOUTIQUE OWNER
Hanneli Rupert
The founder of concept store Merchants
on Long, which stocks all-African fashion,
art and accessories, Rupert has recently
launched a cocktail bar, Merchants
Shebeen, across the road, and handbag
brand Okapi. Stock up on MaXhosa
knitwear, left, by South African menswear
designer Laduma Ngxokolo,
below right. His bold patterns
are inspired by the traditional
beadwork of the Xhosa tribe.
And I love artist Nandipha
Mntambo, represented by the
Michael Stevenson gallery.
She creates beautiful sculptures of the human body using
animal skins.
www.merchantsonlong.com
Word of mouth
THE GREAT BOMBAY BAKE-OFF

Indias always had a sweet tooth, with traditional, colourful mithai sweets on
almost every street in Mumbai. But now a new wave of bakers, from patisserie
pros to sticky-ngered amateurs, is giving the city a fresh sugar x
Do it Gyungnidan style
Swap Gangnams designer bling
for Seouls new indie-chic hood
Icing on Top
The master of
miniatures, Ayushi
Shah is the go-to name
for cake pops,
bite-sized cookies,
baby cupcakes and
more tiny treats
Star turn The
cinnamon mini cookies
www.icingontop.in
Le 15 Ptisserie
Cordon Bleu graduate
Pooja Dhingra is
the citys macaroon
queen, turning out
jewel-toned morsels at
her Paris-inspired caf
Star turn Dark
chocolate is the rst
avour to sell out
http://le15.co.in
Sweetish House Maa

More smart car than
truck, this mobile
patisserie is stocked
by an anonymous baker
(and run by tight-lipped
helpers) who announces
the location of its next
drop on Facebook
chocoholics hungrily
line up awaiting its arrival
Star turn More-ish
Nutella Sea Salt cookies.
www.facebook.com/
SweetishHouseMaa
Country of Origin
Kiran Salaskar whips
up creamy, traditional
French and German
puddings neatly served
in glass jars.
Star turn TheHaute
Chocolate Jar layered
with cookie dough
and hazelnut
www.countryoforigin.in
ucked away on back streets between

a mountain and the US Army garrison
on the north side of the Han River,
Gyungnidan is fast becoming the hippest
area in the South Korean capital. Beer
snobs get their x at microbreweries
including Craftworks, whose seven
lagers all have Korean names (the peppy
Namsan Pure Pilsner is named after
the nearby mountain), and The Booth,
a riotously painted joint for pizza by
the slice and a single tasty microbrew.
Flower Gin, a dinky owershop-gin
bar, creates both bouquets and cocktails
including the Gin Buck, made with
Hendricks, lemon and ginger ale,
while Golmok Vinyl & Pub feels like
someones sitting room, lined with
shelves overowing with owner Se Hun
Hwangs record collection.
NELL McSHANE WULFHART
the trends taking

off and those
running out of fuel
AIRPORT DINING
No more sad sandwiches. Heston Blumenthal
checks in at Heathrows new Terminal 2 in June
BOATELS
Just opened on a permanently moored superyacht in Gibraltar, and coming soon to Londons
Docklands and Barcelona. No sea legs required
EUROSTAR
Interior designer Christopher Jenners is rattling
things up as new creative director and Amsterdam
in four hours is on track for 2016. Were onboard
NORTHERN LIGHTS
About to go out for another year, so swap for
Scandi White Nights. Book now for midsummer
partying (21 June) and crack open the aquavit
CONCIERGE DESKS
Traditional xers go social. Tweet your demands to
Twitter concierges or, at Four Seasons, theyll make
you a Pinterest board of local spots. #helpful
TOP
OF
THE
POTS
E
dmund de Waal was ve

when he made his rst white
pot. Forty-ve years later, the
ceramics artist has made tens of
thousands, although hes probably
still better known as a writer (his
award-winner of a family memoir,
The Hare with Amber Eyes, is being
made into lm). He looks rather
like one of his creations: slim,
pale, delicate and, on the surface,
unassuming. His latest large-scale
installation called Atmosphere
is unveiled this month in the
Sunley Gallery at Margates Turner
Contemporary. Its a striking
space even when empty, with a
view out to the Kent coast that
de Waal was keen to incorporate:

Im making a series of suspended
vitrines that are in conservation
with the mutable light from the
sea beyond the gallery windows.
My hope is to bring the changing
weather into the building.
De Waal is also working on his
next book, tracing the history
of his favourite colour white
from China to Venice along
the trade routes of porcelain.
The potter obviously has many
more white pots in him yet.
Atmosphere is at the Turner
Contemporary from 29 March.
Edmund de Waal (59.95,
Phaidon) is published on 5 May
PHOTOGRAPH: MASSIMO BORCHI/4CORNERS IMAGES; EYEVINE
JASREEN MAYAL KHANNA
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Ski break
Clockwise from this picture: Justice Snows

restaurant in Aspen; Kate Hudson in town;
entrance to the Highland Bowl; ski fan
Elle Macpherson; Hunter S Thompson at
his home near Aspen in 1990; gymnastics
by the pool at the Hotel Jerome; Jennifer
Aniston goes skiing; James and Josh Brolin
at LA airport en route to Aspen in 1993;
Robert Kennedy and John Kennedy Jr on
a 1964 trip. Opposite, ski jumper Art
Devlin impresses Gary Cooper and friends
THE HOME
OF AWESOME
PHOTOGRAPHS: ASPEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY; CORBIS;

DICK DURRANCE; RON GALLELA/WIREIMAGE; GETTY IMAGES;
GLOBE PHOTOS/ALPHA; GSI/BARCROFT MEDIA; ANDREW ROWAT
Aspen is where movie stars and millionaires come for a hit of the sublime, slaloming the slopes and chowing
down on hearty mountain fare. And now the art scene is about to take off, too, says Reggie Nadelson
he first thing you notice about

Aspen, apart from the endless
stream of familiar famous faces,
is the way it smells. This town,
high up in Colorados Rocky Mountains,
smells of a particular, rareed air and of
the freshly fallen snow that for many
means Americas best skiing. How can
you beat four mountains, all within 20
minutes of each other, a world-class resort,
and Colorados Champagne snow? says
resident Jody Hecht, who has lived in
Aspen more than four decades. And I
think: thats it! It smells of Champagne,
the good stuff, those clean, icy bubbles, the
faint hint of something metallic gold
or platinum. Not surprising, since Aspen
was founded on silver in the 19th century
then reinvented in the 1980s and 1990s on

global cash lots and lots and lots of it.
But Im getting ahead of myself. I have
come to Aspen with my goddaughter,
Justine, who is a willing and delicious
companion. Also, she is half Swiss and eager
to try the slopes. I insist Im also going to
ski. I love the idea; I see myself in a sleek
outt, lithe and fast, schussing down a
mountain. Wiser than her 28 years, Justine
nods judiciously. I did ski. Once. I got so
In the 1980s Aspen

was reinvented on
global cash lots
and lots of it
tangled in the skis when I fell that I burst

into tears and had to be rescued from
a hill about two feet high. Im going to try
again. Im American. Were optimists.
Sure, says Justine, and returns to her book,
a mystery entitled Dead Men Dont Ski.
Out of the plane window, as we nose down
into the Rockies vast, beautiful, terrifying
Aspen appears, a perfect sunlit valley.
I think of Lost Horizon, that classic James
Hilton novel in which a traveller lost in
the Himalayas nds himself in Shangri-La,
a paradise where nobody seems to grow old.
On board, the other passengers sling
their carry-ons well-used Vuitton and
Herms bags over their shoulders as
casually as a sherpa would his backpack,

and make their way to the waiting
Ski break
Theres a Russian
babe in sable, her
husband talking into
two phones at once
is just as well your skin can turn to
alligator esh at this altitude). I cant
help thinking again about Lost Horizon
where, in the Shangri-La lamasery, there
is a bathtub of delicate green porcelain
made in Akron, Ohio. Aspen is a little
like that: a retreat from the world, with
all worldly goods.
We set off into the elegantly laid-out
town, the 19th-century red-brick buildings
beautifully preserved. Lambent mountain
light suffuses everything; and if there
has been a certain Pradacation, well,
alongside Gucci and Brioni are the funky

cafs Peachs, Victorias that remind
you this is still the West.
I feel weird. Me, too, Justine says.
In town, at 8,000ft, the air is very thin,
as if the oxygen were too expensive to
squander. On most of the high slopes its
11,000ft. Talk about a Rocky Mountain
high. The only cure? Drink water until
you bust. We head for the Hotel Jerome
bar, determined to have only water, but
give in to a Silver Rush cocktail (vodka,
cranberry, Prosecco) from a list labelled
Libate that includes the Aspen Crud, a
milkshake infused with numerous liquors,
and a favourite of the 10th Mountain
Division soldiers who trained here
during World War II. We nibble broiled
oysters and wok-charred edamame.
Dinner at Prospect, the hotel restaurant,
is roast prime rib of beef, followed by
coconut-cream pie.
utside, the aspen sky is lit up by
stars. When I wake in the middle
of the night, great curtains of
snow are falling. In the morning,
they part, revealing a magic world, a huge
blue sky, a skiers dreamscape.
After too much breakfast (if the pumpkin
bread is gluten-free, does it count?), Ted,
our handsome ski instructor, picks us up
and were off to Buttermilk Mountain.
Buttermilk is great for beginners, says
my friend Barbara, a champion skier who
does those triple-X black mountain runs
(shes also a great doctor, and a size two!).
Aspen Mountain is more advanced and
has a lot of runs, Snowmass is vast and
the Highlands is also wonderful. Theres
a terric variety of skiing.
At the bottom of Buttermilk, people
hop on chair-lifts. Skiers x cameras to
their helmets as if in a James Bond lm.
Little children in neon-orange vests, like
ighty birds, schuss and shout and topple
into heaps. A group of older skiers, some
in their eighties, stand around discussing
plans for the day. I can do this. In the
rental shop, Justine is kitted out with
boots, gloves, helmet, goggles, and I think:
how much crap do you need to slide
down a little hill of snow? A Russian
babe, sable to her ankles, passes by; her
husband, in man-furs, speaks into two
phones at once. I feel dizzy.
Why dont you wait until tomorrow?
says Justine. I plan to leave her my entire
fortune. You can sit on the terrace in
the sun, says Ted. Maybe Ill leave him
something. Off the hook, sun on my
PHOTOGRAPHS: CORBIS; RON GALLELA/WIREIMAGE; GETTY IMAGES; ANDREW ROWAT
SUVs. Just across the airport is a

ock of private planes, the Learjets and
other conveyances of the easy classes.
Aspen is the sort of iconic American
resort town, like East Hampton or Malibu,
that conjures up celebrity, and money;
or so I imagine when we arrive.
Fifteen minutes from the airport is the
Hotel Jerome (www.hoteljerome.com),
a solid, square old building of mellowed
brick thats been a landmark here since
it opened in 1889. Once, it served the
prospectors, the high rollers and the belles
of the belle poque. In the 1870s, there was
a huge silver strike across the American
West. Everyone got rich quick. Whole towns
went up, complete with fancy hotels, opera
houses, saloons, churches and brothels.
When the government withdrew support
for silver in 1893, they went bust even
quicker, leaving only the ghosts. Aspen was
no exception, and it remained a cowboy
backwater until after World War II, when
Americans began to ski.
The Jerome has seen it all. The recently
refurbished hotel mixes the patina of age
with the design elements of now, and
somehow it works: the antler chandeliers,
the period portrait of old Mr Jerome
in the lobby, the Lucite tables and squishy,
modern white-leather chairs in the bar.
The blend of Western and South-western
style in our large, very comfy room runs
to patterned rugs and a beautifully
archived Edward Curtis photograph of
a Native American chief.
Are you singing? inquires Justine
as we settle in. I was singing. I had just
examined the bathroom, with its huge
tub, walk-in shower and lots of goodies
in the way of lotions and potions (which
Clockwise from this picture: the Highland

Bowl ski area; Cloud 9, a bar in a converted
Highlands ski-patrol lodge; a bedroom at
the Hotel Jerome; Gary Cooper and family
on a ski holiday in the 1940s; Antonio
Banderas shopping in Aspen; Cher and her
children in 1977; Don Johnson on a 1991
visit; Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell;
cowboy boots at Aspens Kemo Sabe shop
Skiers get a high-angle view of the town. Right,

Jack Nicholson at his Aspen house in 1984.
Below, Jackie Kennedy on the slopes in 1964
face, I settle in as the two of them

disappear into the frozen horizon.
I never did go skiing. What can I say,
except Im chicken. Justine tells me it was
lovely. The most glorious mountains Ive
ever seen, and I was practically raised in
Switzerland, she says. And it was empty.
No kamikaze snowboarders, just a few
Italians in metallic jumpsuits, and a Croatian
with the face of a goat. The mountain
was silent as she skied down, she adds,
the only sound coming from a middle-aged
couple sailing along, unable to restrain
their joy. As she passed them, they cried
out: Whee! Wahoo!
or lunch, we head to the foot

of Aspen Mountain and Ajax
Tavern, an indoor/outdoor
pub at The Little Nell hotel
(www.thelittlenell.com). Snacks here
include shishito peppers with smoked sea
salt, and trufe fries. We consider macand-cheese, but instead eat oysters in the
sunshine and drink ice-cold beer.
Aspen is a foodies paradise. La Crperie
du Village (www.lacreperieduvillage.com)
serves food to beam you straight over to
the Alps, including raclette, the Swiss wet
dream of cheese, air-cured meat, onions,
cornichons and sliced potatoes. We toast
Fred, Justines late father, who was Swiss
and a ski champ. Barbara says Boogies
on Cooper Avenue is the place for shakes
and fried chicken, Little Annies (www.
littleannies.com) for ribs, and the Paradise
Bakery (www.paradisebakery.com) for hot
chocolate and cookies. Victorias (www.
aspenespresso.com) has the best coffee
in town. For dinner, theres Cache Cache
(www.cachecache.com), a pretty bistro
where I start with a salad of beets, leeks
and Avalanche goats cheese followed
by local rack of lamb (Colorado is lamb

country), and eye the fried sweetbreads.
Justine goes for wild turbot.
And then there is Matsuhisa (www.
matsuhisaaspen.com). Nobu Matsuhisa
now has restaurants across the country,
and one of his best is in Aspen. Nothing
could be better after a day on the slopes
than a plate of jalapeo-laced yellowtail,
or miso-glazed cod. Fresh sashimi in
Aspen? Oh, Mama, but then isnt that
what aeroplanes are for?
This was once a

hippy haven where
Hunter S Thompson
ran for sheriff
Later, we go for drinks at Element 47
(www.element47aspen.com), a great
people-watching spot: designer-encrusted
Russians, sexy Brazilians, good-looking
locals. There are also a couple of private
clubs, including the Caribou (www.
caribouclub.com) a weeks membership
costs 500 bucks for two where, in case
you feel the need, theres a classic caviar
service. But its much more fun to hang

out at the J-Bar next to the Jerome.
For live shows, theres the old Wheeler
Opera House, built in the 19th century.
There are visiting ballet companies, visiting
writers, visiting chefs. Theres plenty to do
even if you dont ski, says Andy Hecht,
husband of Jody.
One of the pleasures of Aspen for me
was meeting up with Andy, a high-school
friend. It was corporate law or this, he
says, looking out of his ofce windows at
the peaceable kingdom. He can remember
when Aspen was a cowboy town, a hippy
haven where Hunter S Thompson ran for
sheriff and Robin Williams played a local
club for $50 a night.
A handsome paterfamilias with kids
and grandchildren, Andy is a pillar of the
community. One of his favourite projects
is the forthcoming building for the Aspen
Art Museum: set to open this summer, its
a dazzling design by the Japanese architect
Shigeru Ban. The plans show a glass wall
so you can see the art from outside, and the
building seems to be wrapped in an elegant
basket-weave structure. When its done, it
will make Aspen an art destination.
This is the kind of town where you can
be hiking in the wilderness and ve minutes
later listening to the Dalai Lama, Andy
says. Socrates, the investment climate of
Tunisia, Michelangelo, healthcare all are
discussed, dissected, disseminated at the
Aspen Institute. In summer, when it runs
full-bore, you can expect to spot Steven
Spielberg or Colin Powell around town; you
might even see Henry Kissinger in shorts.
For Aspen is that best of all things, a
mountain town with arguably the nest
skiing in the country and a vibrant summer
life, too. Its a sophisticated arcadia where
locals go around in ip-ops.
Sure, its full of money; sure, it can be
about obscenely rich Russians, or sightings
of movie stars or celebrity chefs or even
Michelle Obama and her daughters. But
whatever the ambitions of its visitors, the
snow keeps falling (right into April, when
the skiing is wonderful and the crowds
disappear), the mountains soar, and the
thin, clear air makes you feel dizzy and
also glad to be alive. You feel as content
as that traveller to Shangri-La, whose
only foolishness was to believe he could
take away what he found, in his case the
beautiful young woman who, when they
left the valley, turned into a wrinkled crone.
Call it a magic mountain, but I love this
place; or maybe Im just light-headed.
For more information on Aspen, see
www.aspensnowmass.com
PHOTOGRAPHS: CORBIS; SCOTT MARKEWITZ
Ski break
Neighbourhood on the up
Once known for its sh stalls and hardware shops, this gritty waterfront district
WORDS SARAH GILBERT
Clockwise from above: Karabatak coffee house in Karaky; a bedroom at SuB Hotel; the sh market
beside Galata bridge, which links the districts of Karaky and Eminn over the Golden Horn; quirky
products at Kagithane stationery shop; a purslane and seafood salad at Lokanta Maya
KARAKOY, ISTANBUL
is being swept up by an exciting new tide of art galleries and design-driven hotels
SLEEP
PHOTOGRAPHS: MEHMET ARDA; ORHAN CEM CETIN; FRANK HEUER/LAIF; MARK II OZGUR; KEREM UZEL/NARPHOTOS
The Vault Karaky

is the newest opening
from the hipster-friendly
House Hotel group.
But this one, set in an
imposing 19th-century
bank, is a much more
grown-up affair. The
original features have
been preserved, the
vaults reinvented as a
bar and wine cellar,
and a rooftop restaurant,
traditional hammam
and modern-art collection
have all been added.
Bankalar Caddesi 5
(www.thehousehotel.com).
Doubles from about 175
Q An industrial-chic
aesthetic is channelled
at the SuB Hotel, with
polished-concrete
walls and steel factory
windows. But any
hardness is tempered by
Turkish-cotton towels
and beds topped with
anti-stress mattresses
and feather-light duvets.
Necatibey Caddesi 91
(+90 212 243 0005;
www.subistanbul.com).
Q The nine fantastically
big bedrooms in
KarakyRooms, above
buzzy hangout Karaky
Lokantasi, pack quite a
design punch. They
combine lofty ceilings,
ornate plasterwork and
parquet oors with
minimalist, retro-style
furniture and suprisingly

elegant exposed copper
piping. Galata Sarap
Iskelesi Sokak 10 (+90
212 252 5422; www.
karakoyrooms.com).
EAT
Owner and chef Didem
Senol sources seasonal
ingredients from all over
the country for her
contemporary take on
Turkish home cooking at
Lokanta Maya. The
mcver (courgette fritters)
are absurdly good; so
many people have asked
for the recipe, shes written
it on one of the mirrors.
Kemanke Caddesi 35A
(+90 212 252 6884;
www.lokantamaya.com).
About 65 for two
Q The diminutive
Komodor restaurant
serves thin-crust pizzas
with creative toppings,
including gs and
purslane. Try the Hektor
with home-made sausage
and the Milas, topped
with Aegean herbs
and cheese, and wash
it down with one of the
freshly made hibiscus
and ginger juices. Kilic
Ali Paa Mescidi Sokak
11A(+90 212 293 5300).
About 15 for two
Q The people behind
Auf, Kauf and Nuteras, the
trio of popular restaurants
in the Nupera building,
have a new project,
Unter. This three-storey

restaurant-caf-bar whips
up a cracking weekend
brunch: the mix of Turkish
cheeses, olives and
salmon with scrambled
eggs on brioche is the
best hangover cure.
Kara Ali Kaptan Sokak 4
(+90 212 244 5151;
www.unter.com.tr).
About 20 for two
SNACK
The Viennese coffee,
fat slices of cheesecake,
piles of magazines and
pieces of vintage furniture
have made Karabatak a
popular little stomping
ground. If you want some
quiet time, head upstairs
to the reading room.
Kara Ali Kaptan Sokak 7
(+90 212 243 6993;
www.karabatak.com)
Q Cool but cosy,
Ops Caf is owned by
a retired sea captain,
which explains the
nautical memorabilia
such as the anchor
chains hanging on the
walls. The menu
is simple and hearty:
made-to-order sandwiches,
just-baked cookies
and a breakfast that
includes the house
speciality, Macedonian
smoked beef.
Mumhane Caddesi
Nimet Han 45B(+90
212 245 0288; www.
opscafekarakoy.com)
THE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO A HARD DAYS SIGHTSEEING

IN ISTANBUL IS A VISIT TO THE KILIC ALI PASA HAMAM.
IT WAS BUILT BY THE RENOWNED OTTOMAN ARCHITECT
SINAN AND HAS RECENTLY REOPENED AFTER A SEVEN-YEAR
RESTORATION. AFTER BEING VIGOROUSLY SOAPED, STEAMED
AND SCRUBBED, YOULL EMERGE FEELING TOTALLY REVIVED.
WWW.KILICALIPASAHAMAMI.COM; WOMEN FROM 8AM TO 4PM,
MEN FROM 4.30PM TO 11.30PM
Dont
miss
Neighbourhood on the up KARAKOY, ISTANBUL

DRINK
Gaspar, the new bar and
nightclub from Ferit
Sarper, owner of the
slick Mnferit restaurant,
is based in an old printing
press. His wife is one
half of Istanbul design
team Autoban, which also
does the interiors for
House Hotels; the look
she has created here is
dark and moody. If youre
feeling bold, take on a
round of thrice-distilled
Beylerbeyi Raki, Turkeys
potent anise-avoured
spirit, produced by
Sarpers family.
Meyyeyzade Mahallesi,
Necatibey Caddesi,
Arapolan Sokak 6 (+90
212 293 6660)
Q The recently opened
Fosil Lounge Bar is on
the third oor of an old
building with a spot-on
view across the mouth of
the Golden Horn. Come
here to watch the sun
set over Sultanahmet
mosque and try one of
the interesting cocktails
such as the Southern
Comfort- and Amarettolaced Star Wars.
Kemanke Caddesi 34C
(+90 216 355 7791)
ART
Located in a converted
19th-century wheat mill,
Galeri Man is at the
forefront of the areas
burgeoning contemporary
art scene, holding
inventive solo and group
shows from international
and Turkish artists,
including boundarypushing video maker
Kutlu Ataman. Ali Paa
Deirmeni Sokak 1618
(+90 212 243 6666;
www.galerimana.com)
QThe marble halls of

the landmark Imperial
Ottoman Bank are now
home to SALT Galata,
a cultural institution that
puts on a variety of talks,
screenings and workshops,
all of which are free.
Bankalar Caddesi 11
(+90 212 334 2200;
www.saltonline.org)
QIstanbul Modern
began life as a waterfront
customs warehouse before
being converted into a vast
public space. Alongside
cutting-edge exhibitions,
there are photography
and video-art galleries, a
new media space, library
and arthouse cinema.
Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi
Liman Iletmeleri Sahas
Antrepo 4 (+90 212 334
7300; www.istanbul
modern.org)
SHOP
Along the historic French
Passage arcade, Lab:
Istanbul sells an everchanging selection of
quirky interiors items by
local designers, as well as
a covetable assortment of
vintage sunglasses from
Fashion@EYE and velvet
Italia Independent frames.
Fransiz Geidi C blok 9
(+90 212 252 1262;
www.labistanbul.com)
QYoung Turkish jewellery
designer Selda Okutan
makes, displays and sells
one-of-a-kind pieces
at her glass-fronted
atelier. Populated with
human gures, theyre
less jewellery and more
miniature sculpture.
Ali Paa Deirmeni
Sokak 10A (+90 212
514 1164; www.selda
okutan.com)
Clockwise from above: the

Karaky Rooms; an exhibit
at Istanbul Modern; a
cocktail at Fosil Lounge
Bar; new restaurant Unter.
Opposite, clockwise from
top left: SALT Galata;
interiors shop 333km
in the French Passage;
caf culture in Karaky
PHOTOGRAPHS: IWAN BAAN; CAMERA PRESS/DENIS CHAPOULLIE/

FIGAROPHOTO; MURAT GERMEN; KEREM UZEL/NARPHOTOS
My Karaky
Erk Erkaya
CO-FOUNDER OF
TAILORMADE CITYTOUR COMPANY
LOCALLY ISTANBUL
I like to start my day with

breakfast at my favourite spot,
Namli Gurme (www.namli
gurmeler.com), where I always
have fried eggs with sucuk (spicy
Turkish sausage), cheese, homemade jams and honey, and sugary
Turkish tea. The areas changing
rapidly and there are new galleries
opening all the time. I like to dip
into Elipsis (www.elipsisgallery.
com), Istanbul 74 (www.istanbul
74.com), artSmer (www.art
sumer.com) and Mixer (www.
mixerarts.com) to see what
exhibitions are on. Im always taking
notes and Kagithane (www.
kagithane.com.tr) is a great place
to nd all kinds of paper products.
As a coffee addict, I like to stop by
Karabatak and to satisfy my sweet
tooth I head to Karaky Gllolu
(www.karakoygulluoglu.com) for
the best baklava in the city.
www.locallyistanbul.com
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Where to stay
Reviews of the month in South of France Cornwall Phuket Plus Tinie Tempah
EDITED BY PETER BROWNE
THE LAVENDER
HILL MOB
Lap up the most perfect spots in
painterly Provence, says Sophie Dening
REVAMPED CLASSIC
CRILLONLE BRAVE
Regulars at this rambling, extraordinary place
at the foot of Mont Ventoux will know that the
seven stone houses it occupies once formed part
of a prosperous hillside settlement, abandoned
after World War II. Swiss and American
second-homers snapped up the lovely buildings
in the 1970s, and hotelier Peter Chittick and his
now wife converted their rst property in 1989.
Robin and Judy Hutson (of Hotel du Vin and
The Pig) joined as investors eight years ago, and
Judy redesigned many of the rooms during a
recent refurbishment, giving them a lighter,
distinctly seasidey feel. The most dramatic
change is the terrace, where a new bar and
indoor/outdoor area have given the hotel a social

centre for the rst time. There are 23 bedrooms,
seven suites, and a two-bedroom house, all
connected by passageways and courtyards. La
Tour, aka Room 33, is one of the most thrilling,
with twin bathtubs, a tower-top terrace and an
arched window looking out over the olive groves
and vineyards. The restaurant is impressive, but
not as interesting as the more casual Bistrot 40K,
which serves delicious local trout and pork. There
is talk of adding a small spa; meanwhile, oncall massage therapist Kelly is an angel. Crillon
le Brave, Vaucluse (+33 4 90 65 61 61; www.
crillonlebrave.com). Doubles from about 230
Where to stay
NEW
DOMAINE DE LA BAUME
Up towards the protected green wilds of the Parc Naturel du
Verdon, set away from the famously pretty village of Tourtour, this
grand 18th-century property, once home to the Expressionist
painter Bernard Buffet, has 99 acres of formal gardens, olive groves
and woodland. With a swimmable waterfall pool and garden paths
that lead on and on, past g trees to a horse paddock and a chapel,
its hard not to wander off and explore when youre meant to be
playing ptanque, or waiting for teatime tuiles aux amandes (the
food is top-end yet unddly). Behind the ochre faade, Jocelyne
Sibuet, Frances most creative hotelier, has poured her energy
into decorating the rooms with a theatrical eye and clever antique
nds, including endearing iron hounds anking the replace in the
lobby. Walls are covered with Indian print and toile de Jouy fabrics
from Braqueni, and oors are trompe-loeil and hexagon-tiled;
the salons and suites, though far from period pieces, feel worthy
of Madame de Moitessier as painted by Ingres. Taking a smaller
room, such as Hirondelle de Mer, with its huge, strikingly tiled
shower and glorious view over the parterre and wooded hills beyond,
will not disappoint. There are 15 rooms so far, with 24 more to
come this year and plans for a spa in the old chicken sheds.
Tourtour, Var (+33 4 57 74 74 74; www.domaine-delabaume.com).
Doubles from about 365 including breakfast and dinner
The restaurant at this lovely hillside hotel has won awards for
its French food, but its not the old-school, fancy kind. The chefs at
Alain Ducasses Bastide de Moustiers know how to apply bells and
whistles (most of them trained with Ducasse at the Louis XV in
Monaco) but instead, they hit the local markets and the propertys
own kitchen garden, and let the seasonal produce shine. The superstar
chef is said to particularly love his 17th-century Provenal inn. When
he took it on in 1994, he found ne craftsmen from Moustiers and
Salernes to restore it, and a dowser to work out exactly where to put
the fountain. The terrace is small and shady; the 11 bedrooms and
pair of suites are graceful and cool, decorated in pared-back country
style with painted wood panelling. If the food is indeed superb
brandade, pistou, goats cheese, just-pulled radishes, edible owers,
all prepared with assured restraint the service deserves equal
billing. The highly professional staff make sure conditions are just
right for the kind of fantasy long lunches we all need in our lives.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie (+33 4 92 70 47 47; www.bastide-moustiers.
com). Doubles from about 175
PHOTOGRAPHS: VINCENT BOURDON; TRISTAN SHU
FOODIE
LA BASTIDE DE MOUSTIERS
GREAT VALUE
LES REMPARTS
This charming B&B run by Ludivine Rivallin is built into
the fortications of Beaumes de Venise (which shares
its name with a famed Muscat pudding wine) and has
ve big bedrooms, all different, all deploying cool whites
and neutrals next to the original stone walls and antique
furniture. Details are generous and make life comfortable:
claw-foot baths, monogrammed linen curtains, bathrobes,
home-made jam at breakfast. Secret de Brume has an
open bathroom, and the best views of the jagged peaks
of the Dentelles de Montmirail and Mont Ventoux,
plus private access to the ramparts as does Legende
dOrient, which combines a traditionally beamed
ceiling with furniture imported from Rajasthan and
carved-stone sinks. Theres a sun deck and pool just

big enough for a splash, and Rivallin can arrange
shiatsu and Ayurvedic massages. She also acts as an
insider concierge, steering guests towards the better
restaurants around the Ctes du Rhne wine villages,
or packing them off to the Palais des Papes in Avignon
and pretty villages such as Mnerbes and Bonnieux.
The peak-season rates may seem steep for a B&B,
but the styling and service is on a higher plane, and
you get the run of a kitchen, living room and library.
Beaumes de Venise, Vaucluse (+33 4 90 62 75 49;
www.lamaisondesremparts.com). Doubles from
about 130
CONTEMPORARY
DOMAINE DES
ANDEOLS
An eccentric cluster of stone houses set in a fertile

swathe of the Lubron, this place isnt just festooned with
modern art, but has also hosted exhibitions by Martin
Parr, Ellen von Unwerth and Daido Moriyama. The
library is more like a fantastic museum bookshop, and
the 20 rooms, spread over 10 maisons, are lled with
artworks, bold colour and striking design. Maison des
Lointains has its own Warhols; Maison des terrasses is
blue-on-blue, with a great big deck; Maison de lartiste
is the calmest and most conventional space. Next to
the restaurant, which serves the domaines own olive
oil and dozens of varieties of tomato, is a tiny indoor
bar, where vintage lms are projected over a little
plunge pool that marks the entrance to the Andols
spa. If the geometric, playful interiors are far removed
from classic Provence, the crickets, cypress tress and
lavender elds will remind you where you really are.
Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt, Vaucluse (+33 4 90 75 50 63;
www.andeols.com). Doubles from about 190
Where to stay
BED-HOPPING WITH TINIE TEMPAH

South Londons superstar rapper and fashion-world favourite talks to Hattie Collins about his hotel hitlist
TRUMP SOHO
HOTEL PRINCIPE
NEW YORK
There are a lot of great hotels
in New York, but when I stay
here I run into celebrity friends
and contemporaries, like Drake,
so it makes me think Im doing
something right! The duvets
are amazingly soft, and theres
a button to close the curtains.
Im fascinated by details like
that. www.trumpsohohotel.
com. Doubles from about 350
DI SAVOIA, MILAN
I went here when Burberry invited
me to Milan Fashion Week. Its oldschool, with an incredible neoclassical
faade. There are really expensive
Acqua di Parma products in the
bathrooms, like its nothing, and free
limousines to take you around town.
The hospitality and attention to detail
are rst-class. www.dorchestercollection.
NO THANKS!
dbury in LA.
dnt enjoy The Re
di
I
t
bu
it,
s
e
lik
Friends
road, so there wa
s onto the main
ok
t
lo
go
d
ny
Ba
lco
g
ba
kin
e
Th
from Brea
Bryan Cranston
is
ch
hi
W
e.
all this noise as
m
Fa
of
ollywood Walk
chill out.
his star on the H
youre trying to
en
wh
t
no
t
bu
,
great in theory
At Mama Shelter
they have
Batman masks for
lightshades in
the bedrooms
JADE MOUNTAIN, ST LUCIA
This is hands-down the best hotel Ive

been to. You step into this vast room and
the rst thing you notice is that its missing
a wall. Your bed, lounge area and pool are
open to the sea, mountains, waterfalls,
birds ying past... its breathtaking. I dont
know how, but youre never cold, and you
never get bitten by mosquitoes. www.jade
mountain.com. Doubles from about 1,040
MAMA SHELTER, PARIS
Thanks to my job, I get to stay in

some fantastic, swanky hotels in
Paris, but if Im here on my own,
this is where I go. It has a chic,
boutique feel, and the check-in
staff have tattoos. It feels very
Shoreditch, very hip. The lifts have
crazy facts on the walls: The guy
who played Bugs Bunnys voice
was allergic to carrots. Weird shit
like that. www.mamashelter.com/
paris. Doubles from about 75
AMSTERDAM
This is a converted music
conservatory dating from
the late 19th century, very
imposing in a neo-Gothic
style. The rooms have one
remote control thats used
for everything: TV, lights,
curtains. The design is
sleek, and the restaurant is
outstanding. Staying here is
the antithesis of a lads-inDam stag weekend. www.
conservatoriumhotel.com.
Tinie Tempahs latest album, Demonstration, is out now on Parlophone
SOHO HOUSE BERLIN
Ive been to most of the Soho House

hotels LA, Shoreditch, Miami but my
favourite is Berlin. It just appeals to my
sensibility: its relaxed, its comfortable
and its consistent, which I think is
really important. www.sohohouseberlin.
PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES
CONSERVATORIUM,
precious
Time is so
,
smart couples steal it
Rendezvous allows you to nd time, time to be together, time to

relax, time to talk. It gives you time to reconnect and to reect.
It gives you time to concentrate on each other, to refocus.
It gives you time to rediscover what matters most you.
Rediscover lifes pleasures together.

Visit www.theromanticholiday.com or call 0203 096 1608
Where to stay
EXCLUSIVE FIRST REVIEW
A BIT
OF ALL
BRIGHT
PHOTOGRAPH: FREDERIC LAGRANGE
Point Yamu is hotelier Christina Ongs

rst opening since Bhutan.
All eyes on Phuket, says Adriaane Pielou
La Sirena restaurant at Point

Yamu by COMO, Phuket
Where to stay
Clockwise from left: a view over
the Andaman Sea from Point
Yamu; a bedroom at the hotel;
a room with a private pool
Willis rent out their villas to other guests.

Where Mrs Ong goes, everyone follows.
And so to Phukets east coast. Philippe
Starck was due to design another hotel
on this site until the original developers
went bust and Mrs Ong, delighted with
the views (location, location, location),
scooped it up. Determined to get it right,
she was shoving furniture around herself
the night before it opened. The new Point
Yamu is the rst hotel wholly designed by
Everything looks
looser than at
other COMO hotels;
its more airy,
relaxed, fun
Paola Navone, the Italian interiors guru
known for her breezy, white-linen look. A
fan of using local craftsmen and indigenous
materials, she turned up for an early
planning meeting with Mrs Ong carrying
a load of Thai items to include in the
design, from palm roof tiles (laid sideways
to simulate sh scales) to giant discs in
woven rattan to use as lampshades.
When I arrive after a 12-hour ight from
London to Bangkok, I barely register a
thing. But I wake up to a bright new world.
Through oor-to-ceiling glass doors I can
see my private innity pool on the terrace
glinting in the sunshine, and beyond it the
Andaman Sea. Silhouetted on the skyline
are the limestone karsts in Phang Nga
POINT YAMU BY COMO, PAKLOK,

TALANG, PHUKET, THAILAND
(+66 625 3322; WWW.COMO
HOTELS.COM/POINTYAMU)
CARRIER (+44 161 492 1355;WWW.
CARRIER.CO.UK) OFFERS SEVEN
NIGHTS FOR THE PRICE OF FIVE AT
POINT YAMU BY COMO, FROM
1,585 PER PERSON B&B FOR TRAVEL
UNTIL 31 OCTOBER 2014. BOOK AT
LEAST 30 DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
PHOTOGRAPHS: FREDERIC LAGRANGE
rrive on the west coast

of Phuket and you
might wish youd gone
somewhere else. Over
the last 10 years, much of this
once-quiet region has expanded
into an almost continuous strip of
raucous bars and cafs surrounding some
(still) rather nice hotels.
But the east coast remains relatively
undeveloped; a taste of Phuket as it was
meant to be. The launch of a new COMO
hotel here virtually guarantees that a
fashionable crowd will soon show up.
The COMO Group of hotels and
Shambhala spas is the creation of
Singaporean businesswoman Christina
Ong, wife of Beng Seng (who himself
owns hotels managed by Canadian giant
Four Seasons). The immaculate Mrs Ong
a force of nature with a ercely attentive
eye for detail has forged a parallel career
in fashion, taking Armani to Asia and more
recently steering the Mulberry label, which
she also owns, from sweet Somerset success
story to global superstardom. As a hotelier,
her fondness for the pared-down look and
insistence on opening hotels only where she
would like to stay has resulted in a series
of sophisticated spots in great locations.
Ongs talent for creating places that
feel utterly right for the times has always
attracted models, designers, Hollywood
actors and the City boys who want to
emulate them. Think of Nobu restaurant
and the slinky red bar at her Metropolitan
hotel in London in the 1990s, where you
could nd yourself sipping Champagne
next to Johnny Depp, Liam Gallagher and
Kate Moss. Think of Parrot Cay in the Turks
and Caicos, the 1,000-acre private island
guarded by gurkhas where Julia Roberts,
Tom Cruise and Penlope Cruz lap up
the privacy, and Donna Karan and Bruce
Bay made famous in The Man with the

Golden Gun. Half an hour later, I am
standing at the entrance of La Sirena
restaurant. White tables, white chairs,
white slip-covered sofas, ashes of
turquoise; black-and-white crockery to echo
the black-and-white mesh of the sunbeds
by the 100-metre pool outside. Everything
looks looser than at other COMO
hotels; its more airy, relaxed, fun.
Breakfasts are the main event here.
There are buckwheat pancakes with
papaya, nut-bread toast with avocado,
palest pink grapefruit served with purewhite slices of fresh coconut. This is a
feast to linger over. Which, given Mrs
Ongs sixth sense for the zeitgeist and spa
sensibility, is exactly what we want on
holiday in a warm place, maybe even
skipping lunch altogether and going for
a light supper. At Nahmyaa, the Thai
restaurant, I eat delicate crab with noodles
and trout baked in a peanut crust. Heaven.
The next day I have a yoga class with
the lovely, sleekly muscled Asis, and then
a massage from Om, a deceptively slight
Thai woman with killer hands. I go for an
early-morning horse ride through a shady
rubber plantation, mooch around Phuket
Town with its 19th-century shopping streets
and kayak past those limestone karsts.
It all seems so perfect, and yet Point
Yamus wonderful hilltop location has a
downside: theres no beach. Mrs Ong is
buying a nearby island to address that. It
will be accessed by longboat shuttle from
the jetty, a few minutes away. I spend a
morning on the beach at Rang Yai, one
of the contenders, in a deckchair on white
sand shaded by casuarina trees; peacocks
wander past. Trust Mrs Ong to take a
wrong and make it right.
Where to stay
EAT The restaurant, with its bank of

French doors onto the terrace, is the hub
of the hotel. Theres a nautical theme here;
the room has whitewashed oak oors,
driftwood pendants and shell-shaped
sconces, and works just as well at breakfast
(home-made mueslis, croissants, fresh juices,
Bloody Mary mix and eggy treats) as for
an elegant dinner. The kitchen is charged
with all sorts of wizardry, including a Josper
grill. The menu is heavy on seafood: catch of
the day, Cornish crab and lobster, and rock
oysters from Porthilly and Fowey, but theres
also a sensational cte de boeuf from the
Josper. Enzo from Napoli steeps his own
liquors behind the slate-topped bar: pull up
a stool for cocktails made from lemongrass
white rum, or raspberry and vanilla vodka.
THE CROWD The Candy brothers might
chopper in, but youre just as likely to see
families having brunch (Idle Rocks is childfriendly, serving high tea at 5.30pm and
offering evening supervision in the playroom).
WE LIKE The un-hotel feel, with guests
names chalked up on the bedroom doors
and no signs or lists or rules anywhere.
WE DONT LIKE The constant, immediate
replenishment of the uffy towels. It may be
spoiling, but its not great for the environment.
THE WEEKENDER
CONTACT +44 1326 270270; www.idlerocks.

com. Doubles from 180 ISSY VON SIMSON
THE
IDLE
ROCKS
ST MAWES, CORNWALL
BEHIND THE SCENES Aston Martin

chairman David Richards and his wife
Karen had been eyeing up the Idle
Rocks for a while (they have a house just
along the bay) and when the opportunity
came up to take it over, they leapt at the
chance. This may be the couples rst
hotel, but they are both seriously well
travelled and everything is spot-on: glass
bottles of ltered water by the beds,
vases of owers on the dressing table, a
jug of milk in the minibar, free Wi-Fi.
SLEEP The 20 big, bright bedrooms

in the main building, plus four in the
next-door cottage, were designed by
Karen (she also did up the St Mawes
Sailing Club) and are exactly what you
want out of a seaside hotel, brought
up a notch or three. Theres a mass of
local artwork specially commissioned
for the hotel by the Richards, seagrass
oors, ikat-print fabrics, Roberts radios,
antiques from Kempton and Ardingly,
and super-slick bathrooms with
Aromatherapy Associates potions and
a touch of tongue-and-groove cladding.
All rooms have sea, harbour or beach
views, apart from the completely
charming Hideaway, which makes up
for it with a wonderful bathtub, clever
little sea-urchin lights and a cosy underthe-eaves vibe. There are also two
village-facing rooms, one ginghamthemed with single beds perfect for teens.
WHILE YOURE HERE

Its all about the water sailing, kayaking,
shing for mackerel, laying lobster pots,
rock pooling and crabbing so get out and
get wet. Take the little boat over to Place
for magnicent walks along the Roseland
Peninsula, or the ferry to Falmouth: the
round trip itself is fun for coast views and
bobbing seals, if youre lucky. Theres also
the well-preserved St Mawes Castle, a
ve-minute walk up the hill. www.falriver.
co.uk; www.english-heritage.org.uk
PHOTOGRAPHS: CHRIS CALDICOTT
WHAT IS IT? A brilliantly reimagined

100-year-old building on the waterfront
in the middle of St Mawes. Yes, Olga
Polizzis Tresanton the hotel that put the
village on the map is still lovely, it really
is, but this newcomer (it reopened after a
facelift at the start of summer last year)
has the edge on setting: at high tide, the
water laps right up to the sunny terrace.
SALLY SHALAMS GREAT BRITISH BREAKS
Our expert wanderer discovers whisky galore in the

Lake District, the Highlands and County Antrim
A896 then drove west, my friend and I, for 10

miles, without a word. The petrol gauge was
edging worryingly close to zero, we had no
phone signal, and apart from the car headlights
there wasnt a speck of light to indicate human
habitation in the enveloping blackness.
Thankfully, our hire car made it to The
Torridon (www.thetorridon.com; doubles from
235), a former shooting lodge that is as close
to a Disney fairy-tale castle as you can imagine,
with perfect turrets made of pink sandstone.
It was built for the rst Earl of Lovelace in 1887
beside the moody depths of Loch Torridon and
beneath the grey, forbidding peaks of Beinn
Alligin, the peace ruffled only by the cry of
oystercatchers. At this time of year, rather than
Munro-bagging, hole up in the glittery jewel box
of a bar with a rare Millburn 1976, or a fruity,
caramel-hued Teaninich distilled near Inverness
just two of the 350-odd malt whiskies that
sparkle on the wall like a Klimt painting.
About 200 miles south, in County Antrim,
Bushmills is the tipple of choice in the Gas Bar
at the Bushmills Inn (www.bushmillsinn.com;
doubles from 256 for two nights). The bars
name refers to the glow of gaslight from the
original wall-lamps, which provide the most
attering illumination. Staying on a Friday night
(with a four-poster, dressing room and bathroom
worthy of a London ve-star) was sheer luck,
because peat-smoke from the re mingled with
the joyful melodies of a traditional live band
and suffused us with a sense of unparalleled
well-being. I am told a power cut once plunged
the local area into darkness and everyone piled
out of their unlit homes and into the bar. In a
distillery town, thats community spirit.
PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAMY; RADVANER/PHOTOCUISINE
his spring, for the rst time in a century,

whisky is being distilled in the Lake
District. It might surprise you that it
was ever made here, but in the 19th century,
there were illicit stills throughout the British
Isles. You just needed a hidden valley to foil
the customs-and-excise man.
In 1995, Paul Currie founded Isle of Arran
Distillers with his father. So convinced is he that
Cumbria is perfect for whisky, hes now creating
The Lakes Distillery (www.lakesdistillery.com)
in a handsome Victorian model farm close to
Bassenthwaite Lake. The slightly peaty water
from the River Derwent is just great he says.
Im tempted to join the Founders Club and
own one of the rst bottles of single malt, and
visit when the bar and bistro open this summer.
How convenient that just two miles away is the
lovely Lazy Fish (www.thelazysh.co.uk; from
496 for a short break), a barn converted into
a blissfully modern hideaway for four. Owners
Mark and Rachel Wilson will deliver delicious
sustenance, too (Mark has a real passion for
cooking). Hell even run you to a classic Lakeland
pub, The Pheasant Inn at Bassenthwaite, for
a pint in the cosy red bar, before
fetching you back for beef
bourguignon, homemade ice
cream or cranachan, which
they will soon be making with
(legal) local hooch.
Talk of whisky always
transports me to the warm
embrace of a tiny bar at a hotel
in the north-west Highlands.
Several miles after Achnasheen,
we took a left turn onto the
Henry Carr, August 12th
Canadian Rockies | Western Canada
Front row seats at Canadas best show.

Photo credit: Banff Lake Louise Tourism.
Experience the spectacular

Rocky Mountains.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
WLY
WLYZVU
10 nights. Excludes flights. Save up to 250 pp.

Terms and conditions apply.
www.keepexploring.ca/Rockies
*Price is based on 2 passengers with twin/double share, 11 days / 10 nights, 4 and 5 star hotels. Price includes 10 nights accommodation, 4 breakfasts, 9 days intermediate automatic car hire, evening wildlife
tour in Jasper, Ice Explorer Ride on Athabasca Glacier, tickets for Banff Gondola. Price excludes flights, transfers, meals other than specified, National Park entrance fees, petrol. Credit card fees apply at
time of booking. Valid for travel from 250 per person saving is for travel 1 May 2014 to 14 May 2014. Other offers are available for travel 15 May 2014 to 11 October 2014. Offer is subject to availability and can
change without notification due to fluctuations in charges and currency. Promotion ends 250 saving ends 31 March 2014. For more information, please call Cox and Kings Travel on 0207 873 5000. Other offers
available until 31 May 2014, please see http://www.coxandkings.co.uk/canada/ for details.
A letter fro m...
The Danish are among the most content people on earth, but part-time resident Michael Booth cant
gure out why. Perhaps the answer lies in a medley of 1980s pop songs. lllustration by Yann Kebbi
caramouche, scaramouche
Four hundred pairs of eyes
ick our way as we tiptoe
into the school hall, and
then ick back to their notes. Will
you do the fandango? My wife,
who knows her way around a choir,
immediately locates the soprano
group and disappears into the crowd.
I have no idea whether I am soprano,
tenor, or castrato so I edge over to a
vacant seat and begin to mouth along.
I have allowed myself to be
persuaded to join a residential choir
week in the somnolent southern
Jutland town of Tnder, close to the
German border because, although
I have lived in Denmark on and off
for 10 years, I still nd the Danes
something of a paradox. For the
past four decades, they have time
and again been anointed the worlds
happiest people by a range of august
bodies such as the UN, Columbia
University and the OECD, but a less
demonstrably happy bunch of people
it is hard to imagine. And they would
appear to have plenty of reasons to
be glum: the Danes have the highest
taxes in the world, the worst health,
a faltering economy, atrocious
weather, almost aggressively dull
topography, and they drink, smoke,
eat sweets and pop happy pills more
than almost anyone else on earth.
Interestingly, though, the Danes
are also world-record holders at
extra-curricular activities. Thousands
of them spend their holidays in
public buildings like this secondary
school in Tnder, learning to bind
books, speak Spanish, line dance and
so on. Perhaps these kinds of third
sector activities were the key to their
happiness? While I cant really sing,
and the idea of choral arrangements
of popular hits from the 1980s
makes me feel queasy, I thought a
week undercover among the happy

Danes might help me nd the answer.
The plan is that the 400 of us
mostly middle-aged, middle-class
public-sector workers will spend
the next ve days rehearsing a
programme of songs which we will
perform for the public the following
Friday. It might have been easy to
mock my fellow choristers Ned
Flanders-style, sandals-and-socks
dress sense (and I did, at least until
my wife cast me one of her special
looks), but in truth, as the week
passed, I realised that they were a
thoroughly contented, kind, honest,
community-minded group of people.
After rehearsing from nine to ve,
we would reassemble in the wake
of a meal (featuring meat, boiled
potatoes and thick brown sauce of
indeterminate origin eaten in the
wed tried it once, I ventured that

the line was, in fact, pronounced
Dont push me cos Im close to the
edge, not thee edge, or at least,
that was how I recalled Mr Flash
had done it. But a retired English
teacher in the bass section was having
none of it. The correct pronunciation
was thee edge he said, crossing his
arms. I pointed out that my version
was more authentic and had a more
percussive impact. The choirmaster
agreed, but the ex-teacher and his
bass cronies stubbornly sang his
version throughout rehearsals, amid
a mutual crossre of hostile glares
with us tenors.
Minor artistic differences aside,
as we gathered for the nal concert
I realised that these people had
gathered from all over Denmark not
just because they love to sing, but
Thousands of Danes spend their holidays in

public buildings learning to bind books,
speak Spanish, line dance and so on
school cafeteria with a beaker of
warm Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon)
to sing folk songs and hymns whose
lyrics spoke of the Danish seasons
and landscape, community and
fellowship, death and loss.
As Fridays concert grew nearer,
nerves began to fray slightly, but
voices were never raised other than
in song, and our patient choirmasters
coaxed us across the nish line with
just a few notes missed, the odd line
dropped. And only one diva-like
tantrum from me.
At the conclusion of his 1980s
medley, one of the choirmasters had
included two lines of rap from
Grandmaster Flashs 1982 hit The
Message, to be spoken in a forceful
style by the basses and tenors. After
because they love to sing together,

to experience their collective voices
inter-weaving, helix-like, lifting the
group heavenwards on musical
thermals. I couldnt have asked for a
better metaphor: the Danes seem
instinctively to understand the value
of collaborating in a shared activity
or goal, both to themselves and their
society. As an outsider, Ive often
been asked about the secret to Danish
happiness and the lessons the rest of
the world can learn from this modest
little country, and this is denitely
one of them: join a club. It takes more
than two to do the fandango.
The Almost Nearly Perfect People:
The Truth About the Nordic Miracle
(Jonathan Cape, 14.99) by Michael
Booth, is out now
Style file
ON TREND
All around the globe, Fiona Lintotts hits for the month of March
SON
I PRESENT TO YOU... LILY SIMP
FOUNDER AND CHEF AT
THE DETOX KITCHEN
The super-fresh,
seasonal health-food
delivery service is
championed by
Gwyneth Paltrow and
is the perfect pre- or
post-holiday diet
ON FOOD
ON WORK
ON TRAVEL
I am in London putting the nishing

touches to my cookbook and preparing
to open our rst store on Kingly Street,
Soho. Im mainly based at our kitchens in
Battersea, but sometimes I escape the
city and visit my mother in the New
Forest. Life is a little more peaceful there
and I get more written for the book.
After going on a trek on Mont Blanc, I am now totally

obsessed, and have since trekked in India and the Lake
District. One of my favourite spots for a weekend break is
Brody House boutique hotel in Budapest. It is the coolest
place I have ever stayed, covered in local artwork and with
interiors that are quirky and honest. I am a very light traveller;
as long as I have my Pai organic cleanser, a good book and
some green teabags, Im happy. www.detoxkitchen.co.uk
Earlham Street Clubhouse. Eat: the fennel sausage and wild mushroom pizza. Drink: the Sidekick, a shot of El Jimador Blanco,
lime, cucumber and chilli salt. Play: your own tunes with the Secret DJ app
ILLUSTRATION: HANNAH GEORGE
I nd so much inspiration on my
travels. I recently went to a beautiful
tea plantation in Munnar, India, and a
spice plantation in Thekkady. I had
cooking lessons from two amazing
families; it helped me to understand
how to balance spices. While there, I
stayed at Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom
and Neeleshwar Hermitage. I often go to
France and Italy and indulge too much.
My favourite restaurants include Les
Moulins de Ramatuelle in the South of
France. In London I love the scrambled
eggs and truffles at Edera, and Maida
Vales Summerhouse is a great local spot.
Im back from... the Maldives

I stayed in Island Villa 10 at the new Cheval Blanc Randheli,
a stellar hotel by anyones standards, certied by the seventime Wimbledon champion who happened to be
in the villa next to mine. The attention to detail is so slick even
the seaplane is colour coordinated with the interiors. The
Guerlain spa is on its own island, my resort bicycle
was personalised with my initials so as not to be confused with
those of other guests and the hotel boutique is
dedicated to LVMH brands; its not so much spot
the Cline bag by the pool as spot the largest
one. This is a glossy escape where
the style conscious retreat, but
somewhere so private and
quiet you can almost hear
the sh swim past. www.
chevalblanc.com
Shop watch
I wasnt the rst to ask if the penguin-print

wallpaper at Charlotte Taylors little boutique was
for sale. It will be available this spring, along with a
snail-print design. Her playful T-shirts are stocked
all year and swimwear will arrive in store soon. The
discreet location on Chelseas Ellis Street, behind the
big names on Sloane Street, makes this tiny shop
all the more alluring. www.charlottetaylorltd.com
Buzz words:
PURIST PARADISE
Inspired by...
The rustic and graphic design of Okahirongo
Elephant Lodge in Namibia, set in an area
thats home to the nomadic Himba tribe
Bar hop: Covent Garden
This central London district usually associated with street performers now has
a new audience as it undergoes a smart renaissance. A top-drawer bar and
beauty scene has emerged following last years arrival of game-changing New
York bistro Balthazar. First was Chanels beauty boutique, joined swiftly by
neighbour Dior. And now Burberry Beauty Box occupies the largest space, with
a digital nail bar where you can try on colours virtually and spritz the new
Burberry Brit Rhythm for Women fragrance launched this month. Around the
corner, its not hard to nd new burger bars Shake Shack and Five Guys as the
queues appear long before you catch sight of the entrances. There are tapas at
Barrana, shrimp at Bubba Gump and serious cocktails at the new Earlham
Street Clubhouse. Im hanging on for the upcoming opening of Feather & Hide
restaurant, which looks set to have a waiting list to rival Balthazars.
Also refer to...

Seaora: the seaweed-packed skincare
range gives your skin the same rush you feel
when diving into the ocean. Canadian founder
Diane Bernard also teaches its healing
benets on wild-seaweed tours and in their
thalassotherapy clinics. www.sea-ora.com
The block colours and cocoon shapes
created by fashion designer Serana
Sama, the talent behind quirky new label
Isa Arfen who previously worked at Marni
and Chlo. www.isaarfen.com
The Rio de Janeiro home of Brazilian TV
star Alex Lerner: designed by architect
Arthur Casas, its clean lines are set against
mind-boggling views over Ipanema.
Style file... jewellery

SPICE IT UP
Chilli-spiked gems and bright crystal-studded skulls

mark a hot Mexican avour for this season, says Jessica Diamond
Necklace, 294,
Sweetlime (www.
sweetlimeuk.com)
Colt necklace,
265, Shebee
(www.shebee.
com)
Barbara necklace,
240, Shebee
(www.shebee.
com)
t would seem that the jewellers view of the world is small, focused on a few
key places that overow with reference, colour and inspiration. Romanticised
visions of India, the Orient, Africa, Paris and New York are featured again and
again for their palette, exoticism, graphic forms and historical inuence.
Mexico is not; perhaps its too exuberant, and untamed and a little dusty. But
recently, several jewellers have started drawing on its most obvious visual
references. The Day of the Dead, with all its rainbow morbidity, is spurring a
creative revision of the done-to-death sterling-silver skull. The brand Shebee
has hand-painted hot-pink resin and pressed stone skulls, decorated with
Swarovski-crystal owers. Chillis are reworked by Annoushka Fine Jewellery
to form earrings and a bracelet in gold and brown diamonds. Astley Clarke
plays it straight with her red enamel charm. And Sweetlime depicts
Mexicos ultimate style icon, Frida Kahlo, in miniatures strung on necklaces
mixed with chillis, turquoise nuggets and slices of agate.
Chilli sunset earrings,

6,900, Annoushka
Fine Jewellery
(www.annoushkajewellery.com). Red
hot chilli charm, 45,
Astley Clarke (www.
astleyclarke.com)
PHOTOGRAPH: NICKOLAS MURAY, NICKOLAS MURAY PHOTO ARCHIVES
Magnesite skull
pendants with
silver and gold,
from 25, Kirsten
Goss (www.
kirstengoss.com)
JAMAICA
SAINT LUCIA
ANTIGUA
BAHAMAS
GRENADA
BARBADOS
Millionaire Suite with Private Pool & Whirlpool

at Sandals La Toc Golf Resort & Spa, Saint Lucia
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Love Nests. These secluded escapes are nestled in the most beautiful settings and set apart
from the main resort for the ideal romantic rendezvous. Considered the most unique suites in
the Caribbean you can choose from up to 26 room categories per resort. From the one-of-akind Rondoval Suites bungalows in the round and the bluff-top Millionaire Suites offering
180-degree ocean views, to romantic Swim-Up Suites with private access to a secluded lagoon
pool and of course Personal Butler Service. Love is all you need, the rest is Luxury Included.
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Style file... men

EDITED BY
DAVID ANNAND
DO IT IN STYLE
e start on the beach at sunrise. Florianpolis is an

island just off the coast of Brazil, all rolling hills
and crisp water so its the perfect place for an
Ironman competition: a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles on
the bike and a full marathon. There is always a high drop-out rate for
these contests and looking at the other competitors, their pectorals
bursting through their wetsuits like Batmans body armour, and then
at each other, it is obvious who we fancy not to be nishing.
Within 30 seconds of being in the water, weve lost our goggles. Its
chaos. Theres no way of training for 3,000 people churning up the sea,
kicking and punching and splashing. You can only get a sense of where
youre going by following the person in front of you and hoping theyre
heading in the right direction. Somehow we both nish and make it
back to land after an hour-and-a-half swim.
We run from the water to the transition
zone to pick up our bikes. They guard this area
like a bank vault: the value of the thousands
of top-of-the-range road bikes is more than
the deposits in any local branch. The ride is
two laps of the island, alongside the beautiful
beach and through the Atlantic rainforest.
Samuel is making good time until about one
mile to go when a boy bolts from the crowd into
his path. There is no time to react and he goes
over the handlebars, taking the skin off his legs
and back and breaking his bike. Awash with adrenalin, he manages to round
up the parts and nish the ride, his handlebars bent, his seat in his right hand.
The next transition involves handing over our bikes and changing shoes
for the marathon. It is only once Samuel has started that he realises he still has
half a dozen expensive bike components stashed in his shorts, which stay there
for the next four hours. This doesnt help with the bricks, what race veterans
call the debilitating thigh pain that accompanies the change of gear from
repetitive cycling to a pavement-pounding run. We had heard that the rst
two miles were the hardest, and are thankful for the high-ves from the kids
lining the road to propel us over the nish line 11 hours after wed started.
Amazingly, despite the agony, we have decided to do another one. There
are so many places left to explore. Canada, New Zealand, South Africa.
www.ironman.com; www.troubadourgoods.com
THE BOOK Any man undertaking an epic

journey in Brazil would be wise to bone up on
Jules Vernes classic Eight Hundred Leagues on the
Amazon, and augment it with Haruki Murakamis
meditative What I Talk When I Talk About Running.
THE DOWNLOAD Never Stop by Echo and
the Bunnymen. Although it has nothing to do with
sport, this post-punk singles angular chorus refrain
Never stop, never stop, never stop captures the
nerve-jangling relentlessness of an Ironman.
PHOTOGRAPHS: EMMA GARLICK; GETTY IMAGES; FRANCO PIZZOCHERO;

THE NET-A-PORTER GROUP; WARNER BROS/THE KOBAL COLLECTION
Ex-City boys Abel Samet and Samuel Bail, the design

duo behind slick bag label Troubadour, break down
but arent broken on an Ironman triathlon in Brazil
Davids postcard
from...
SKI JACKETS
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
This amazing jacket

is a good example
of the top-notch
Alpine apparel that has been
produced by French-Italian
company Moncler since 1952. A
ash of red for the black run, this
is perfect for pin-up playboys
slaloming their way from lunch
to aprs-ski. www.matchesfashion.
com, 985
If your ideal skiing trip is

about spending time offpiste and off-grid, then
this down bomber jacket by Torontobased company Canada Goose is just
the ticket for serious skiing
on wind-whipped
peaks. Great for
terse types,
adventure junkies
and anyone who
has been in
the secret
service.
www.stuarts
london.com,
580
Design fetishists
and would-be
Scandinavians
are well advised
to supplement
their stash of
snus and asks
of glogg with
this lightweight thermal number by
ski specialist Peak Performance.
Of course, being Swedish it sits best
on the svelte. Us more rounded
Brits might opt for more padding.
www.mrporter.com, 140
In Caspar David Friedrichs Wanderer

above the Sea of Fog, the hero stands on
a rocky peak staring down into the
murky depths as he contemplates the
insignicance of man in the face of
natures sublimity. Which is probably
what wed have been doing if we hadnt
had a puppy with us. Instead, we had
to content ourselves with throwing
balls and wondering why the attitude,
in Britain, seems to veer wildly between
absurd boosterism (our footballers and
television) and chronic self-defeating
deprecation (our manufacturing, food
and, crucially, our beaches). Were it
on Corsica or Sardinia, Watergate Bay,
with its cut-glass water, perfect sand
and caves, would be held up as one of
Europes great destinations. You can
gripe, of course, about the weather but
beaches are best off-season anyway.
We stayed at Watergate Bay Hotel,
with its innity pool looking over the sea,
and enjoyed the other real luxury all to
ourselves: an empty stretch of sand at
low tide and a murmuration of starlings
overhead. www.watergatebay.co.uk
GET THE LOOK: BULLITT

For the thrill of the chase San Francisco-style, take some tips from Steve McQueen
From left: sunglasses, 210, Persol (www.davidclulow.com); jacket, 645, Richard James (www.mrporter.com); Midnight roll-neck, 130,
John Smedley (www.johnsmedley.com); Newington trainer, 150, Oliver Spencer (www.oliverspencer.co.uk)
Stripe top, 165, T by Alexander

Wang at Harrods (www.
harrods.com). Suede slippers,
560, Dior (www.dior.com)
Jeans, 210, 7 For All Mankind

at Harrods (www.harrods.
com). Panthre Wild de Cartier
sunglasses, 769, Cartier
(www.cartier.co.uk)
Flaunt full-blown French elegance

in slick surroundings at this pop
royalty favourite. By Thea Darricotte
his is where Katy Perry stays with her 3,500-person entourage. Not at the
effortfully cool Hotel Costes or the shiny bright W Paris-Opra, not at Saint
Germains LHotel or offbeat Mama Shelter. But here at the grown-up Park
Hyatt, steps from Place Vendme, at the nexus of everything you might want to see
and do. And you know why she stays here? The bedrooms are brilliant,
the bathrooms fantastic. Theres the most unbelievable two-hour
Printed toile bag, 1,770,
laundry service. Breakfast includes a sticky mini lardy cake that looks
Chanel (www.chanel.com)
like nothing but most certainly isnt. There are wonderful teapots,
incredibly nice staff and a great little spa. Then theres the Louis Vuittontrunk-lined John Nollet salon (he does Johnny Depps hair), where youll get
the best cut ever if you can get an appointment everyone will go the extra
mile to see if they can squeeze you in. This is
a sassy choice among the citys palacestatus hotels. www.parkhyattparis.com;
doubles from about 500
Tattersall dress,
1,790, Ralph Lauren
Collection (www.
ralphlauren.com)
Sweatshirt, 400, 3.1

Phillip Lim at Harrods
(www.harrods.com)
Wardrobe, 29,400, Louis

Vuitton (www.louisvuitton.co.uk)
La Mini D de Dior
watch, 2,550, Dior
(www.dior.com)
CAPTIVATING
SOUTH AFRICA
Take a closer look at South Africa: use our expertise
to look beyond the ordinary for a unique South
Africa experience. Call us for insight and advice.
0845 0756114
southafrica@steppestravel.co.uk
Book before 31st March 2014 and quote SA3 to receive
a one-way Complimentary upgrade on British Airways.
*World Traveller to World Traveller Plus only. Travel before 31st October 2014. Applicable to 2 persons
travelling and subject to booking class availability. Minimum booking value 5,000. T&Cs apply.
If you do one thing in
March
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FRANK GEHRY
PHOTOGRAPH: FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON
The global brand of super-architect Frank Gehry is apparently unstoppable. Instead of reaching for his slippers and pipe,
as you might well expect, the octogenarian has more upcoming projects than you can shake a spirit level at. And the one
that has everyone talking right now is the $143-million Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation (www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr),
pictured, in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris. Gehry and Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH, have been in cahoots since 2001.
There may have been many hiccups with planning permission along the way, but the doors to this great glass monolith,
inspired by the Grand Palais, are due to open this spring. Inside, beneath the spectacular transparent light-diffusing sails,
are not only vast spaces for exhibitions, research and teaching, but also pieces from Arnaults extraordinary private
collection, which includes works by Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Jeff Koons and Picasso. Itll certainly make the 16th
arrondissement worth a detour. Over in New York, social networker Mark Zuckerberg has called on Gehry to help redesign
the interiors of the new Facebook offices behind the cast-iron faade of the historic Wanamakers building on Broadway.
And Gehrys latest Guggenheim Museum, on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, is currently under construction. If youre thinking
isnt it extraordinary that he hasnt left his stamp on London yet?, look out for the cranes next to Battersea Power Station,
where ve apartment blocks, his rst buildings in the capital, should be underway imminently. ISSY VON SIMSON
62
THE ri te track
coming of age on safari

words by lucia van der post photographs by david crookes
instead of balloons and party games, we

would induct them into the wonders of africa
F, like me
, you were born in Africa,

there is always a yearning to go back for the
things only Africa seems to offer. Its why my
husband and I go back and back, and why we have
always wanted to make sure our children and
grandchildren learn to love it as we do. Its why we
have established a new rite of passage in our family:
when each of our ve grandsons turns 10, instead
of balloons and party games we take them to a part of
Africa that is special to us, and induct them into some
of the wonders this great continent has to offer.
This might sound like an easy thing to do, but until
fairly recently the under-12s were unwanted in safarigoing circles, the thinking presumably being that most
safari-goers were the older, children-off-their-hands set
who didnt want other peoples offspring disturbing
their lion stalking or elephant gazing. But things have
changed. As Dave Varty, whose family own Londolozi,
one of South Africas most renowned private game
reserves, said to me: Safaris used to be a child-free zone.
Now it would be commercial suicide to leave them out.
So today childrens or family programmes are
everywhere, and theyre getting more imaginative,
more immersive and more engaging by the day. Family

suites and private villas are now available in many of
Africas best-known game reserves. The houses even
come with their own guides and vehicles, providing the
sort of exibility that has revitalised the whole notion
of what a safari in Africa is all about.
When the time came

Above from left: a
bull elephant; guide
Paul Moleseng,
Ben and Freddie
on a morning
walk; a wild dog.
Opposite, making
bows and arrows.
Previous pages,
from left: bushmen
with hunting gear;
skimming stones
at a watering hole
to take
Freddie and Ben, our youngest grandsons, to Africa,
we had to think long and hard about where best to
go. I wanted them to have fun, to have an adventure,
as well as to see the wonders that Africa holds, the
wildlife and the wilderness. I also wanted them to get
to know some of the people of this vast continent
and to gain some understanding of the fragility of its
ecosystems, and why they need to be preserved.
We started off with the fun. Freddies elder brother,
Alexander, had absolutely loved Ker & Downeys
Young Explorers programme at Footsteps Camp in
the Shinde Concession in Botswanas Okavango Delta.
Paul Moleseng, the guide who Alexander had been
so taken by, was still there, running the programme. So
it seemed like what my children call a no-brainer to
65
go back to a guide and a place we knew theyd like.

The camp, shaded by sycamore and jackalberry trees,
is small (six beds) and designed for families to take
over in its entirety; they welcome children of almost
any age. It has a nice old-fashioned air, with green
canvas tents, bucket showers, a traditional campre to
sit around, and the bonus of ushing loos. It was perfect,
nothing too grand no Frette sheets or petal-strewn
baths just comfortable beds, solar-powered lanterns
and delicious food from a bush kitchen.
Paul Moleseng was born and bred in Botswana. He
is sophisticated, highly intelligent and, above all, loves
the natural world with a passion. He also has a brilliant
way with children, joshing and joking, teaching, making
it fun but keeping them in order.
Moleseng gave Ben and Freddie the sort of adventure
they had been dreaming of ever since Alexander came
back with tales of Africa and its marvels. They went
tracking and climbed termite mounds. They made bows
and arrows, and learned to start a re with nothing but
a few dried leaves, some sticks and stones. He had them
driving the Land Rover, learning to punt in a mekoro
(traditional canoe), and he set them little shooting
competitions using a rie to down a row of tin cans.
Game isnt hugely plentiful in the Shinde area, but its
a place of surpassing beauty, close to a papyrus-fringed
66
lagoon where hippos live. Nevertheless, we saw

almost everything we had come to see, though not a
lion or a cheetah. There were zebra and elephants,
impala, three wild dogs hiding in the shade of a tree,
and almost nightly a giant eagle-owl roosting in the
branches. Moleseng taught the boys patience, to
respect the bush and all it stands for, but also never
to stop being touched by its awesome power. My
grandsons adored it all, but soon it was time for
another sort of adventure: to explore the Kalahari
Desert, something few visitors to Africa ever get to do.
Because my father
, the writer
Sir Laurens van der Post, helped bring the plight of
the Kalahari bushmen to the attention of the world
through his books and lms, I wanted us to see for
ourselves the place they had learned to inhabit so
gracefully. Id only been to the Kalahari once before,
and then Id gone with just a guide and some tents.
There were no lodges to stay in. We visited sad and
decaying bushmen encampments by day, and camped in
the bush by night. Id loved the desert from the minute
I set eyes on it. It has great wide skies, sometimes lled
with scudding cotton-wool clouds, and a big scorching
sun that turns the grass a deep gold. Sometimes the
Above from
left: Moleseng
teaches the boys
how to shoot
arrows; a giraffe
at the watering
hole. Opposite,
clockwise from top
left: a lion in the
Kalahari; tracking
near Footsteps
Camp; reading
prints in the sand
landscape is dotted with acacia trees topped with a

pale chanting goshawk, and sometimes there seems to
be nothing but small scrub bushes and barren-looking
pans, which were once huge inland lakes and are now
dried and cracked. It is here that the bushmen learned
to survive and live in complete harmony with the
land and the wildlife around them.
Today, Wilderness Safaris has a wonderful venture,
the Kalahari Plains Camp, right in the middle of this
strange place. It is staffed mostly by indigenous people,
many of them San (as bushmen have come to be called)
from the nearest villages, often 70 or so kilometres
away. It has brought water, training and employment,
and perhaps offers a way into the future for people
whose old traditions are fast disappearing and for
whom a new way of life isnt yet clear.
Here I wanted the children to see something of
what is left of the San culture, for, as my father
showed, few people have understood better than the
bushmen that only by living in equilibrium with the
land will their future be assured. At Kalahari Plains,
some of the San staff grew up with these traditions.
They still know how to trap birds and hunt eland (the
most sought-after of all the game), to tip their arrows
in poison and heal themselves with herbs. They take
guests on a daily bushmen walk. So in their turn Qaba
the kalahari has a strange, desolate beauty. you have
to mind about the small, the neglected, the unsung
70
(Beautiful), Xiee (One) and Xukuri (Blessing) taught

Ben and Freddie bushmen lore and games.
They found them roots to chew when they had a
headache, showed them how to check whether an
ostrich egg has a chick inside, how to cook an ostrich
omelette in the sand, and how to soften the skin of the
steenbok (antelope) to make a bushmen backpack. The
boys learned that a quiver is made from acacia root, a
bow from the wood of the brandy bush, arrowheads
from porcupine quills or bone, and deadly poison can
be obtained from the crabtree. These are people who are
straddling two worlds and they seem to be managing it
with characteristic bushmen grace: they can mix a mean
cocktail and still know how to trap a kori bustard.
Apart from the people, theres the pull of the desert.
Kalahari Plains is entirely different from the usual
safari lodges in that you dont come just for the
animals. Sometimes, when the rains and the stars are
right, there are herds of wildebeest, eland, springbok,
gemsbok and the like, but mostly the game is sparse.
I wanted the children to see that the African landscape
is about more than the great animals, glorious though
Below, bushmen
in headgear made
from steenbok
horns. Opposite, a
lioness drinking
near Kalahari
Plains Camp.
Previous pages,
the bushmen of
the Kalahari
they are. In the Kalahari you dont see a lot of dramatic

stuff. You have to mind about the small, the neglected,
the unsung. You learn that theres magic, too, in the
dung beetle and the snake, the African hare and the
jackal. The children got it, which thrilled me. They
saw beyond the heat, the dust, the arid landscape to
the desolate beauty of it all. And there, for all that
it seemed so stark and barren, we had the most
dramatic encounter of our trip.
As we sat at breakfast one morning, the bush scarcely
stirring, the horizon apparently empty of game, Freddie
ran off to fetch the camera hed forgotten. At which
moment, striding through the camp, right in front of
Freddies room, came a Kalahari lioness on her way
to drink and nd her cubs. A small boy running to get
his camera is perfect lion bait. I screamed, guides ran,
dust swirled, but the lioness fortunately just strode
imperiously, magnicently on. There we learned never
to take the bush for granted. Just when you think
nothing is happening, it suddenly explodes into action.
I dont think Freddie and Ben will ever forget
the desert, and I know they wouldnt have missed it
the bushmen showed the boys how to check an ostrich

egg for chicks and cook an omelette in the sand
MAP: HEATHER GATLEY
for anything. And if theres a better way of seeing

Africa than through the tender eyes of two young
boys for whom the whole world is still fresh and
thrilling, then I have yet to nd it. It was the uplifting,
mind-expanding, transformative experience Id wished
for. We had built up memories that I knew would
stay with them forever. Africa, said Freddie, so
overwhelmed he couldnt quite nd the words, is
so cool. As for Ben, he could scarcely get over it
all either. The animals and the wilderness were the
most amazing things Ive ever seen in my whole life,
he said. For two British boys, one very urban, one
a country child, observing animals as they were meant
to be roaming free, unhindered by mankind
made the sort of impression Id always hoped it
would. They wont forget Africa. They are already
plotting to go back.
Africa Travel (+44 20 7843 3591; www.africatravel.co.uk)

arranges tailor-made holidays to Southern and East Africa.
A seven-day trip to Botswana, staying two nights at the
Footsteps Camp and three nights at Kalahari Plains Camp,
costs from 3,790 per adult and 2,795 per child under-12,
including all meals, safari activities, drinks, laundry, transfers
and British Airways ights
Above from left: a

San woman with
a tortoiseshell
utensil; bushmen
building a re;
walking across the
desert plains.
Opposite, dancing
at Kalahari
Plains Camp
73
LOCK-IN
COUNTRY PUBS HAVE TUNED INTO
THE IDEA OF LAYING ON A COSY
PLACE TO CRASH OUT, WITH QUIRKY
DESIGN, HOTEL-STYLE COMFORTS AND
SERIOUSLY GOOD FOOD. HERE WE
PICK THE LOVELIEST OF THE BUNCH
74
PHOTOGRAPHS: MATTHEW BUCK
THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS

Long Sutton, Somerset
This 17thcentury former
hunting lodge
sits at the edge
of a pictureperfect village
green. Theres a
church peeking
out from one
corner, the old
school house is
opposite, and a
gathering of sheep
bleating in a
nearby eld. Step
inside and there
are agstone
oors, ickering church candles and battered leather
sofas by a crackling log re. At the weekend most
of the big oak tables are laid for dinner. Everythings
fresh from the countryside (the chefs go out
foraging for wild garlic in the afternoon, by the
evening its on your plate as garlic mash) and the
portions are robust (three organic pork sausages,
not two). Theres a tiny bar at the back, which gets
packed with locals supping Harrys Somerset cider
and Moor beer, both made in the village. Its also
worth trying the apple juice, which is from Burrow
Hill, Alice Temperleys family farm just down the
road. Dinner over, its off upstairs where most of
the nine seagrass-oored bedrooms overlook the
green. Number six is the grandest, with a mahogany
four-poster, cream-coloured walls and a vast
bathroom that has a walk-in shower and stand-alone
bath. You might see owner Philip Mephams gorgeous
black labrador Coco wandering about the place,
too; shes as soppy and affectionate as they come.
+44 1458 241271; www.thedevonshirearms.com.
Doubles from 90
THE WHEATSHEAF Northleach, Gloucestershire

Humming with musical chitchat and popping res, The Wheatsheaf is all about atmosphere.
And it has singlehandedly put the small town of Northleach on the map. Owners Sam and
Georgie Pearman are bright and bubbly, and work tirelessly on their Cotswolds projects (as
well as The Wheatsheaf, they steer The Chequers pub in Kingham and The Royal Well Tavern
in Cheltenham, where their new boutique hotel 131 is also making a stir). He used to play
rugby, shes an ex-lawyer, between them they know how to nail everything you want in a
country boozer. For starters, the booze itself, including their own brew Bobby Beer. There are
big platters of oysters, amazing chilli squid, spot-on steak and chips, and ham hock or halibut
with a beetroot and granola sidekick. The warm treacle tart with clotted cream is a waistexpanding hallmark. Interiors are no less considered. Moody coloured walls are bedecked with
antlers and oil portraits. There are a few stuffed ducks about the place, plenty of candles and a
large jar full of hangover cures for those who stay the night. Bedrooms one and 11 are the
best. One is masculine and dark, with grey herringbone fabric and a pewter bath sitting on
the slate-tiled oor. Room 11 is more feminine, with girly greens, sisal ooring, a bateau bath
and bedside tables fashioned from old Harrods removal boxes. The gorgeous private dining
room, with glittering chandeliers and chairs draped in furs, gets booked months in advance.
+44 1451 860244; www.cotswoldwheatsheaf.com. Doubles from 140
76
PHOTOGRAPHS: MATTHEW BUCK; JAKE EASTHAM
THE GUNTON ARMS Thorpe Market, Norfolk

Theres no backdrop like a 1,000-acre deer park.
Especially in at and eerie Norfolk, where the twilight
dawdles as the mists engulf the estate. Part gallery, part
B&B, this is as close as youll come to climbing inside
the minds of decorator and textile collector Robert Kime
and owner Ivor Braka, a Chelsea art dealer. There are
mounted tarantulas jostling for wall space with lewd
Emin plates, and neon lights spell out I said dont
practise on me while a Paula Rego female vomits. All this
set against gouache wallpaper, Persian carpets, and a
family seats worth of antiques sourced by dealer Robert
Young. The brand new paintwork purposefully aged
and discoloured to add a sense of antiquity has had guests

complaining that the place is dirty, to the mirth of the
manager. The look is old money drenched in big-hitting
art. It could so easily be hipper than thou, and yet its
relaxed and unpretentious. The bar is propped up by
muddy-booted grooms and chino-clad old duffers, and
even mid-week the restaurant is buzzing. Chef Stuart
Tattersall (ex-Mark Hix) mans the gaping 16th-century
French open replace, knocking out superlative steaks
that draw people from all along the north Norfolk coast.
+44 1263 832010; www.theguntonarms.co.uk.
Doubles from 95
THE PUNCH BOWL Crosthwaite, Cumbria

The Friday night crowd here looks like this: the odd City boy getting
away from it all, gamekeepers from the local hunt, and walkers whacked
out after a day of fresh air in the nearby Windermere fells, all hunkering
down by the replace in the bar or sitting at wooden tables in the
more formal dining room. In either space you can wolf down featherlight, twice-baked Lancashire souffl with tomato chutney or delicate
loin of rabbit, knocked up by rising star young chef Scott Fairweather.
Upstairs, there are nine totally different rooms: Cooper and Birkett come
with contemporary elm four-poster beds; grand, traditional Strickland
has dramatic hand-blocked wallpaper and a silk corona; and Noble,
the biggest of the bunch, is a loft suite in the eaves with wooden beams
and two free-standing baths side by side. There are Roberts radios on
the dressing tables, woollen throws on the beds and pops of colour
from sage green to raspberry red. Wake up in the morning, pull back
the thick curtains and look out over a patchwork of elds. Theres a
parish church next door where the bellringers practise religiously and
the touristy honeypot of Kendal is just ve miles away.
+44 15395 68237; www.the-punchbowl.co.uk. Doubles from 105
THE STAR INN Harome, North Yorkshire

When Yorkshire-born chef Andrew Pern and his wife Jacquie divorced,
the village of Harome, near Helmsley, was up in arms, for their
award-winning pub and hotel were at the heart of this place. Thankfully,
Jacquie took The Pheasant Hotel and Andrew kept The Star Inn, and
both run much as they always did. The Star is a lovely 14th-century
thatched building. You could play a mean game of hide-and-seek here:
the creaky eaves haunted, according to one waitress hold a private
dining space, and theres a cubbyhole for after-supper espressos. The
fact that a bunch of top chefs were on their way for celebrity chef Tom
Kerridges birthday feast when we visited says a lot about the food. A
starter of lobster is baptised with a holy tomato consomm, and boozy
gooseberries dance across a plate piled with rosy deer. At bedtime,
scoot over the road to the converted farm building, which resembles a
Scottish hunting den. Theres a piano in room eight and room ve is so
big it has its own snooker table. For breakfast, home-smoked salmon,
eggs and daddy-bear-sized bowls of porridge laced with whisky are
served in the old pig sty at what looks like King Arthurs round table.
+44 1439 770397; www.thestaratharome.co.uk. Doubles from 150
THE VILLAGE PUB

This is the clever choice if its grander sister up the road, Barnsley House, is a bit
much (although you would be mad not to stop off for its heavenly spa and lunch
in the garden restaurant). At The Village Pub you can trundle around in your wellies
then settle down to quail scotch eggs, Butts Farm beef in ale pie, huge sh cakes
and home-made ice cream. Almost every ingredient on the menu includes the
producers name, and dishes change daily according to what is in season. There
are agstone oors, exposed stone walls, polished wood, and animal heads
on the walls. Dried wheatsheafs decorate the bar and the decor adheres to the
compulsory Cotswolds palette of moss greens and muted greys, both downstairs
and up in the six bedrooms. Nothing is overdone: sheets are white cotton but the
highest thread count, the limited wine list nevethless offers everything you want
(only two ross but both Ctes de Provence). Staff are jolly and helpful but not over
the top, and have maps on hand for long walks and picnics, or loads of DVDs for
rainy days. Full of quiet condence, this village pub is as good as you would hope.
+44 1285 740421; www.thevillagepub.co.uk. Doubles from 130
PHOTOGRAPHS: JAKE EASTHAM; MARK WHITFIELD
Barnsley, Gloucestershire
THE DUNDAS ARMS

Kintbury, Berkshire
Its hard to beat
this in terms of
Trumpton-like
charm. Theres
the railway
crossing that
ding dings just
before it, the
canal lock that
see-saws when
long-boats
chortle through
and the lovely,
trout-shing
river that
whirls past on
the other side.
The pub is at the centre of a certain bucolic bustle
with walkers and dogs and locals and families all
trotting around their business. Theres a wooden
terrace right over the water where children can
feed the ducks with hunks of bread provided by
the staff, and a heavenly garden with enough
twisty trees to play a game of sardines while parents
tuck into good cider. Other pubs in the group
include the agship Admiral Codrington in London
and the lovely Museum in Dorset; they all share a
certain look: traditional structures that are tuned
to their best by being entirely cosy but fresh, with
great wallpapers and blazing res; theres even a
Victorian bar here made out of old minted pennies.
Staff, who all wear stripes and have a spring in
their step, scurry about carrying bottles of good
claret or pots of crayons. The food is simple and
hearty: great pts, proper roasts, lightly battered
sh and chips. Book a River Room with a private
terrace right next to the water; breakfast on a
sunny Sunday, reading the papers at this great
price is all rather satisfying. +44 1488 658263;
www.dundasarms.co.uk; doubles from 100
THE LAMB AT HINDON Hindon, Wiltshire

Its all change at The Lamb, part of the Boisdale mini-chain founded by Ranald MacDonald. New
head chef Boyd McIntosh is shaking up the menu (less emphasis on the Boisdale burgers, more
game and classics such as shepherds pie), and the laid-back manager doesnt bat an eyelid if you
tumble in crumpled from the car and late for your dinner reservation. A 12th-century coaching
inn that was once home to 300 post horses and a favourite of the notorious smuggler Silas White
(he stored contraband in the cellar), it still has bags of character. Traditional paintings hang on
pillar-box-red walls. Ceilings are low with blackened beams. Chairs are mismatched and heraldiclooking and there are wooden settles for two. Scottish touches are everywhere, from the 100 types
of whisky behind the bar to the haggis in the cooked breakfast and tartan carpet on the creaking,
sloping oors in the corridor. The 19 Highland-ing-styled bedrooms have names such as Glenrothes
and Bruichladdich (most are above the pub, but some, such as the lovely Glenlivet, are in the
adjoining old stables), with heavy walnut furniture, walk-in cupboards for wardrobes and Neals
Yard products in the bathroom. Children will like the tucked-away games room with its DVDs and
big-screen television; others will want to spend sunny afternoons playing boules in the garden
across the road. Hindon itself is properly pretty check out the shop, which is owned and run by
the villagers as a collective and brilliantly positioned for a stopover on the way to the South West.
+44 1747 820573; www.boisdale.co.uk/lamb-at-hindon. Doubles from 95
79
80
THE RAM INN
PHOTOGRAPHS: MATTHEW BUCK
Firle, East Sussex

The wonky beams, heavy puddling curtains and
charcoal-grey palette here work just as well during
the winter months as the pretty walled gardens and
quintessential cricket pitch do in the summer. Right
in the heart of the South Downs, this pub has a
big catchment area: creative types scoot up from
Brighton, a media-savvy crowd schleps down from
London. The snug bar, with a dartboard and cricket
bats, is where you warm up with a pint of Sussex
bitter, and theres relaxed, candlelit dining in the
stable room. Theres nothing predictable about the
menu, with seriously good game from the Firle estate
and shermen delivering their catch each morning.
When the pub recently had a spruce-up and opened four bedrooms in the ramshackle eaves,
the village collectively sighed for fear that their secret was out, but so far the place has kept
its integrity. Rooms have village views through huge (although slightly drafty) sash windows.
One is tongue-and-groove panelled, another has a free-standing bath. This isnt high design
but its concise and comfortable, and leaves the pub and stable room to take centre stage.
Employ some restraint at breakfast (locally made sausages, eggs from the village) if you plan
on staying for a Sunday roast unless you sandwich a blustery country walk in between.
+44 1273 858222; www.raminn.co.uk. Doubles from 90
THE BELL AT
SKENFRITH Monmouthshire, Wales
In the shadows of the medieval Skenfrith Castle and with the River
Monnow rushing by the front of the building, The Bell has a dreamy
setting. Bedrooms are completely on the button, with fresh daffodils
on the windowsill, starched cotton sheets, Welsh wool blankets tucked
into deeply comfortable beds, and Cath Collins products in the large
bathrooms. Theres a jug of cold, fresh milk and a jar of home-made
shortbread waiting on the tea tray or a bottle of Frapin VSOP cognac and
two glasses on the nightstand if you feel like something a bit stronger, but
its the food that brings people here over and over again. The restaurant
has roaring log res and huge squishy sofas, mismatched wooden tables
and a well thought-out wine list. The unfussy menu includes seasonal,
locally sourced foods such as llet of Brecon beef, Monmouthshire
lamb, Gloucester Old Spot pork and organic vegetables from The Bells
own kitchen garden. And with no mobile phone reception and a deepblack star-lit sky at night, this is a place to come and really switch off.
+44 1600 750235; www.skenfrith.co.uk. Doubles from 110
THE DEVONSHIRE ARMS

AT PILSLEYDerbyshire
This cosy, welcoming inn with rooms on the Chatsworth Estate is the
sister property of another Devonshire Arms. Which, confusingly, is also a
cosy, welcoming inn with rooms on the Chatsworth Estate. This one at
Pilsley is most denitely the more pubby of the pair, while its bedfellow
in nearby Beeley concentrates more on its much-garlanded restaurant.
The former, in a time-warp hamlet that could be the backdrop for a Foyles
War episode, has the Duchess of Devonshire to thank for its interior
design. Along with her husband, the 12th Duke, she has played an active
role in developing the business, and the pair often pop over from the
big house for Sunday lunch. The menu is neither pretentious nor ash,
with a focus on hearty English dishes. The steak-and-kidney pudding is
a treat, as is the full Derbyshire breakfast with local oatcakes. The seven
rooms are crisp and comfortable, plates of sugar-dusted biscuits are
left out every morning and bathrooms have full-throttle water pressure.
+44 1246 583258; www.devonshirepilsley.co.uk. Doubles from 89
THE BLACK HORSE INN

This is a quirky little place in a village smack-bang between the Dales and the Moors.
Inside its country-fte cosy, with pastel-painted distressed tables, gingham-covered
chairs, white bunting and garden views. In contrast, the menu includes great,
steaming shermans pie and roast chicken. Notes such as Youll never nd a dull
moment in this house and The best tonic has a gin in it are chalked up in the bar
and locals, who come for Fish and Chip Friday, stay long into the night, drinking ale
from the nearby Black Sheep Brewery and nishing up with shots of mini-Guinness
(a curious concoction of Tia Maria and Baileys). Needless to say, avoid staying in
Thelwell, the family room directly above the bar, at the weekend. Of the six other
shabby-chic rooms, go for Desert Orchid at the back, with its duck-egg-blue
walls and bathtub by the window. For a romantic lie-in (its mostly couples who
come here), get a hamper with cereals, milk and fruit juice in your room. Theres
a more substantial breakfast downstairs, including moreish rhubarb-and-ginger
jam and enormous full English breakfasts with slabs of black pudding.
+44 1609 749010; www.blackhorsekirkbyeetham.com. Doubles from 75
PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAN DONALDSON; JENNY ZARINS
Kirkby Fleetham, North Yorkshire
THE DRUNKEN DUCK

Ambleside, Cumbria
This 200year-old inn,
set in 60 acres
of private land
above Lake
Windermere,
is one of the
most popular
pubs in
Englands
most popular
national park
and it
deserves its
feathers. A
combination
of its situation,
at a hilltop crossroads between the pretty villages
of Ambleside and Hawkshead, and its on-site
microbrewery have made it a long-standing
favourite on ramblers maps. But what really
puts walking boots under tables here is the food,
which is truly outstanding. Chiey the signature
drunken duck itself: a whole cherry-glazed
bird, served with sweet braised red cabbage and
crispy duck-fat-roasted potatoes. Bedrooms
are spread between the inn and an outbuilding
across the courtyard; the best of the lot is
the Garden Room (reputedly a favourite of
comedian Steve Coogan), with a private balcony
and huge window looking out over the expansive
valley below. The pubs water supply is ltered
from nearby Duck Tarn. Its colour can be
startling when you rst ll your roll-top bath
(the owners compare it to a ne malt), but the
water is also wonderfully soft. Plus, its a crucial
ingredient in the seven beers brewed here,
some named after much-loved former pub pets.
+44 1539 436347; www.drunkenduckinn.co.uk.
Doubles from 105
THE BELL Ticehurst, East Sussex

Theres nothing remarkable about a pub with a big open re, chunky beams and
weekenders sipping ale with wet dogs in tow. But The Bell in Ticehurst is so much more
than that. On closer inspection, the table legs have been dipped in paint, the beams are
held up by stuffed squirrels and the crowd at the bar is a mixture of ad execs, farmers,
writers and priests. The oil painting dominating the dining room is an original Mary
Carpenter portrait. Theres a Banksy in the hall and Vivienne Westwood wallpaper on the
ceilings. Reopened in November 2011 after a 2million refurbishment, it has all the
trappings of an urban boutique hotel atscreen TVs, handmade mattresses by Somnus
but this is no identikit set-up. Its eclectic and playful. Designer Richard Brett drew
inspiration from regional history and folklore, embellished and distorted like the stories
told at the bar. Tables are shelves. Cutlery becomes coat hooks. Hats are lights. The
trunk of a silver birch tears through each of the seven bedrooms. Youll nd a barbers
chair in place of a chaise-longue. The food is gamey and locally sourced, with proper
portions, and the chef brings London restaurant pedigree, having worked at J Sheekey
and The Ivy. Leave all pretentions by the door, dress for a romp in the country and
prepare to be dragged into a erce debate on the relative merits of badger lamping.
+44 1580 200234; www.thebellinticehurst.com. Doubles from 110
83
THE KINGHAM PLOUGH Kingham, Oxfordshire

Run by an eager-to-please, ruddy-faced couple, Miles
Lampson and Emily Watkins, this bolthole is full of personal
charm (there are even pictures of their children on the walls).
In the heart of the quaint village of Kingham, it is brilliantly
located to explore nearby Stowe, Chipping Camden and
Burford, and is a 20-minute walk along the back roads to
Daylesford Organics mothership. Its the kind of place
where if youd had one too many but forgotten to book a
room, they wouldnt kick you out. The owners are ercely
proud of the pubs surroundings and have strong links with
local farmers (once a year the car park is transformed into
a big food-lled market drawing a crowd of thousands).
Breakfast is bliss: excellent freshly ground coffee, Burford
Browns with tangerine yolks, home-made bread and baked

beans that dont come from a tin. The selection of booze
is impressive, including Cotswolds Gin and almost every
beer and cider imaginable, but you wont get too sozzled
as bar snacks are taken very seriously: pork scratchings,
venison salami, sausage rolls, and huge ploughmans (you
are told exactly where each type of cheese and ham comes
from). Rooms are unfussy, light and airy, with sweet-smelling
Penhaligons products, uffy towels and little vases of owers.
The Plough is what every pub should be: dependable,
delightful and, above all, an extremely good deal.
+44 1608 658327; www.thekinghamplough.co.uk.
Doubles from 95
THE RED LION INN Babcary, Somerset

The thing you wonder about The Red Lion is where on earth everyone has come
from, and how they heard about it. Babcary is a blink-and-you-miss-it hamlet,
smaller than a postage stamp (theres no shop, only a church and a cluster of
houses) and yet the bar is always full to bursting. Weathered cattle farmers who
have been coming for a pint every day for decades sit on leather stools in between
games of table skittles, and families scrubbed up for supper on a Saturday night
jostle alongside sparky young things wholl be the last to leave. One explanation
is the food, which veers from Parma-ham laden platters of antipasti to wintery,
warming slow-roasted pork belly. Another is the restaurant itself, which is an
extension of the original 17th-century thatched building, with a huge replace
and lots of natural light. Savvy husband-and-wife team, Clare and Charlie Garrard,
owners for nearly 11 years, have installed the prettiest waitresses and the friendliest
bar staff. Recently, theyve added a separate pizza den (summer months only),
put on a pop-up restaurant backstage at Glastonbury for VIPs and transformed
a derelict barn into six bedrooms, with muted Farrow & Ball shades and grey
velvet buttoned-up headboards. Its exactly where youd want to crash out.
+44 1458 223230; www.redlionbabcary.co.uk. Doubles from 110
PHOTOGRAPHS: JAKE EASTHAM; MARK WHITFIELD
THE CROWN Amersham, Buckinghamshire

The Crown is the sort of place you cant believe someone
hasnt told you about already. A red-brick, oak-beamed,
Elizabethan wonky wonder with sharp-as-a-tack rooms,
just three quarters of an hour from central London on the
Metropolitan Line. Designer Ilse Crawford has brought a fresh
aesthetic to this traditional coaching inn with her signature
natural tones. Rooms, with pitched ceilings, underoor
heating, handmade rush matting and enough wardrobe space
for a two-week stay, havea modern Scandi vibe. The ones off
the courtyard are deliciously big with four-posters and deep
mattresses. There are also smaller but just as smart rooms
in the main building. Little quirks include vintage Penguin
Classics on the bedside table, shearling rugs thrown over

rocking chairs, and home-made jams at breakfast. The food
is the main event, with thoughtfully sourced ingredients such
as Dedham Vale beef. Afterwards, get a pint of Rebellion ale
and kick back by the re, turn your hand to a game of ptanque
or wander down Old Amersham High Street and window-shop
for antiques. Breakfast is a treat, too; wake up to a trestle table
brimming with yoghurts, mueslis and pitchers of fresh juices,
followed by generous plates of eggs Benedict. This is how to
get out of town without the dastardly motorway mission.
+44 1494 721541; www.thecrownamersham.com.
Doubles from 99
Contributors: Daisy Finer, Lydia Gard, Emma Love, Hazel Lubbock, Jonathan Thompson, Issy von Simson, Melinda Stevens
85
STRANGER THAN
FICTION
86
THE INDIAN OCEAN IS FULL OF SNAZZY PLACES, BUT EVERYONES SECRET FAVOURITE IS A NEWLY REVAMPED
LITTLE SPOT OFF THE COAST OF MADAGASCAR, SAYS LISA GRAINGER. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENNY ZARINS
ts six fifteen in the morning and theres not another

person in sight. A couple of terns swoop above my head, the
rst dawn rays sprinkling their white feathers pink. Coconutpalm fronds jangle in the breeze. Waves tumble on to sharp
black lava rocks. And on the edge of a small rockpool,
something wriggles. It looks like a small sh, but its on a
rock, so it cant be. I edge closer. Dozens of little creatures
suddenly squirm and plop into the water, darting behind
underwater crevices. They are sh, but not as we know them.
In Madagascar, the sight of seriously odd creatures should come
as no surprise. When the great supercontinent of Gondwanaland
fractured and split up about 165 million years ago, wildlife was
marooned 400km from mainland Africa, on the island that
came to be known as Madagascar. Many of the original species
ourished; others slowly adapted.
Today, the country has 12,000 species of plants, more than
three-quarters of which are found nowhere else. It has more
than 300 species of frog (and a new one found about every eight
weeks) and half of the worlds chameleons, including the biggest
(the size of a cat) and the smallest (just three centimetres). It has
lemurs that are unique to the island. And it has mudskippers,
the ancient amphibious sh I discovered on my dawn walk.
Exploring Madagascar, with its rainforests, gem-blue clear
seas and chalk-white beaches, I start to understand why David
Attenborough referred to it as an evolutionary cauldron,

producing increasingly extreme forms of life. Being here is a
bit like being transported to Jurassic Park with aliens. Look
up a tree and you might see a lime-green-and-pink-splodged
chameleon, catching ies with a red tongue as long as your
forearm, or a praying mantis disguised as a dead brown leaf,
or a lurid orange millipede with golden legs that ripple in a
wave. And, of course, you might see a walking sh.
I am not normally awake at dawn. But on Tsarabanjina I
dont want to stay in bed a minute longer than I have to. One
of 12 islands in the Mitsio archipelago off the north coast of
Madagascar, it was developed as an eco-resort by an enterprising
South African adventurer, Richard Walker, for guests to live
out their Robinson Crusoe fantasies in comfort.
Developers arent often popular with locals, who understandably
resent invasions of their land, water and resources. But around
here theres hardly a Malagasy man or woman whose eyes
dont sparkle when you mention Walkers name. He took
100 of us who had only ever shed before, or worked in the
forest, and he taught us new skills, says Manzari, who built
the hotels bar with his own hands and now, as head mixologist,
shakes up a mean, fresh-coconut Pia Colada laced with
vanilla-infused rum. He taught us to be cooks and barmen
Above, from left: making a straw mat; village life on Grande Mitsio Island; view from a South Beach villa at Constance Tsarabanjina. Previous pages, left:
the island of Tsarabanjina. Right, clockwise from top left: Antananarivo; freshly landed tomatoes; a banda at Constance Tsarabanjina; jack sh on the grill
88
ITS LIKE BEING TRANSPORTED TO JURASSIC PARK WITH ALIENS. LOOK UP A TREE AND YOU MIGHT SEE A
PRAYING MANTIS DISGUISED AS A LEAF. OUT EXPLORING ROCKPOOLS AT DAWN, YOU MIGHT SEE A WALKING FISH
and housekeepers which, now that there are not-so-many
sh, is much better than being a sherman. Mr Walker has
given us a new life.
As well as hills and forest and two long stretches of beach,
Tsarabanjina has just 25 wooden guest chalets, all shaggy
thatched roofs and airy verandahs. Most guests spend their
days sunning themselves on the daily swept sand, on loungers
or hammocks strung between feathery-leafed cassia trees,
converging at the bar for cold coconut cocktails, followed by
plates of giant prawns and lobsters. Mine are spent fossilhunting on the islands fringe of weather-beaten, mineral-rich
rocks, luminous with swirls of ochres and rusts, and cut through
with black tongues of hardened lava and out at sea.
Exploring the waters over three days catching jack sh for
lunch, diving on rainbow reefs, motoring by catamaran to the
inhabited shermens island of Grande Mitsio there are
no obvious signs of the widely reported plundering of the seas
by Chinese, South Korean and Japanese eets. The waters
glimmer with sh. And the corals, says the resorts French
dive-master Nicolas Richer, are considered by many to be the
most beautiful in the world after those of the Barrier Reef.
Diving off the edge of the Fourth Brother, one of ve rounded

rocky islets 15 minutes by speedboat from Tsarabanjina,
I can see why Richer lost his heart to the Malagasy seas. The
underwater scenery is trippy in its theatricality, designed by a
god inspired by Jackson Pollock and inhabited by hilariously
overdressed creatures. Fringed pink sea cucumbers crawl
beside ultraviolet-edged coral; golden anemones utter delicate
ngers at shoals of synchronised yellow sh; lobsters with
wackily painted shells wave striped whiskers at monsters with
blue lips, orange-spotted skins, lacy tails.
After an hour in this underwater circus, its almost a relief to
get back to the simplicity of Tsarabanjina. This is a no-shoes,
no-news, hang-loose place. The air-conditioned thatched bandas,
newly revamped by the islands owners, Constance Hotels and
Resorts (Le Prince Meurice, Halaveli Maldives), have all the
basics hot showers, capacious wardrobes, fridges with cold
drinks as well as outdoor banquettes and hammocks for
afternoon snoozes, and fragrant coconut oil to drench sunburnt
skin. Lunches are simple but delicious arrays of just-grilled sh,
with salsas and limes, fresh pastas and crunchy salads. Drinks
are infused with the perfumed juice of passion fruit, mango and
89
guava. And the staff clearly enjoy what they do: leading walks
around the hotels gardens, planted with endemic species,
inhabited by jewel-coloured fody birds and long-tailed
paradise ycatchers; giving massages in an beachside banda
cooled by sea air; accompanying excursions to Grande
Mitsio island, where giggling children chase chickens on the
beach and men mend nets under fat-armed baobab trees.
Of all the unique and beautiful creatures on Madagascar,
perhaps its people are the most fascinating. Descendants of
Indonesian sailors and adventurers and the Banta people
of Africa, as well as immigrants from China, India and the
Middle East, their facial features vary as widely as their
languages (of which 18 are spoken). The capital, Antananarivo
(known as Tana), is equally exotic. In the surrounding
valleys, farmers tend terraced rice paddies; there are mud
double-storey houses with shutters and thatched roofs and
also modern, high-rise blocks. Renaults, Peugeots and Citron
2CVs last seen in Europe in the 1970s jam the roads,
overtaken by brightly painted ox-carts carrying charcoal and
man-powered rickshaws overloaded with bananas. And
controlling them are gendarmes in smart blue uniforms and
high, starched caps adorned with golden braid, a reminder of
the islands former French colonial masters.
I was guided around Tana by the affable, well-informed
Kenny Andriamaronjaka, who brought the trafc-jammed
city to life with fascinating historical detail. The island was
once ruled by Malagasy kings and queens, a few heroic and
others positively not, some of whose belongings are stored in
CITROEN 2CVS LAST SEEN IN EUROPE IN THE

1970S JAM THE ROADS,OVERTAKEN BY BRIGHTLY
PAINTED OX-CARTS CARRYING CHAROAL AND
RICKSHAWS LOADED WITH BANANAS
a palace-turned-museum that overlooks the city. The
museum ofcially closed a few years ago, but theres usually
a guard willing to open up for a small fee. Most of the grand,
dome-roofed building is derelict and has been ransacked
(the royal crown was stolen in 2012) but a few precious
possessions a bronze tea set given by Queen Victoria,
silver-embroidered silk boots from George V, a brass shield
studded with precious gems reside under rather bizarre
paintings of Napoleonic-looking monarchs clad in ne silks
and red coats. In a corner stands the red-velvet chaise used
to transport the most ruthless queen, Ranavalona I, likened
to Caligula, who had Christians hurled off a nearby cliff.
What the museum illustrates most clearly is what a
complex, multi-ethnic society this is, and how powerful the
peoples beliefs are in their ancestors spirits. These beliefs
that ancestors still control life is not, I discover, conned
to rural communities. Even in the capital, certain days are
associated with colours, and specic actions forbidden. On
Monday, or Black Day, people avoid wearing dark clothing;
I am quickly reprimanded for pointing at a tomb (extremely
bad form that could invoke the wrath of the spirits) and
am clearly out of order when I question the tradition of male
90
Clockwise from above: a comet moth, one of the worlds largest with a wingspan of about 20cm; view across the rooftops of Antananarivo; a goldencrowned sifaka lemur; South Beach at Tsarabanjina. Opposite, from top: a South Beach villa at Constance Tsarabanjina; children on Grande Mitsio
AS YOU HIKE THROUGH DARK PRIMEVAL FOREST,NOTHING CAN PREPARE YOU FOR THE HOWLS OF
INDRI LEMURS CALLING THEIR COMPANIONS. IT MAKES THE HAIR ON MY NECK STAND ON END
relatives eating childrens foreskins at ritual circumcisions (oh yes,
they do). Sadly, Im not here at a time when the most lively
traditional ceremonies are held, the famadihana, during
which ancestors bones are exhumed and given a public airing
before being re-wrapped and placed back into the elaborate
family tombs to the accompaniment of song, dance and
raucous rum-drinking.
I am here in may, the most glorious time of year, when the skies
are cobalt and cloudless, the nights cool and misty, and the forest
leaps with lemurs. The entire eastern coast of Madagascar
was once covered in trees; today, most has been logged or burnt
for charcoal and replaced in patches by fast-growing eucalyptus.
But there are little pockets that have been preserved: the one
closest to Tana, called Andasibe, is just 170km away, or four
long hours drive on terrible roads.
Nothing can prepare you, as you hike through dark, primeval
forest muggy with the scent of leaves and moss and millions of
years of decay, for the howls of indri lemurs calling their

companions. Like the cry of an inconsolable woman, or the
sliding off-key shrieks of a trombone, they echo in the quiet
reserve, making the hair on my neck stand on end. But when I
catch sight of them all thick, soft black, grey and white fur,
with little round faces, long noses, and shiny, uffy tails they
look so sweet I want to squeal out loud myself.
Because the lemurs are protected by a team of guides, theyre
not particularly fazed by us watching them. Slowly, they shufe
about the branches above our heads, munching on leaves,
hanging upside-down to reach particularly delicious bunches of
berries and picking at each others fur with human-like ngers
topped with spookily black, perfectly polished nails.
Over three days, trekking in low bushland, in bamboo thickets,
on hilly slopes and muddy jungle, we spot seven species in total.
In thick patches of undergrowth, we nd little brown bamboo
lemurs nibbling on shoots. Clambering up a hillside we witness
a troop of the most beautiful of the species, the aptly named
This page, from left: the water around Madagascar is full of sh, best grilled and served with lime and salsa; a haul of aubergines, brought to the
island by boat. Opposite, from left: life in a shing village on Grand Mitsio island; a Sunday-morning football match in Antananarivo
MAP: JANE WEBSTER
golden-crowned sifaka. At night, by the light of a torch, we see

the shy mouse lemur doing its circus impression, swinging and
bouncing like a trapeze artist on speed. And at the more
visitor-friendly Vakna Private Reserve, where several lemur
species have been habituated to humans, we come into contact
with the species that every child who has seen Madagascar
longs to encounter: the ring-tailed lemur (or King Julien VIII).
As the agile little striped critters climb on to my shoulders,
licking salt off my neck with their rough, cat-like tongues and
shyly taking banana pieces from my ngers, as I giggle with
childish delight, I realise just how lucky I am to experience them
at such close quarters. Like so many forms of life on this ancient
island, lemurs are highly endangered, and given the rate at which
the forest is disappearing, soon there may be none left at all.
For now, Madagascar is still a place in which you can discover
the wonders of evolution, from prehistoric mudskippers on the
volcanic rocks of Tsarabanjina to King Julien himself. But if
you want to see these remnants of a bygone age, youd better be
quick. Visitors once stopped in Mauritius to see the dodo.
Audley Travel (+44 1993 838585; www.audleytravel.com)
offers a 12-night tailor-made trip to Madagascar from 4,295
per person sharing, including seven nights full-board at
Constance Tsarabanjina and three nights at Vakna Forest
Lodge in Andasibe, international ights with Kenya Airways
and local ights with Air Madagascar, guided road transfers
and shared boat transfers
SPLASH
MOB
ST BARTHS LEADS THE PACK FOR
HIGHGLAMOUR WINTER SUN.
STYLED BY FIONA LINTOTT.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICHARD PHIBBS
All photographs taken at

La Banane Villa, St Barths
(www.labanane.com).
This page, Heidi wears
Dotty Dice bikini, 185,
Mulberry (www.mulberry.
com). Gold woven cuff,
4,350, Carolina Bucci
(www.carolinabucci.com).
Opposite, Sophie wears
bikini top, 83, Melissa
Odabash (www.odabash.
com). Jersey shorts, 195,
Burberry Prorsum (www.
burberry.com). Sunglasses,
230, Prada at Sunglass
Hut (www.sunglasshut.
com/uk). Perspex cuff,
1,090, Chanel (www.
chanel.com). Shopper bag,
77, Joie (www.joie.com)
Crystal bikini bottoms,

POA, Fendi (www.fendi.
com). Large-brim straw
hat, POA, Lock & Co
(www.lockhatters.co.uk).
Opposite, St Barts Primrose
bikini top, 194, Prism
(www.prismlondon.com).
Cardigan, 495, Sophie
Hulme at Selfridges (www.
selfridges.com). Linen
trousers, 140, Isabel
Marant Etoile at www.
net-a-porter.com. Lei
Zu gold necklace, POA,
Carolina Bucci (www.
carolinabucci.com).
Bracelets, 445 each,
Tods (www.tods.com).
Suede BB heels, 440,
Manolo Blahnik (www.
manoloblahnik.com)
Linen shirt, 350; jersey

shorts, 195, both
Burberry Prorsum (www.
burberry.com). Sandals,
POA, Ralph Lauren
Collection (www.ralph
lauren.com). Sunglasses,
220, Tiffany & Co at
David Clulow (www.
davidclulow.com). 2Jour
bag, 1,480, Fendi
(www.fendi.com)
Crystal sunglasses, 455,

Prada at David Clulow
(www.davidclulow.com).
Silk scarf, 480, Saint
Laurent by Hedi Slimane
(www.ysl.com). Opposite,
hand-embroidered Daisy
bikini, 620, Michael
Kors (www.michaelkors.
com). Perspex cuffs,
1,090 and 2,780; pearl
ring, 1,065, all Chanel
(www.chanel.com).
Heels, 100, Ostwald
Helgason x Aldo Rise
(www.aldoshoes.com)
Honolulu swimsuit, 186,

Prism (www.prismlondon.
com). Swim cap, 10,
Fine Saratoga (www.
nesaratoga.com). Gold
cuff, 340, Tods (www.
tods.com). Opposite,
halter-neck bikini top,
150; bottoms, 145,
both Eres (+44 20 7235
4261). Floribunda earrings,
POA, Theo Fennell
(www.theofennell.com).
Crystal necklace, 330,
Kate Spade (www.kate
spade.com). Feather and
leather sandals, 540,
Valentino Garavani
(+44 20 7235 5855)
Cashmere shorts, 1,135,

AGNONA collezione
ZERO (www.agnona.com).
Leather bracelet, 445,
Tods (www.tods.com).
Patent-leather bag, 1,650,
Roger Vivier (www.roger
vivier.com). Demetra
shoes, 910, Sergio Rossi
(+44 20 7811 5950).
Opposite, Sophie wears
petal-embroidery organza
jumper, 2,660, Erdem at
www.net-a-porter.com.
Shorts, 360, Giambattista
Valli at www.modaoperandi.
com. Heels, 100, Ostwald
Helgason x Aldo Rise
(www.aldoshoes.com).
Heidi wears cotton organza
top, 230; culottes, 459,
Isa Arfen at The Shop at
Bluebird (www.theshopat
bluebird.com). Gold Gitane
earrings, 1,045; gold woven
cuff, 4,350, both Carolina
Bucci (www.carolinabucci.
com). Gold cuff, 820,
Saint Laurent by Hedi
Slimane (www.ysl.com).
Hair: Noah Hatton for
Redken/Cutler at Judy
Casey. Make-up: Carmindy
at Kramer + Kramer using
Collection Notes de
Printemps by Chanel.
Nails, May on Heidi;
Rouge Rubis on Sophie,
both Le Vernis by Chanel.
Models: Sophie Vlaming
at Viva London and Heidi
Harrington-Johnson at
Storm. Fashion assistant:
Rachel Ingram. With
thanks to La Banane Villa
(www.labanane.com; from
about 15,000 per week,
sleeps 18) and British
Airways (www.ba.com)
Following a
track along a
helter-skelter
river, we seemed
to be leaving the
world behind,
but this land,
apparently so
remote, is full
of people
106
Once a blissed-out star of the hippy trail, Kashmir dropped out of sight but
is now back on the scene and more amboyant than ever. Lucy Hughes-Hallett
joins in this years big adventure. Photographs by Cathrine Wessel
All Kashmiri
women, all the
time, are
resplendently
dressed in
spangled gauze
or brilliantly
coloured owerembroidered silk
heres something miraculously disinhibiting about

the proximity of water. In Nishat Bagh, the 12-terraced Mughal
garden laid out in the 1630s on the lowest slopes of the mountains
that tower above Srinagars Dal Lake, I watched a troop of
schoolgirls go wild among the fountains and canals.
A watercourse bisects the garden, hurtling down waterfalls,
erupting skywards in a long line of fountains, spreading into square
pools enclosed by crumbling walls. On a Sunday evening the place
is packed with men chatting cross-legged in ceremonious circles on
the grass beneath enormous magnolia trees, with youths posing
on ornamental bridges, silhouetted against the pearly luminosity
of the lake which closes the view, and with women pacing the rose
gardens. They are resplendently dressed as all Kashmiri women
are all the time in gold-spangled gauze or ower-embroidered
silk or cotton printed in colour combinations as brilliant as those
in the boats of the citys waterborne ower sellers: rose-pink with
turquoise, mauve with jade green, saffron with pomegranate-red.
The girls arrived as demure little models of Muslim decorum,
white robes covering them from chin to ankle and wrist, their
headscarves tightly secured. At a point where the water ripples
along an ankle-deep channel, a bold girl stepped in. Another
followed, and another and another. Someone slipped and grabbed
at her friend, who went down after her, and in a trice the whole
gaggle was tumbling and giggling and splashing. Their teacher,
a young woman in tight crimson churidars and a silver-trimmed,
bead-encrusted red and purple overdress, was splashed, at rst
inadvertently, and dimpled kindly. And then, seeing they might
get away with it, all the girls started splashing her and she was
down in the water with them and everyone was drenched and
shrieking, and sheets of water were rising around them, and
a shoal of tiny boys in their underpants were tumbling down the
steps from an upper pool to see how they could add to the din.
On a pavilion in the nearby Shalimar gardens, a line from a
classical Persian poem is incised into the stone: If there is paradise
Clockwise from far left: the Royal Houseboat viewed from Dal Lake; its
captain, Mr Deen; on the road near the village of Naranag; a food stall
on the road to the village; fountains at Nishat Bagh; the veranda on the
Royal Houseboat. Previous pages, left, from top: Gujjar people in and
around Naranag; Mr Deen serving tea on the Royal Houseboat; shikaras
on Dal Lake. Right, on the hiking trail to the mountain village of Gulmarg
109
The mountains, which have all day been ghostly shapes
looming through the haze, become visible at sunset
on the earth, it is this; it is this; it is this. But for the past 20 years
the Kashmiri paradise has been infested with serpents, as India
and Pakistan fought over it, China sought to grab its share, and
Kashmiri separatists resisted them all. Now, though, the British
Foreign Ofce has altered its advice from No-Go to Proceed With
Caution. There are still rie-toting soldiers in Srinagars old town,
but on Dal Lake the houseboats are being refurbished, ready for
what their owners hope will be a rush of travellers from the West.
Those houseboats are lovely by-products of a bit of legal
artful-dodgery. Under the terms by which the 19th-century
Maharaja was granted control of Kashmir, the British undertook
not to build houses on his territory; but boats are not houses,
and lakes are not lands. So the ofcials of the Raj continued
to decamp in summer to the temperate Kashmiri paradise,
living there in waterborne mansions.
We stayed rst on the Royal
Houseboat. Outside, its eaves are
trimmed with lacy fretwork.
Inside, the walls are panelled with
cedar so the very air you breathe
is delicious. There are chandeliers
everywhere (ve in my bedroom
alone). There are silk carpets.
There is massive, intricately carved
walnut furniture. There is a veranda
with cushioned benches ready
for an afternoon snooze. There is
Hassan, the shikara boy, who will
paddle you around the lake in a
canopied boat painted the colours
of marigolds and delphiniums and
pomegranate. And there is Mr
Deen, the boat captain, always
spruce in his white jacket and
crocheted skull cap, who will call
you sir or madam and bring you
a gilt-rimmed cup of tea avoured
with cardamom, or serve you a
feast of cinnamon-scented mutton
and yogurt-dressed cauliower on
the at roof overlooking the acres
of lotus owers which are what you
get here instead of a garden.
n the heat of the day the lake is somnolent. Fish eagles

sit still as bronze efgies on the top of pilings. Farmers
glide silently by, their at-bottomed wooden boats
called shikaras so laden with the water weed they use
as fertiliser that they appear, as they squat on the submerged prow,
to be perched on nothing. Men loll on wooden piers, indolently
trailing shing lines. The only creatures looking busy are tiny
ducklings so weightless that they can scamper across the water-lily
pads. But as the sun declines, the rumpus starts. Shikaras edge
out of the back-canals to throng the open lake. The waterborne
salesmen manoeuvre between them. There is Mr Wonderful, with
his cargo of lilies. There is Delicious Man, who offers chocolatecoated walnuts, coconut ice and macaroons. There is the insistent
boy selling saffron, and there are the quieter merchants who appear
alongside likely clients, ipping open briefcases to reveal jewellery
made of turquoise and lapis lazuli: it was from the mountains
112
north of here that the precious lapis was exported along the Silk
Road so that the artists of the Italian Renaissance could give their
madonnas robes of celestial blue. There are boatmen selling soft
drinks or homemade milk ice-lollies. And there are the fruit boats,
heaped with greengages, cherries and sliced watermelon. We are in
a market, and at a party, and taking part in a spectacle that keeps
getting more colourful and raucous. Along the lakeshore road the
drivers are honking their horns for the sheer pleasure of the noise.
The sun sets, and the call to prayer booms out from the mosques
in the old city, adding to the hullaballoo. The mountains, which
have all day been ghostly shapes looming through the haze, become
clearly visible. The moon rises behind them. A second, articial
moon is rising, too a white hot-air balloon, which pops up
periodically from a stand of poplar trees, and teeters on the end
of its ropes before being comically
winched back down. Eagles wheel
on the thermals, thorny dark shapes
in outline against a pink sky. The
lake peoples canoes dart between
the visitors shikaras. It is all, as a
memsahib from the time when the
houseboats were rst introduced
might have said, too, too madly gay.
Not that the Kashmiris arent
capable of high seriousness. Above
the lake stands the Pari Mahal. One
of our guides translated its name as
House of the Fairies, which seemed
just right when I arrived there to nd
half a dozen small sisters in silverembroidered, petal-coloured churidar
suits playing beneath the arcaded
walls. But a pari (or peri) is more
closely equivalent to an angel than
to a ower fairy; and this palace, with
its immense views of lake and city
and the fort beyond them, was built
as a place of religious contemplation.
Down in the old city, the 15th-century
Jamia Masjid mosque, which can
accommodate 30,000 worshippers in
its cedar-columned halls, is austerely
grand; but the Khanqah of Shah
Hamadan, copiously decorated with
carved and painted owers, borrows its architecture from an older,
Buddhist tradition, which makes of a building a spiky visual
puzzle, playful as a pagoda. The womens gallery, where local ladies
sit murmuring over hand-illuminated Korans, is like a garden,
bright with stylised depictions of irises and daisies. Behind the
mosque, a terrace overhangs the river; and across the water
are dilapidated wooden mansions, once the homes of merchant
princes, from which project balconies, nely carved and fretted,
where one might sit and compose verses to the moon.
There is still a lot of trade in Srinagar. All day, and late into the
night, theres a clanging and a honking from the street markets
Above, an over-water walkway at Sukoon houseboat. Opposite, clockwise
from top left: the 17th-century Nishat Bagh gardens; Gujjar people on
the mountain trail leading to Naranag; a reed-collector in his boat
on Dal Lake; Khanqah of Shah Hamadan mosque in Srinagar. Previous
pages: terraced paddy elds on the Naranag trail
Projecting over the

water from the
mansions of merchant
princes are carved
balconies where one
might sit and compose
verses to the moon
Floating among
the traders
boats, we are
in a market, and
at a party, and
taking part in
a spectacle that
keeps getting
more colourful
and raucous
and smoke from the puri vendors stalls. Ground spices, laid out
pyramid-style on the stone-agged oors of tiny booths in the
old town, are beautiful, and so are the heaped fruit stalls, and
the piles of aluminium cooking pots. Butchers shops are
gruesome. Sheep-carcases drip blood on the pavement.
This is a carnivorous culture, and not squeamish about it.
But the most delightful market for bystanders is the
waterborne one that operates before sunrise, where
the only merchandise is the produce of the lakes
oating gardens, the waterlogged islets on which
farmers grow runner beans, carrots and squashes the
size of baseball bats. A mighty hum of conversation can
be heard across the lake. Men wearing kurta-pyjama
manoeuvre their long boats prow to prow, the better to
negotiate. More keep gliding in along the mirror-black
boat-ways. The marzipan-coloured lilies and lotus owers
are still closed, waiting for the sun, and the mountains
are clear, tinged with purple and pine green.
e made sorties out of paradise, the best

leading us up through valleys lined with
terraced paddy elds to the high village of
Naranag. There the road gives out in front of
a half-ruined temple to Shiva, a remnant of the ancient
Hindu kingdom of Kashmir. From here, our guide Ajaz
Kotroo leads week-long treks with a baggage train of
ponies. We had only one day. The track, shaded by walnut
trees, followed a helter-skelter river pale-green, glacier-fed,
roaring. We seemed to be leaving the world behind us,
but this landscape, apparently so remote, is populous. The
nomadic Gujjar people bring their animals up here in summer,
staying in houses with dry-stone walls and at turf roofs.
The men dye their jutting beards with henna, and stride
across the hillsides, turbaned and wrapped in locally woven
plaids, following their little horses. Women waved at us
from the streams where they wash their clothes and dishes;
and when our photographer indicated that shed like some
pictures of them in their houses, they ushered us into orderly
spaces where stone walls and pine-trunk columns had been
smoothly plastered with clay, where cooking was done over
a wood re, and where cows, sharing the living space, provided
an animate heating system for cool mountain nights, and
sweetened the air with their breath.
MAP: NEIL GOWER
ack in srinagar we transferred for our last night to

Sukoon, a houseboat that looked from its fretworked
exterior much like the Royal, but was decorated inside
in a sparer, more modern style and tted with air-con
and high-pressure showers. Both boats were cedar-panelled and
surrounded by water-lilies. But staying with the Royals Mr Deen
was like being part of a house party, in a house that hasnt been
renovated for decades and therefore has a slightly fusty charm of
a kind that cant be bought; whereas the Sukoon was unmistakably
hotel-living, complete with enormous beds, picture windows,
teak recliners beneath parasols, and attentive waiters whose silk
cummerbunds were patterned with lotus owers matching those
Opposite, clockwise from top left: women at prayer in the Khanqah of
Shah Hamadan mosque in Srinagar; classic shikara boats on Dal Lake;
traders at the early-morning oating market, selling vegetables grown
on the lakes islets; a bedroom on Sukoon houseboat
on the bathroom blinds. Here, instead of the meat-heavy local

cuisine, we dined on broth fragrant with lemongrass and ginger,
and delicately spiced lake sh.
The Royal is moored in a sequestered part of the lake, from
which no trace of the modern world is visible. Sukoon overlooks
open water, which Indian visitors, who generally like hustle and
bustle, prefer. Normally, dozens of shikaras would have been
visible as we ate breakfast on the roof. But Indias Prime Minister
was visiting Srinagar, and the city was under lockdown. On the
veranda of each houseboat, a couple of soldiers were posted,
polite but armed. Our ride to the airport was eerie. Only outgoing
visitors like ourselves were allowed to move. There were no other
oating pleasure-seekers to wave at. No sign of Mr Wonderful.
No sherman casting his net. On land, the markets cacophony
was silenced. We motored easily through streets which the night
before had been scarcely passable for the number of people
buying, selling, strolling, staring. It was a reminder how new is the
peace in Kashmirs paradise. Make the most of it. Go now.
GETTING THERE
Steppes Travel (www.steppestravel.co.uk) organises trips to Kashmir.

A seven-night itinerary, including stays on the Royal Houseboat and
Sukoon, costs from about 2,200 per person, including ights. The
author and photographer were looked after in India by Steppes local
partners, Eastbound in Delhi and Royal Tours & Travels in Srinagar. The
trekking guide Ajaz Kotroo can be contacted on ajazkotroo@gmail.com.
115
Out of this world
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In Britain
Clockwise from this picture:

Bollihope moor, above
the village of Frosterley;
The Mugwump boutique
in Durham; Herd Groyne
lighthouse on the Tyne;
Durham Cathedral; Jamie
Bell in Billy Elliot, shot in
County Durham; dessert at
Bistro 21. Opposite, The Rose
and Crown in Romaldkirk
THIS MONTH
Durham
AN INSIDERS GUIDE
PHOTOGRAPHS: DUNCAN DAVIS; SEAN ELLIOTT;

PICTORIAL PRESS LTD/ALAMY; TRAVEL PICTURES LTD
The riverside city is a famously fantastical jumble of soaring towers and winding
streets, the countryside around it an unsung English Eden. By Harry Pearson
In Britain
or many years I walked up

South Street in the city of
Durham once a week. The
views across the River Wear
to the castle and cathedral have never
lost their power to thrill. If theres another
street in England that can match it,
Ive yet to nd it. In those days Durham
was one of Englands ignored treasures.
It somehow never featured on the
tourist trail that sent visiting Americans
and Japanese scurrying from Bath to
York to Edinburgh. Latterly that situation
has changed, thanks partly to the
efforts of bestselling writer Bill Bryson
a great champion of the city and a
former chancellor of its university and
partly to Harry Potter-mania (the cloisters
of the Norman cathedral doubled as
the Hogwarts quadrangle in the lms).
But while the capital of the self-styled
Land of the Prince Bishops now gets its
fair share of attention, the countryside
around it remains largely unexplored.
This was not always the case. The
dramatic cliffs of Seaham inspired Lord
Byron (the rakish poet was married at
Seaham Hall), and the wild country of
the Durham dales, with its spectacular
waterfalls, bleak moors and high, owerspeckled meadows, once drew the likes
of JMW Turner and Charles Dickens
(during his visit, the writer came across
the notorious Bowes Academy boarding
school and its vicious headmaster, William
Shaw; it became the model for Dotheboys
Hall in Nicholas Nickleby).
In the 20th century, however,
Durham became associated in most
peoples minds with the coal industry.
The environmental impact of mining,
particularly on the coastline, cannot be
denied. The fact that Dawdon beach
was used as the planet surface in Alien 3
tells its own story (the area has been
cleaned up considerably since then).
And yet, although the image of Billy
Elliot dancing down the terraced streets
of Easington Colliery remains for many
a dening one, it is only part of what
County Durham is about. From the
Georgian streets and antique shops of
Barnard Castle to the startling modernist
architecture of Peterlee, theres much
more to the place than that.
A PRE-RAPHAELITE BEAUTY
Known as the Arts and Crafts Cathedral,
St Andrews Church in Roker was built
in 1907 to the plans of architect Edward
Prior. It has stained glass by HA Payne,
a font by Randall Wells, a tapestry altar
cloth made by Morris & Co to a design
by Edward Burne-Jones, stone plaques by
Eric Gill and wooden furnishings by
Robert Thompson. The colours of the aisle
carpeting, prayer cushions and painted
ceiling are so rich that even on a dull
North-east day the interior seems to glow.
Talbot Road, Roker, Sunderland (www.
monkwearmouthcofe.com)
STEAM TRAINS, BELLS AND BEEF

The Black Bull Inn is a Georgian pub
30 yards from a station on the Weardale
Railway. If you time it right, you can arrive
in the pretty village of Frosterley by

steam train from Darlington (the worlds
rst passenger railway station). The
only pub in Britain with its own peal of
bells, it serves a mighty Sunday lunch
featuring rib of beef from nearby Glebe
Farm. Theres good bar food all the rest
of the week, and excellent beer from
microbreweries such as Consett Ale
Works and the Derwent Brewery. If you
need to walk off some calories, head
for Hamsterley Forest, home to some of
Englands few remaining red squirrels.
Frosterley, Weardale (www.blackbull
frosterley.com). About 60 for two
A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE

THAT NEVER WAS
When artist and architect Victor Pasmore
designed the Apollo Pavilion for the
PHOTOGRAPHS: WIESLAWA BOJKO; DUNCAN DAVIS
Clockwise from far left: The Bowes Museum

in Barnard Castle; smoked eel with beetroot
and cherry at The Raby Hunt; the Weardale
Railway; a whitewashed interior at Bistro 21;
supplies at Durhams Tealicious Tea Room;
a period dining room in The Bowes Museum;
mackerel on toast in the museum caf
new town of Peterlee back in 1969, he

hoped it would offer a glimpse of the
optimism and promise of the Space Age.
During the 1980s, however, the abstract,
geometric, reinforced-concrete structure
became more a cause of concern and
even downright hostility. For many years,
local residents campaigned to have
it destroyed. By the start of the new
millennium, however, things had changed
completely. The building began to
draw praise from champions of British
modernism such as Owen Hatherley,
and in 2009 it was lovingly restored to its
full brutalist glory. Now listed by English
Heritage as an important international
masterpiece, it is inundated with tour
parties of architecture students from
as far away as Tokyo. Oakerside Drive,
Peterlee (www.apollopavilion.info)
BUTTERCREAM AND
A PROPER BREW
On one of Durhams busiest streets, right
beside the River Wear, Tealicious Tea
Room serves great homemade cakes:
light and simple Victoria sponge, mini
lemon-meringue pies, imposing red-velvet
cake. If you prefer something savoury,
there are terric pork pies from Dropswell
Farm. The wide range of teas includes
a popular Vanilla Earl Grey, though for
those who prefer not to drink things that
smell like their grandmas dressing table,
the dark and brooding Miners Brew is
recommended. 88 Elvet Bridge, Durham
(www.tealicioustearoom.co.uk)
THE PERFECT PUB

I rst ate lunch at The Rose and Crown
more than 20 years ago, when my parents
were thinking of buying a cottage a

few doors away, and it barely seems to
have altered either in style or quality
since. The relit bar is a great place to try
Cotherstone cheese, made just up the
road by Mrs Cross, or the excellent ham
from Richard Woodall of Cumbria. The
restaurant is full of grand people dressed
in tweed quite a few of them likely to
have come up to shoot grouse on Sheikh
Al-Maktoums estate, which is not far
away, or to sh for salmon in the Tees. The
bedrooms are cottagey and comfortable,
and the village of Romaldkirk itself is
so neat and pretty it might have been
designed by a model-railway enthusiast.
Romaldkirk, Barnard Castle (www.roseand-crown.co.uk). About 70 for two
THE WORLDS GREATEST TOY

The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle
was built to house the collection of John
and Josephine Bowes, a pair of wealthy
collectors who were manic even by
Victorian standards. Here youll nd
ne porcelain and magnicent paintings,
but the thing that sticks in most peoples
minds is the extraordinary silver swan.
This life-size clockwork waterbird, which
swims on a river of glass rods, was
built in the 1770s and toured Europe
for nearly 100 years, drawing praise
from, among others, Mark Twain (who
saw it at the 1867 Paris International
Exposition). Enchanted by the automaton,
John Bowes bought it from a French
In Britain
Clockwise from far left: exterior and interior

views of Bistro 21 at Aykley Heads; produce
for sale at Cross Lanes Organic Farm
CLASSIC FOOD WITHOUT FUSS

In a sprawling courtyard mansion above
the River Wear, a mile outside Durham
city centre, Bistro 21 is the southernmost
outpost of top Tyneside chef Terence
Laybourne (The Broad Chare, Jesmond
Dene House, Caf 21). Theres nothing
avant-garde here, no dry ice, no paper bags
lled with smoke, just precisely prepared
staples such as home-cured gravadlax
with horseradish, minute steak and chips,
and crme brle. The cooking is rst-rate,
the service swift and professional, and the
xed-price menus are the sort of bargain
you used to nd in France. Aykley Heads
House, Aykley Heads, Durham (www.
bistrotwentyone.co.uk). About 60 for two
jeweller in 1872. The swan moves
so elegantly and realistically as it bends,
catches and swallows a silver sh that
even todays tots, raised on computer
games and digimation, are guaranteed
to be delighted. Newgate, Barnard Castle
(www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk)
THRILLS AND FRILLS
CULINARY STAR
Chef James Close won County Durhams
rst Michelin star at The Raby Hunt,
a 30-seat restaurant in a Georgian inn
on the edge of Lord Barnards estate at
Raby Castle. The food is seasonal and
English, with an emphasis on simplicity:
venison from the estate is served with
salt-baked beetroot, celeriac and endive,
grouse with blackberries and kale, sea
bream with potted shrimps. For food of
this quality, the lunch menu is outstanding
value. And there are two bedrooms for
those who cant tear themselves away.
Summerhouse, Darlington (www.raby
huntrestaurant.co.uk). Lunch about 60
for two; dinner about 90
KNIGHT WEAR
Need a Viking drinking horn, a 15thcentury English archers helmet, or
a Saxon battleaxe? Probably not, but
theres plenty to excite weekend warriors
of all ages at Get Dressed For Battle,
in Durhams Victorian covered market.
It is run by a Consett-based company
that is one of Europes biggest suppliers
of historical re-enactment gear. If you
are ever invited to a Game of Thrones
theme party, this is where to come for
your chainmail. Durham Market, Market
Place (www.getdressedforbattle.co.uk)
GREAT BREAD AND AN

EDIBLE ROOF
Cross Lanes Organic Farm is an awardwinning shop and caf just south of the
A66. The car park is patrolled by a ock
of rather imperious-looking geese, and
there are sheep grazing on the sedum and
meadow-grass roof of the main building.
The shop, which has shelves made from
recycled tractor tyres, sells the farms
home-cured bacon and gammon, and its
own bread (try the ale-and-molasses cob).
The caf has a wood-red pizza oven.
Theres a great butchers, with 28-day-hung
beef from a herd of grass-fed shorthorn
cattle. Fruit and vegetables come from the
nearby Clervaux Trust. Truly committed
environmentalists can make use of a
thatch-roofed compost loo. Barnard Castle
(www.crosslanesorganics.co.uk)
In a previous incarnation, Gadds Town

House a Grade II-listed Georgian
building in central Durham was called
The Fallen Angel and had some fairly
outrageously designed bedrooms (one
featured a Dalek, if memory serves).
Given a vampish revamp a few years
ago, it is now a n de sicle marvel of
brocaded opulence with a hint of The
Crimson Petal and the White. A certain
levity prevails: you can stay in a room
that resembles a cabin on a vintage ocean
liner, or in one inspired by an Edwardian
rst-class railway carriage. Theres a good
restaurant, a club-like bar and a small
terrace overlooking the river. Its owned
by the people behind Zen, the best Thai
restaurant in the North-east, just around
the corner in Court Lane. 34 Old Elvet,
Durham (www.gaddstownhouse.com).
Doubles from 99
BECAUSE WOMEN LIKE

SHOPPING TOO
For some complex socio-economic reason
or maybe its just vanity men in the
North-east of England spend more money
on clothes than women do. Perhaps thats
why the regions best fashion stores tend
either not to cater for women at all, or
to do so in a manner that seems a touch
perfunctory. Van Mildert is an exception.
Here youll nd a carefully chosen range
of womenswear from major brands
Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg,
Nicole Farhi, Vivienne Westwood, Alice
by Temperley. The mens department
is predictably glossy. 1921 Elvet Bridge,
Durham (www.vanmildert.com)
It only takes a
moment to
rediscover my
sense of wonder.
w w w. a u s t r i a . i n f o
Yo u r p e r s o n a l H o l i d a y I n f o r m a t i o n L i n e :
0845 101 1818 (calls charged at local rates)
A travellers tales
AROUND THE WORLD WITH
TY BURRELL
After appearing in movies including The Incredible Hulk and Dawn of the Dead, he has become
a household name with the role of Phil Dunphy in the smash comedy series Modern Family
Where have you just come
back from?
Which is your road most

travelled?
Im in London now, and my last trip was

here, too. My wife and I really love it.
Before that, it was Hawaii, for work, just
before we adopted our rst child. One
of the great things about this job is that
it involves some travel.
To southern Utah. Theres a hotel down

there called the Desert Pearl Inn, which
is a very beautiful place. Its a supersimple hotel, a series of really nice cabins
built from local materials, and it feels
comfortable and relaxing.
Where in the world have you

felt happiest?
Describe your favourite view
Utah. When I was a kid, my dad went

on a trip to Salt Lake City, and he
came back telling us what an optimistic
place it was, and thats the way I see it.
I rst went there to do Shakespeare,
of all things, and then I started hiking
in Zion and Moab, out in the desert.
Then I met my wife, and she was from
Utah. Weve always had this idea at
the back of our minds that some day
we would live there.
Name a place that most

lived up to the hype
The NoMad Hotel in New York. My
wife had been there and ipped out
about it. Its in a part of Manhattan
that has been considered a no mans
land, but its actually central to the
whole island. The hotel itself is stylish
and very comfortable.
PHOTOGRAPH: SCOTT MCDERMOTT/CORBIS OUTLINE
And a place that least

lived up to the hype
I went to the Bahamas when I was
in grad school because my mum won
a cruise. We just sat quietly while the
conga lines passed us.
Which is your favourite

city, and why?
New York. I grew up in Oregon, in a
town with a population of 200, a very
narrow experience. So to live in Queens,
where every culture is represented,
was overwhelming at rst, and scared
the hell out of me, but I grew to love it.
Which is the smartest hotel

youve ever stayed in?
I really like The Soho Hotel in London.
The view of Manhattan from the roof of

my old apartment in Queens. I had come
a long way to try to be an actor, and
Id go up on the roof every night and look
at the skyline, and it would motivate me
to go back into the city each morning.
I felt like I was storming the castle every
day for 12 years. It sounds like a grind,
but that period of trying to make my way
was so exhilarating. Theres still something
I spent four months

in Morocco for Black
Hawk Down but only
three weeks lming.
It was amazing
about arriving in New York and seeing
that skyline coming towards me that
makes me think anything is possible.
Describe a memory from a

childhood holiday
I remember getting lost as a child in
Disney World. I could do whatever I
wanted, and what I chose to do was cry
uncontrollably. Youd think I would
have run around and stolen candy, but
all I did was curl up and weep.
Where did you go on your rst

holiday without your parents?
Backpacking around Europe aged 19.
It was one of the great experiences of my
life. I went with my college pal, and we
started in Germany and made our way
through Austria and Italy and down into
Greece. We lived a very spartan existence.
What do you pack rst?

My glasses, because I cant read without
them now that Im ofcially old. I pack
very light, and my wife would say too late,
because Im usually missing something.
I lost my heart in...

Rome. I lived in Siena for a while and
really liked it, but it got a little bit cold.
Then I went to Rome and it was sort of
Fellini-esque. Very eccentric. And the food
was amazing. It was my rst experience
of living in a big, chaotic city. I loved it.
Tell us about a great little

place you know
There is a restaurant in Queens called
Il Bambino, owned and run by an
Irishman, that does Italian tapas. Its
some of the best food Ive ever eaten.
Which foreign phrase do

you use most often?
Its not really a phrase, but I use the
word fra, which means between in
Italian. Its just so much shorter than
between, so if Im ever writing out
directions, I will still to this day write
fra. It looks so weird, but it saves me
four letters. I think it might be the
only Italian word I still use.
Whats your guilty pleasure?

Vegas. My brother and I will do it once
every couple of years. Well get in at 6pm
and stay out late. We like to play craps,
then well sleep and get on the plane,
and thats it. You dont really want to see
Vegas in natural right. You dont want
to see the grim reality.
How do you relax?

By grilling. Ill spend the whole day
slow-cooking something in the smoker,
with the kids climbing all over me. It
doesnt always turn out well, but the day
is always good. I cant imagine spending
a day doing something I enjoy more.
Ty Burrell was speaking to Francesca Babb.
His latest lm, Mr Peabody and Sherman,
is released on 7 February
HEALTH MONEY
2014
NEXT GENERATION
Jack Andraka,
Medical entrepreneur
Speaking at WIRED2013
If a 15-year-old who
didnt even know
what a pancreas
was could find a
new way to detect
pancreatic cancer,
then just imagine
what we all can do.
Discover the
future of health
Health
APRIL 29, 2014
BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW
020 7152 3196
WIRED.CO.UK/HEALTH14
NETWORKING PARTNER
The experts
This months Family Food Books Health
Gadgets Advice
EDITED BY ISSY VON SIMSON
WHAT YOU WANT

The best Wild West
shing guide
WHO YOU NEED
PHOTOGRAPH: TRENT BONA PHOTOGRAPHY
Moose Hofer at
The Eleven Experience
A total angling nut, camo-capped Hofer grew up
harassing pansh and small bass in the streams of
New Jersey. These days youll nd him waist deep
in the icy, rushing waters of Colorados Gunnison
River, near Crested Butte. Hofer is the shing kingpin
at The Eleven Experience, which combines
thrill-seeking adventures with somewhere properly
comfortable to bed down. Based out of the
ultra-smart Scarp Ridge Lodge, Hofer scouts out the
most exhilarating, off-the-beaten-track locations
using the lodges small plane. Whether you go wading
or drift-boat oating, and target trout, northern pike
or kokanee salmon, Hofer will make sure the day is
peppered with thrills and spills as well as a riverside
picnic and a cooler stuffed with your favourite cold
beer. For complete beginners, he is infectiously
enthusiastic. And for the seasoned pros? Whether its
entomology, y selection, knot tying, casting or playing
sh to the net, theres always more to learn. The river
is the ultimate classroom. www.elevenexperience.com
The experts... health

Slow down, drift off, perk up
Becoming a mother is like falling in love and having a car crash at the
same time. A shattered Sienna Miller goes on her rst post-baby break
DAY 1
We have decided to ee New York City.

Its time, after the birth of our daughter,
to retreat, to rest, to regroup. Time to
remind ourselves how good a holiday
a real holiday, far away from screeching
and skyscrapers might make us feel.
Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos is the
right place: less than a four-hour ight
from NYC and with a spa that even New
Yorkers rave about. We arrive and are
introduced to Jeewan, our butler. He is
from Bhutan. He is silent, like a shadow.
And he is here to look after us. My
shoulders immediately start to drop,
especially when he steers us towards our
beach villa, all white-on-white design,
with a private pool big enough to swim
lengths in, a talcum-soft sandy terrace
and views out to the sea. This is a
castaway-with-500-thread-count-sheets
fantasy. Rustic, understated, smart but
pretty a true beach house. We feel
totally removed from everything. And
what a start: perfect pad thai for lunch,
followed by a swim and a snooze. And
then reading (when did I last manage
that?) at dusk, with swallows circling and
the sun dipping down. At bedtime all we

hear is the gentle lap of the ocean.
DAY 2
Breakfast is such an important start to the

day; we are forever being told dont skip
it. So its a treat when all the healthy hits
are there without having to ask for them
like some kind of neurotic When Harry
Met Sally fusspot: green juices, egg-white
omelettes and avocado on seven-grain
toast. Imagine asking for that in a British
hotel. Afterwards, I scurry along to the
stick a mask on and leave. Instead, a deep

massage of my face, my neck, my head is
followed by arm and leg massages. I didnt
think it was possible, after the recent lack
of sleep, but Id almost say I have a glow.
We nish the day with dinner and wines
matched to each course: cauliower soup,
smoked salmon, crab ravioli, melting beef,
raspberry macaroons (remember, its a
holiday not about deprivation).
Breakfast has all the healthy hits so

you dont have to ask for them like
some When Harry Met Sally fusspot
DAY 3
spa and, of course, its stunning. I devour
an amazing fresh ginger, lime and honey
tea on arrival. And I plump for a COMO
Shambhala facial. This is not just any facial.
The therapist uses a warm herbal bolus
(a delicious-smelling little ball infused
with clay, turmeric and other exotic spices)
to detox my skin. And she doesnt just
This villa is proving very tricky to leave.

We need hardly move. We need hardly
unpack (I know Jeewan would do it if I
asked, but thats just not my way). So we
swim in the sea and its so calm you cant
believe it isnt a lagoon. Itd be perfect for
anyone with young children. And then, I
know it sounds spoilt, but its back to the spa.

Today, for a signature massage with Siki and
her magic hands. I hate being stroked with
feathery timidity, but Siki is strong, condent
and has acute anatomical knowledge. The
oil is a lovely aromatherapy blend. High
notes of almond, I think, before I drift off.
New York is one of my favourite places
in the world, but my feet rarely touch the
New York City, they never quite match

up. But these are some of the greatest
massages Ive ever had, and I dont feel
guilty signing up for so many because I
know theyre doing me so much good.
DAY 6
Fishing. Our partners are two super-cool

guys, Julian and Moose, from Haiti and
During my treatment Im transported

into a comatose state that feels like
a week of sleep crammed into an hour
ground there, so its good to stop. Dinner
is the lightest sh imaginable, followed by
some shameless DVD watching. There is
nothing more satisfying, after a day lled
with swimming and sun, than to curl up with
a glass of Italian red wine as a
tropical storm blows outside.
DAY 4
There is yoga every day here

and they have awesome
visiting teachers (including
Elena Brower, whos well
known for her sessions in
Central Park). I had vowed
to do it every morning, along
with swimming 50 lengths (I
do 25 the entire time). In New
York I hop around a lot as a
person but as soon as I get into
a yoga studio (admittedly, it
helps that this one has palm
trees either side) my body
goes still. I remember that
I need to breathe, properly
breathe, and not these shallow little
gulps of air that I give my poor body on
a day-to-day basis. I feel my heart rate
slowing down and creakily attempt the
postures. Its Sunday and only one other
lady and I have managed to get up for
the class, so aside from feeling warm
and relaxed, I also feel a little smug.
DAY 5
Its off to the spa for another knockout

massage with Siki. Im a massage snob
(and swiftly becoming an addict, too).
Ive tried massages in hotel spas abroad
and often enjoyed them, but when
compared with the standard you nd in
Turks respectively. I wasnt particularly

enthused about the idea of spending
three hours dangling a rod overboard
but I am a convert. The moment my
bait hits the water, I get a bite and pull
out a yellowtail. What a delightful
pastime: the anticipation, the excuse to
have a beer at 10am! I feel like Im in
a Hemingway book and although my
luck dwindles, the hours y by. I am on
a high. I want to stay forever.
DAY 7
A week is somehow never enough,

especially here. We have the same divine
breakfast. Then swimming, building
sandcastles and lunch. Followed by an
Ayurvedic treatment at that spa I just
cant stay away. This therapy begins
with Om chanting. I am transported
into the sort of comatose state that feels
like a week of sleep crammed into an
hour. It ends with a head massage,
and then its into the steam room. I
am scrubbed in cumin, coriander and
chickpea powders. Next, a warm shower.
And then a light spritz of body oil that
smells like sandalwood. I am heady with
happiness. On our last night we laugh
like we havent done in a while. And we
splurge on a bottle of Chteaux Margaux.
I close my eyes and try to remember this
perfect moment at what is now probably
my favourite hotel in the world.
Original Travel (+44 20 3582 4990; www.
originaltravel.co.uk) offers seven-day retreats
at Parrot Cay by COMO from 2,920 per
person, full board, including ights, transfers,
wellness activities, three spa treatments per
room and 10 per cent off all other treatments
The experts... gadgets

GEEK GEAR
By George Duffield
What we remember denes who we are those who forget lose touch
with themselves. The Geek does not trust his wet-meat brain, but
instead relies on a host of gadgets to secure his memories, both work
and play. Stop ling the old-fashioned way and join the 21st century
EVERNOTE
A bold attempt to capture all of
your information in one place, the
Evernote app can be hooked
across your phone, your tablet and
your laptop. Combine it with a
SmartPen and you have a digital
locker for storing all your receipts,
ideas, random clippings and
important documents in one
searchable place. The Geek
remains disorganised, but at least
his office and briefcase are clutterfree. www.evernote.com. Free
LIVESCRIBE 3
SMARTPEN
Smart pens have been around a
long time, but have only recently
come of age. The robust, elegant
Livescribe number is remarkable.
Anything you write is synced to
your computer, with character
recognition turning your scrawls
into editable words. Yes, it requires
special paper but with Moleskin
making Livescribe notebooks,
theres no excuse. Its perfect if you
still nd writing the most effective
way to take notes and dont we
all? www.livescribe.com. 129.99
ILLUSTRATION: HEATHER GATLEY
CANON POWERSHOT G16

There is no perfect camera. What
suits a journey through Bhutan will
not work on the beach in Cornwall.
The crucial sort everyone should
have is the pocket camera: small
enough to be always with you, yet
materially better than the miserable
excuse for a photo device that
your smartphone is. Canon has hit
the sweet spot with the G16, a
fast, powerful handful that you
should carry with you all the time.
A Pulitzer Prize awaits. www.
canon.co.uk. 476.99 at John
Lewis (www.johnlewis.com)
A New Vista on Luxurious Seclusion
+662 661 8141 - 4

reservations@avistahotelsandresorts.com
www.hideaway.avistahotelsandresorts.com
The experts... feasting
By Joanna Weinberg
Spaghetti is italys great leveller. You

will nd it on every table there, from the
grandest to the most simple. You can feed
it to anyone, any time. It can be the most
soothing of suppers, sitting indulgently
in a great pool of warm, garlicky cream, or with the help
of some chilli, lemon and herbs the most invigorating.
Its perfect in summer dressed in little but chopped fresh
herbs and olive oil, but can man up to winter and carry a
rich, intense meaty rag. It will sit and wait on the shelf,
happily, for months on end, and then uncomplainingly feed
a horde of starving teenagers at 10 minutes notice. Slippery,
sensuous, stoic, there is no larder staple to match it.
The difference between spaghetti as a basic tummy-ller
and as a delicacy is in the cooking. Play with and tweak
your sauces however you choose, but to get the pasta
just right you need to follow the rules: cook it in plenty
of boiling water, one litre per 100g is a good guide. Salt
the water quite heavily just as it comes to the boil; I
like it almost as salty as the sea. Start testing it a minute
before the suggested cooking time and be bold with
the concept of al dente; I drain mine when the last
tiny grain of hardness at the centre is fading
but still present. Toss it with a little butter or
olive oil before you stir it into its sauce.
Drink me
The world is divided between people who think pasta is

the ultimate carrier for cream and those who wont settle for
anything less than tomato. I fall into the latter group, though
whether thats simply down to a life of calorie-conditioning,
I will never know. There are quick even very quick
store-cupboard tomato sauces that are absolutely serviceable:
diced fried onions and garlic, a carton of passata, a pinch
of sugar, dried oregano, salt and pepper, simmered for
ve minutes. This slower version is not all that different; it
just needs a bit more time, as masterpieces do.
This months recipe

Chop your onions nely and gently fry in olive oil for 15 minutes
till soft and translucent and starting to colour. Add your rst batch
of garlic, sliced, and fry for ve minutes more, being careful not
to let it catch. Add tinned tomatoes, a generous hunk of butter
(25g per tin of tomatoes), a pinch of sugar and a bunch of fresh
basil, bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, till sweet and
mellow, adding a splash of water if it looks too thick. Just before
its ready, add more garlic, now very nely chopped, and cook for
a further minute, sh out the wilted basil and season to taste.
Toss thoroughly with your al dente buttered spaghetti
and eat with a dribble of best olive oil, some torn basil
leaves, black pepper and plenty of Parmesan. A shot
of high summer at the least rewarding time of year.
By Malcolm Gluck
The perfect wine for spaghetti doesnt

exist. It is the sauce, and to a lesser extent
the style of the pasta, that determines the
choice of bottle. In Italy this leads to an
abundance of options, for not only does
every region have its own kinds of spaghetti, but each offers
a huge number of sauces. Italy is also the only vine-blessed
country where every region has its own grapes creating wines
peculiar to it, often from obscure varieties.
Recently, I have tasted wines made from
Nerello Mascalese, Mammolo, Canaiolo
Nero, Susumaniello, Corvinone, Molinara,
Tintiglia, Ciliegiolo, Oseleta, Schiava and
Lagrein, an 11-strong line-up that sounds
like the team sheet of Inter Milan or Napoli.
But with a spaghetti saturated in a rich
tomato sauce, Id head to Austria for a jaunty red made from the
Blaufrnkisch grape. The Feiler-Artinger 2010 is marvellously
tomato/pasta-friendly and costs 10.99 at Waitrose. With
spaghetti bolognese, Id opt for more opulence and robustness:
Domaine Richeaume Cuve Tradition 2010, 17.25 at Yapp
Brothers (www.yapp.co.uk), is one of Frances happiest
reds, with an undertone of juniper and sage to the roasted
berries of its fruit. If you sprinkle trufe oil over such a dish,
though, Pinot Noir is your wine, and the one Id choose is Casa
Lapostolle 2011, 18.99 at Majestic (www.majestic.co.uk).
And what, you might ask, is the perfect wine for the greatest
spaghetti dish of all: alle vongole? The clams predominate, but
will the sauce be a garlicky tomato or simply pungent Puglian
olive oil with a little chilli and garlic (my preferred version)?
With the former, Id go for the latest-release vintage of Casa
Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc, about 10 at
Hailsham Cellars (www.hailshamcellars.
com) and Oakham Wines (www.oakham
wines.co.uk). This Chilean Sauvignon Blanc
is more profound than many a Burgundian
Chardonnay at three times the price. It has
dimensions unknown to other Sauvignon
Blancs, apart from a few Sancerres and
select examples from New Zealands Marlborough region.
With the hotter vongole, however, we must select one of the
worlds rarest wines, Dom Prignon Oenothque Champagne
1970. This will, admittedly, set you back 1,292 at Hedonism
Wines of Mayfair (www.hedonism.co.uk), but hey, given the
choice of what dish and which wine Id like before being taken
out and shot, this is the combo Id plump for.
This Chilean white

is better than many
a Burgundy at three
times the price
PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK ILLUSTRATIONS: HEATHER GATLEY
Eat me
SPAGHETTI
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The experts... family

Park Gell
CHILDREN IN THE CITY
Barcelona
With urban beaches, mountains and surreal,

larger-than-life art, heres a place to let
their imaginations run riot. By Rhonda Carrier
Wonderful green spaces abound in

Barcelona. The best, the central Parc
de la Ciutadella, has a fountain with
water-spouting gilded dragons, a boating
lake, a huge statue of a mammoth,
free-ying green parrots, the citys zoo
and several museums, including the
zoology collections. On the other side
of the city, part of the excitement of
Montjuc hill is just getting up and
down it by funicular and/or cable-car.
At the top youll nd more heartstopping views from the impressive
castle, the chance (at least in July and
August) to take a dip in the outdoor
pool built for the 1992 Olympics, and
cultural gems including the Catalan
National Art Museum and the Fundaci

Joan Mro, both of which are childfriendly. And on certain evenings (from
9pm MaySeptember, 7pm the rest
of the year), you can watch Montjucs
spellbinding Magic Fountain
(www.bcn.cat) sound-and-light show.
The Tibidabo amusement
park (www.tibidabo.cat) is visible
from all over Barcelona in its
hilltop plum position beside
the imposing Temple Expiatori
del Sagrat Cor. The zigzagging
bus or taxi trip up to the summit
is worth it just for the 360degree views over the city, but
the fairground rides and the
surreal museum of automatons
are jolly, too.
Get in touch with Kids & Cat (www.

kids-cat.com) for a personalised local
tour covering anything from medieval
witchery to the mountains surrounding
the city, with insider tips on where
take culture-weary children to let off
steam. Or for a fast-track introduction
to Barcelonas history, sign up for a
Dragon Hunt family orientation walk
with Context Travel (www.contexttravel.
com). Over the course of an unhurried
two-hour stroll, under-12s and their
parental hangers-on will spot legendary
creatures on faades and in the form of
statues all over the city. The same
company sets up workshops, taught by
local masters, on stained glass, an art
form of huge importance to Gaud and
his Modernista contemporaries.
The buzziest of the citys beaches is

Barceloneta, but in high summer its
sardine-like on the golden sands, so
youre better off steering away from
the centre. Uncrowded Mar Bella has
plenty of chiringuitos (beach cafs)
Fundaci Joan Mir

where you can sip a glass of beer or
Cava while the kids make use of the
ping-pong tables or volleyball nets.
If you start to fry, seek refuge on the
shady Rambla de Poblenou with its
outdoor cafs, or in the boutiques and
galleries of charming Carrer de Mari
Aguil. You can get to Mar Bella by
Metro or tram to Selva de Mar or El
Maresme; or cycle there along the
seafront in about 15 minutes, with bike
hire for the whole crew from Biciclot
(www.biciclot.net).
Do as the locals do and queue to

place your order at the spanking-fresh
sh counter of La Paradeta Born
(www.laparadeta.com), just steps from
the Parc de la Cuitadella, before
proceeding to your table and feasting
on chanquete (like tiny whitebait) and
other seafood accompanied by fabulous
bread and salad. There are marinethemed colouring sheets and crayons
to keep little ones amused between
courses. Then, of course, theres tapas,
PHOTOGRAPH: DDP IMAGES/CAMERA PRESS; RODRIGO DIAZ; JUAMN MANUEL PRIETO/CAMERA PRESS
Familiarity from a thousand postcards

wont stop you from gasping at the
wonder that is the Sagrada Familia
(www.sagradafamilia.cat) as you come
out of the Metro. Looking for all the
world like a medieval spaceship that
has crash-landed in the heart of the city,
Gauds unnished masterpiece is a
must-see for over-ves, who can climb
its scary, spindly towers, and who get
their own audio guide. Book well ahead,
though, as the queues are almost as
outlandish as the architecture. Less
well-known but just as much fun is
Gauds UNESCO-listed, wavy-fronted
La Pedrera (www.lapedrera.com), its
fantastical rooftop dotted with crazy
chimneys that kids love to race around.
Displays on the inspirations for the
buildings design are accompanied by
workshops, mini-musicals and puppet
shows (some in English by request),
and a wonderful giftshop selling good
old-fashioned toys. And up on the hill
at El Carmel is another UNESCO
site, Park Gell, an architectural park
with all sorts of animal mosaics by
Gaud, including a giant salamander.
La Boqueria
Vioko
Tibidabo Park
Papabubble
It wouldnt be Barcelona without an

ice cream in hand. Vioko (www.vioko.
es), on the harbour by Barceloneta
beach, is the coolest joint in town, with
fantastic avours from pistachio to rose
and violet, plus oodles of chocolate.
For more of the dark stuff, make for
the Chocolate Museum (www.museu
xocolata.cat). Some of the displays are
a bit dodgy (Picassos Guernica rendered
in chocolate) but the workshops are fun,
and theres a great caf and shop for
pastries and choccy specialities. Or in
the ultimate family-friendly meal, with
everyone able to try something new from
an array of small tasting dishes. The little
counters at La Boqueria (www.boqueria.
info), one of the worlds most colourful,
characterful markets, are your best bet.
For gastronomic Catalan, preferably
without the offspring, make for the
Michelin-starred Moments at the Mandarin
Oriental (www.mandarinoriental.com/
barcelona); with the brood in tow, the
hotels Blanc Brasserie and Gastrobar has
excellent tapas as well as child-friendly
hot dogs and pasta.
Paella is another great dive-in-andshare dish. To try the Barcelona version,
head for the seafront El Xiringuito
(www.xiringuitoescriba.com) near the
Port Olmpic, which serves a few different
versions, including classic seafood and
mar y muntanya (with wild mushrooms
and bacon or sausage) in a hectic,
sociable atmosphere where no one will
mind your own gangs joyful din.
The duplex apartments at the seafront

Hotel Arts Barcelona (www.hotelarts
barcelona.com; two-bedroom apartments
from 2,000) with its iconic Frank Gehry
sh sculpture, are the ultimate crash pads.
Occupying the top oor of the 44-storey
building and ooded with seaside light, they
have up to three bedrooms and come with
butler service, telescopes for pirate-spotting
out at sea and a Mini Cabrio for exploring
the city. For parents, a massage in the Six
Senses spa is thrown in, and theres a great
outdoor pool and hot tub within the terraced
gardens. Of the ve restaurants (one with two
Michelin stars), the most child-friendly is
the relaxed, all-day Bites, but all offer a kids
menu - tagliatelle, grilled chicken, pizza,
brownies - plus a drawing book.
All-white rooms within a cool citycentre Modernist building with furniture by
Jacobsen, Eames and Van der Rohe might
sound like a parents idea of pure stress,
but in fact El Palauet (www.elpalauet.com;
suites from 700) welcomes all ages. You
Papabubble (www.papabubble.com),
a super-chic sweet shop, you can watch
skilled artisans at work on sheets of
caramel and fruit candies.
Make sure you try at least one paper
cone of churros (Spanish doughnuts),
best munched on the hoof from the
minimalist Xurreria caf on Banys
Nous, as you amble the alleys of the
Barri Gtic, getting an eyeful of the
quirky shops and glorious architecture.
Alternatively, staff at La Granja on the
same street wont mind if you take your
churros inside to dip them into one of
their rich, thick hot chocolates.
can hire iPads and PlayStations, as well

as DVDs, and your assigned personal
assistant will pre-order any supplies you
need for your arrival, whether its nappies
or your teenagers favourite snacks. There
are kitchenettes in each of the six twobedroom suites and 24-hour room service,
but El Palauets terric Passeig de Grcia
location means theres a great culinary scene
on your doorstep.
Set in an elegant, late-19th-century
building just off the buzzy, central Plaa de
Catalunya, The Five Rooms (www.theve
rooms.com; doubles from 135, extra
bed 30) is Barcelonas best boutique B&B
choice for families. There are now actually
14 rooms, all with exposed brick walls
and original oors; get an extra bed, book
adjoining suites, or take an apartment with
an extra sofabed in the living room and a
private terrace. Continental breakfasts are
laid out in the dining space and theres an
honesty bar; staff shine when it comes to
local restaurant recommendations.
The experts... books

BEST NEW TRAVEL TITLES
True happiness, declared

Henry James, consists in
walking through Provence
in September, then
stretching oneself out on
the warm ground in some
shady hollow [to] listen to
the hum of bees and the
whistles of melancholy
shepherds. This is from
Henry James On
Provence (Hesperus,
7.99), a pocket-sized
package of literary
brilliance. Heres how he
describes a ock following
one of those shepherds:
necessarily expanded,
yet keeping at his heels,
bending and twisting as it
goes, looking rather like
the tail of a dingy comet.
A new book from Alex Capus

is always a pleasure, and
Skidoo: A Journey Through
the Ghost Towns of the
American West (Haus, 12.99)
does not disappoint. In Bodie,
California, we learn how the
starving Native Americans
raided the gifts of food for
departing souls left on funeral
routes by the Chinese who
ocked here when gold was
discovered. In Panamint City,
silver was found accidentally by
a gang hiding out after robbing
a stagecoach. In Skidoo itself,
saloon owner Hootch Simpson
was twice hanged and then
decapitated for his part in
a drunken bank robbery. All
of these tales are told with
Capuss customary charm.
By Giles Foden
Just a few drops of the vast

literary output of Rudyard
Kipling are gathered in
Kipling and the Sea:
Voyages and Discoveries
from North Atlantic to
South Pacic (IB Tauris,
19.50), but Andrew
Lycetts splendid anthology
of poetry and prose gives
a great sense of Kiplings
passion for the briny,
whether it be the romance
of an eastern-bound
clipper, the steam-driven
world of merchant shipping,
or the mechanical majesty
of a dreadnought.
THE GREATEST BOOK ON EARTH

Rory MacLean nominates Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada
Its said the surest way
to learn a foreign language
is to fall in love with a
native speaker. Half a
lifetime ago, I worked
with David Bowie and
Marlene Dietrich in
Berlin. No other city had
repeatedly been so
powerful and fallen so low. No other capital had
been so feared, so hated, so loved. Its volatility
fascinated me, as did its residents morality.
I asked myself how I would have measured up
under Nazis or Communists. Would I have
resisted the dictators, or cheered them as
I marched off to war? Then my lover gave me

Alone in Berlin, changing my life. In Hans Falladas
masterpiece written in 24 breathless days shortly
before his death in 1947 I saw how ordinary
people become caught up in huge events, with
no control over their fates. I learnt how we grow
blind to our experience, clouding it with dogma.
Falladas heartbreaking declaration that every
individual matters along with my
now-lost Berlinerin shaped me as a
writer, helping me to understand an
aspect of what it means to be human
(as well as improving my German).
Rory MacLeans new book is Berlin: Imagine
a City (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 25)
Everyone between
roughly 40 and their
mid-seventies today
who was born in Spain
was born under Franco,
remarks Jeremy Treglown
in the introduction to
Francos Crypt: Spanish
Culture and Memory
Since 1936 (Chatto &
Windus, 25). In a book
ranging elegantly between
travel writing, history,
literary criticism and
investigative journalism,
Treglown unpicks the
puzzle of Spain, especially
looking at how novels,
paintings and lms have
tried to interpret and
reinterpret events there
between the 1930s
and the establishment
of democracy. In a
competitive eld, this
complements similar
titles by Giles Tremlett
(Ghosts of Spain: Travels
Through a Countrys
Hidden Past) and Jason
Webster (Guerra: Living
in the Shadows of the
Spanish Civil War), but
with deeper analysis
of the arts. All three
are essential reading
for anyone who wants
to understand the
Spain of today.
The experts... advice
Q
A
Q
A
Im planning a weekend in Venice but how can I see it

without the crowds or a huge bill?
Venice is almost as famous for its hordes of visitors and

eye-watering prices (12 for a coffee on Saint Marks Square)
as it is for its canals. However, its easy to avoid both. Palazzos
come with a price tag; for a bargain bed, check out the new
Generator Hostel (www.generatorhostels.com), pictured. A
former grain warehouse on peaceful Giudecca Island, it has
been given a designer update: exposed beams and brickwork,
vintage-style furniture and even a cocktail bar. And dont
worry, you dont have to do dorms; private doubles start from
about 15. Most visitors stick to the streets between Saint
Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge, so
head instead for the San Polo, Dorsoduro
and Cannaregio districts to wander the
canals. For an alternative souvenir to all the
masks and Murano glass, check out the chic
ceramics at Danghyras studio in Dorsoduro
(www.danghyra.com). I stocked up on her
gold-lined espresso cups on my last visit.
Locals love the small bars around the Rialto
Market in San Polo. Try Bancogiro (www.
osteriabancogiro.it), where the best
Fiona Kerr
spot is one of the canal-side tables for
Word of Mouth editor
a Spritz (Aperol, prosecco and soda)
and a plate of cicheti (tapas-like snacks). Or head to Alla
Vedova in the Cannaregio (calle del Pistor 3912), which chef
Russell Norman says inspired Polpo, his hit Venetian restaurant
in London. The meatballs alone are worth visiting Venice for.
Q
A
I love skiing but feel Im always lagging behind my

husband. Is there a way for me to improve my
technique before we go away?
There are a few dry ski and even real snow slopes in
the UK, but the best pre-ski-holiday experience by a
mile is Skiplex (www.skiplex.co.uk; from 19.99 per
hour), an indoor centre which opened in London last
year and now has three UK outposts. The slopes are like
giant treadmills, about the size of a
squash court, and are covered in a
sort of fake white grass. Initially, the
feeling is thoroughly disorientating I
kept whizzing off the back and its
back to basics with snow plough. But
not for long. Your personal instructor
deconstructs your technique and
quickly builds on your existing style.
The treadmill is less forgiving than
snow and discourages lazy turns.
A oor-to-ceiling mirror at the front
helps you see your mistakes. Its as
fantastic for beginners (wholl cut
Tabitha Joyce
out hours on the nursery slope) as it
Editorial
is for experienced seasonaires;
assistant
instructors change the speed and
gradient, and an hours lesson is split between
two 15-minute sessions on the slope and a chance to
discuss your technique in between.
Were keen to get a family holiday booked for the next

half term. Where in Europe would be most reliable for
early-summer sunshine?
It has to be the Greek Islands. The climate is fairly dependable
at that time of year, with blue skies and warm but not yet
uncomfortably hot temperatures, and direct ights from the
UK make several islands brilliantly accessible. My favourite
spot is Porto Zante (www.portozante.com)on Zakynthos.
A gathering of incredibly smart
villas, its set on its own
peninsula, with a private beach
and spectacular views of the
azure Ionian Sea. The villas,
which have been recently
renovated, are very secluded,
with their own swimming pools,
gardens, barbecues and masses
of space for everyone to tear
around, as well as a PlayStation,
in times of need. On top of that, Juliette Ottley
Associate publisher
youve got hotel-level service;
theres a concierge, laundry, spa
treatments on tap and a great restaurant. The food is
delicious and theyre completely unustered by wheat
intolerances or nut allergies. And down at the beach, the
shallow waters are perfect for the children.
Q
A
Q
A
Im curious about cruising but Id like to get off the

beaten track rather than sail on a oating city and stop
off at congested ports. Any ideas?
There are a number of boats now that are more state-ofthe-art yacht than conventional cruise ship. The shiny new
Variety Voyager (www.varietycruises.com), which was
launched in 2012 and wouldnt
look out of place among the
superyachts in St Tropez, takes
just 72 passengers in 36 cabins,
a tiny cast compared to the
average 1,500-bedroom
behemoths. They run a great
route in Central America thats
as far removed from the standard
Sarah Gilbert
Caribbean circuit as its possible
Contributor
to get. You set sail from colonial
Cartagena, stopping off at Panamas incredible San Blas
archipelago before a transit of the Panama Canal, which has
its 100th anniversary in August. Then you head north along
Costa Ricas wild Pacic coast. One of the most biologically
diverse places on earth, its dotted with national parks where
you can spot monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws, as well as
dolphins in the water. The boat is small enough to anchor
away from the crowds for snorkelling and beach barbecues.
And with none of the big-ship formalities of dress codes or
seating plans, theres a charming house-party atmosphere.
On my last trip to New York, I ticked off the Frick,

MoMA and the Guggenheim. What should I see this
time round?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is sensational, but
people often forego it for more contemporary collections.
There is so much to see at the Met, however a particular
favourite of mine is the Islamic galleries, with their
drop-dead-gorgeous collection of artefacts from the
seventh to 19th centuries. Fifteen galleries take you
across the Islamic world from Turkey and Iran, through
central Asia to India. You get a
sense that Islamic art is not some
kind of monolith, but comes out
of a vast assortment of cultures.
There are astonishing textiles and
carpets, objects in gold and set
with precious jewels, examples of
Ottoman and Mughal art, rare
manuscripts and even carved doors.
Reggie Nadelson
The Met store, one of the best
Contributor
museum shops anywhere, has
items inspired from the galleries, including some terric
granulated-onyx earrings from India and a little bronze parrot
standing on one leg. After a morning running around the
Met, youll need to sit down. There are several cafs, but
best of all, if the weather is ne, is the rooftop garden and
Martini bar for a snack with a fabulous view of Manhattan.
Experiences words cant describe. Memories a camera cant quite capture.

Cherished family moments arent found in magazines and we cant describe your dream family
holiday on this page. But with over 50 years experience, a selection of the worlds most beautiful villas
and a dedicated team throughout Europe, we can help you create family memories to last a lifetime.
Anything is possible.
akvillas.com
0845 618 2205
I N ASS OC I AT I O N W I T H
They are the perfect place for privacy and space, and many have
the facilities of five star hotels these days... and that can be the
recipe for a perfect holiday, writes Annabelle Thorpe
T RAVELLER PROM OT ION
INTRODUCTION
The beauty of a villa holiday is that it feels like
stepping into another life for a week or two.
Having your own home where you can cook,
laze and create your own holiday rhythms
is a very different experience to a hotel and
as villa holidays become increasingly popular
so the choice of properties is rising steeply.
While countries such as Italy, Spain and France
have long been favourites for villa holidays,
other short-haul destinations such as Croatia
and Turkey are starting to have a wide range
of luxurious houses to rent. Whether youre
looking for a rural bolthole tucked away in
the hills or a beach-house right by the sea,
there are properties to suit. And a villa holiday
doesnt have to just be in Europe; destinations
as diverse as the Caribbean, Dubai or Morocco
all have an excellent choice of villas to rent.
THIS IMAGE:
CABANELLAS IN
MALLORCA
Although villa holidays are usually selfcatering, it doesnt mean you actually have to
do any work! Many rental companies offer

a range of services to guests, including chefs,
housekeepers and nannies, while some offer
a concierge service to help with booking
restaurants and arranging excursions. For
those who want the privacy of a villa with
the services of a hotel, there are many
resorts around the world that now offer
villa accommodation alongside traditional
hotel rooms.
Whatever type and size of group, there are
villas to suit. On the following pages are some
of the best houses available in 2014, and with
thanks to our partner A&K Villas, we have a
Q&A with one of their villa specialists. From
spectacular mansions for family get-togethers
to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, to
romantic boltholes for two, the perfect property
is out there whatever your needs. A place to
call home, where the sun always shines and the
beach is only a few short steps from the door.
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
THE POOL AT TANGALA EVI
IN TURKEY; POOL AREA AT
VILLA IRITI IN CORFU; AL
FRESCO DINING AREA AT
LE CAVIERE IN ITALY;
EXTERIORS AT VILLA IRITI;
INTERIORS AT VILLA IRITI;
AND THE LIVING ROOM
AT VILLA IRITI
Italy l e C a v i e r e ,
Tuscany
A blissful Tuscan bolthole for two, Le

Caviere is a restored stone cottage that
combines traditional style exposed
chestnut beams and antique terracotta
tiles with luxurious furnishings. The
open plan living area has a spacious
kitchen and chic cream sofas, but the
gardens are the real x-factor; a shady
terrace, lavender-filled beds and a
sizeable pool with wonderful views.
Perfect for escaping the crowds that
flock to Tuscany in summer, Le Caviere
is in the relatively undiscovered Upper
Tiber Valley, surrounded by semi-alpine
mountains and close to the lovely town
of Sansepolcro. A week from 1,123
through A&K Villas (0845 618 2205;
akvillas.com).
Turkey T a n g a l a
Evi, Kaya
The Kaya Valley is the perfect choice

for a romantic escape; 20 minutes drive
COUPLES VILLAS
Fear not, there are wonderful places to stay for just the two of you
from an old stone cottage in Tuscany to a rural retreat
in Turkey all with a generous helping of romance thrown in
from the beautiful (but busy) beach
of Olu Deniz, its a wonderfully rural
setting with a scattering of village
houses across the fields. Tangala Evi
a beautifully renovated 200-year-old
property, decorated with traditional
Turkish kilims and lots of antique
ights aQG car hire through

Exclusive Escapes (020 8605 3500;
exclusiveescapes.co.uk).
furniture. Outside there is a good-sized

pool and a wonderful open aspect
across the lush fields and wooded
hills. The unspoilt beach of Gemiler is
10 minutes drive, while the bright lights
of Fethiye around 20 minutes away.
A week from 700pp, iQcluGiQg
Greece V i l l a I r i t i ,
Corfu
S E T H I G H A B OV E C O R F U S B E A U T I F U L N O R T H E A S T C OA S T L I N E , V I L L A I R I T I I S WO N D E R F U L LY
S PA C I O U S A N D S U R R O U N D E D B Y O L I V E G R OV E S
Size can be an issue with villas for

just two people, but this stunning
house, perched high above Corfus
beautiful north-east coastline, is
wonderfully spacious. Surrounded
by olive groves and set in a half-acre
of lush gardens, Villa Iriti has cool,
airy interiors high ceilings, muted
colours and a huge kitchen that
opens out to the spectacular pool
area. The bedroom with three
French windows leading onto terraces,
a hand-made bed and beautiful
Moroccan-style wetroom is a treat,
while outside a covered pergola
makes the perfect spot for romantic
suppers. A week from 1,200
through SJ Villas (020 7589 4390;
sjvillas.co.uk).
VILLAS en vogue
From boutique places for two to palatial pads for 40,
Abercrombie & Kent excels in villa living. We check out
some of the best home-from-homes for 2014
bercrombie & Kent has a handpicked portfolio
of more than 300 luxury villas throughout
Europe. Its collection covers Greece, the UK
and Portugal, with standouts from Italy, France
and Spain. Always on the lookout for new nds,
whether it is romantic love nests, ultimate party houses,
family farmhouses or seaside villas, theres something
for everyone. Abercrombie & Kent also has the service
ethos to match, putting this kind of European villa
vacation rmly on our 2014 travel wish list.
tuscany
Villa Cetinale near Siena stands out from the Italian
crowd for historical signicance. Not only was it built
for Pope Alexander VII; it hosted the famous Palio
horse race seven times. The gardens (regarded as
amongst Italys most beautiful) are lled with climbing
roses, vine-covered pergolas, antique statues and feature
a stand-alone chapel. Today the property is kitted out
with pool, tennis court, 3D TV and a full-time staff to
cater for up to 23 guests. Tear yourself away and San
Gimignano and Volterra are within easy reach. Anyone
with a nose for vino rosso will love Villa Machiavelli in
the heart of Chianti. This magnicent 15th-century
villa (10 miles south of Florence) sits within a 600-acre
working estate that produces three award-winning
wines. Two pools (indoor and outdoor), a spa with gym
and breathtaking views over rural Tuscany to distant
Florence, this fully staffed Tuscan retreat is all about
long sultry summer days. Villa Le Terme is an in-house
favourite; this beautifully renovated farmhouse near
San Gimignano gets rustic-meets-luxury spot on.
Exposed stonewalls are complemented by simple but
elegant furniture and then come the added extras: a
spa, steam room, innity pool and summer bar, home
cinema, pizza oven and pool table. Sleeping 10, its
perfect for a family or two.
amalfi coast
Residenza Vistamare is our numero uno for views.
Perched in terraced gardens above the old harbour of
Massa Lubrense, it looks out over Capri. Oozing
history and charm, this unique property is lled with
original antiques, the walls are covered in paintings
and the oors in intricate tiling. Higgledy-piggledy,
with lots of different areas, this is perfect for families or
friends who want to spend time together as well as
apart. A little further south is the hidden treasure of
Scaletta. Guests need to negotiate the 100 or so steps
up to the villa but the climb is rewarded with to-die-for
views. Its on our wish list for understated luxury and
utmost privacy, plus the fact the little pebble cove of
La Praia with its restaurants, bars and grotto-housed
nightclub is in handy walking distance.
provence
For typical Provenal, check into Les Lilas Blancs.
Sleeping 14, it lies within the Luberon National Park
and is surrounded by woodland and lavender elds.
A recent top-to-toe revamp puts a stylish spin on an
already impressive country house. With a large dining
table under the shade of a pergola; Peter Mayle eat
your heart out. Another seductive hideaway is Le Mas
majorca
Images, clockwise
from far left: Villa
Cetinale in Tuscany;
Residenza Vistamare
on the Amal Coast;
Can Moli on Majorca;
Le Hameau des
Bourges in Provence;
Les Lilas Blancs in
the Luberon; Villa
Neptune at Miramar;
The pool at Scaletta
in Amal
de Gordes, a country house set above the village of the

same name. Outside it is traditional Provenal but
inside it is all slick and contemporary. The large
gardens are lled with olive trees, rosemary, lavender
and roses while beyond the lawns (complete with
compulsory pool) is a footpath leading to Gordes.
The best bit is the games room on the lower ground
oor perfect for teenagers seeking a measure of
independence. Le Hameau des Bourges, close to the
village of Murs, is a spectacular property that dates
back to 1422. Set in 15 acres of fruit and olive
orchards it is elegant in its simplicity. Top marks for the
minimalist interior: Philippe Starck bathrooms, white
stone oors and wrought iron furniture. Outside is
magical with shaded terraces, gardens illuminated at
night and the scent of lavender and jasmine in the air.
cote d'azur
On the waters edge at Miramar, Villa Neptune has
been cleverly built on three levels. A brilliant family
destination, there is snorkelling, an inatable sea
dinghy, golf and tennis equipment plus its own jetty,
a large sunbathing terrace at sea level and the piece
de resistance, an al fresco spa bath overlooking the
rocks and sea below. Just 25 minutes from the Cote
DAzur is La Bergerie dOpio, a charming country-
style home that sleeps nine and is surrounded by

lemon trees and an olive orchard. Again a favourite
amongst families, it lies close to the restaurants and
shops of Opio and has masses of space for the kids to
run wild. Another one for alfresco summers is Le
Castellet, close to the medieval village of La Cadire
dAzur. A great base for a family holiday, it is a short
drive from the famous seaside resort of Bandol and
is all about outdoor living with a dining area,
summer kitchen and barbecue by the pool.
Location combined with wow factor is what you get at

Can Moli, sandwiched between mountains and coast
in the northwest of Majorca. The 16th-century mill
has recently been restored and features an eccentric
mix of old and new. The quiet and secluded location
of this seven-bedroom retreat has party house written
all over it. Cool, stylish and comfortable, CAwanui is
all about attention to detail from the nest linen to the
latest gadget. Its location is also brilliant: just a few
minutes from the old town of Pollena and just 10
minutes from some of the islands nest sandy beaches.
The picturesque area is dubbed little Tuscany and
there is so much to see and do with water sports, golf,
hiking and mountain biking. El Sueno (sleeping nine)
near the fortied town of Art (and close to lots of
good beaches) attracts a family crowd. Set within six
acres, its gardens are magnicent with the gardener
often dropping off homegrown produce. The daily
maid service and breakfast prepared every morning
is an added bonus.
Cond Nast Traveller readers can enjoy 10%
off the cost of an upgrade to A&K Hosted
Service. For further information visit
akvillas.com, call 0845 618 2205 or
email info@akvillas.com
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
THE POOL AT SAO
NEMESIA IN PORTUGAL;
POOL AT THE DUTCH
HOUSE IN IBIZA;
OUTDOOR AREA AT THE
DUTCH HOUSE IN IBIZA;
EXTERIOR OF
LA CACHETTE IN
PROVENCE
Portugal S a o N e m e s i a ,
Santa Eulalia
The region of Albufeira is famous for its

white-sand beaches, and Sao Nemesia is
perched above one of the most beautiful,
Praia dOura. Indoor living spaces are
elegantly cool, with all-white decor and
antique pieces, while the bedrooms have
fantastic sea views. Outside, the garden
steps down the cliff-side, with terraced
areas and rock pools that flow into the
pool. The restaurants and bars of Santa
Eulalia are a short walk away.
A week from 3,927 per week, 12
sharing, through The Villa Agency
(01273 747811; thevillaagency.co.uk).
France L a C a c h e t t e ,
Cote dAzur
A classic Provenal house, La Cachette

is located just outside the pretty artists
village of St Paul de Vence. Surrounded
by beautifully landscaped grounds, with
LARGE
VILLAS
From the Cote d'Azur to
Ibiza, discover a mouthwatering selection of
spacious places in some
of the most desirable
locations in Europe
mature trees and a good-sized pool,
the house offers plenty of activities
including croquet, badminton and
table football. Bedrooms have a
traditional feel, with terracotta floors,
arched windows and furniture
collected on the owners travels
through Indonesia and Japan.
A week from 4,275, eight people
sharing, through A&K Villas
(0845 618 2205; akvillas.com).
O U T S I D E , T H E G A R D E N S T E P S D OW N T H E
C L I F F- S I D E , W I T H T E R R A C E D A R E A S A N D
R O C K P O O L S T H AT F L OW I N T O T H E P O O L
styled kitchen in-between. The five
bedrooms are light, airy and all ensuite.
A week from 3,068, 10 people
sharing, through Think Sicily (020
7377 8518; thinksicily.com).
Ibiza t h e d u t c h
house
Sicily C a s a N u v o l a
Perched high on a hill above the medieval

town of Cefalu, Casa Nuvola boasts
spectacular views from its huge pool
terrace and alfresco dining area. Inside,
one long stunning space combines
kitchen, lounge and dining area with
sloping, beamed ceilings above plumpedup white sofas at one end, a long dining
table at the other and contemporary-
Perfect for a get-together of friends

or extended family, the Dutch House
offers a vast amount of space both in
the beautifully landscaped garden, and
in the warmly furnished house. Its the
definition of rustic chic comfortable
without being ostentatious, with
minimalist four-poster beds, a fabulous
white-cushioned outdoor lounging area
and the traditional village of San Jose
just a short drive away.
A week from 17,450 through
Scott Williams (01749 812721;
scottwilliams.co.uk).
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FA M I L Y V I L L A S
Discover these beautiful holiday homes, not too far away from home,
with the space and facilities to royally entertain you and your loved ones
Villa Valomia,
Crete
Perfect for families who want easy

access to the sea, combined with a
more peaceful, rural location, Valomia is
surrounded by olive groves yet just five
minutes from a sandy beach. Stylish,
without being intimidating to younger
families, the open-plan living area has
a lovely, spacious feel with a stone arch
linking to the dining space and a huge

lounge. But most of the action will be
focused around the stunning pool, with
a shallow childrens end, and gazebo
deck that seems to float above the water.
A childrens play area can be opened up,
on request. A week from 2,291 based
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:

THE POOL AT VILLA
VALOMIA IN CRETE:
INTERIOR AT VILLA
CERVAROLO IN ITALY:
EXTERIOR OF VILLA MARIA
GRAZIA IN SARDINIA
on six people sharing through A&K

Villas (0845 618 2205;
akvillas.com).
Villa
Cervarolo, Puglia
Villa Olivia,
Lefkada
A stone-built trullo with the classic

conical roof, Cervarolo has a cool,
minimalist feel inside with chic, angular
furniture paired with original design
features, such as the barrel-vaulted
ceiling in the kitchen, original fireplace
and conical ceiling. Outside, the pool
area combines shaded lounging areas
and dining terrace, while olive groves
spread out from around the property.
In a gloriously secluded position, Olivia

is surrounded by manicured lawns and
spacious grounds, with gorgeous sea
views. The four bedrooms have a chic
coffee-and-cream decor and the open
plan lounge-diner is dotted with books
and artefacts that create a lovely, homely
feel. In the evening, the candlelit terraces
are perfect for alfresco suppers and the
sweet village of Nikiana is an easy
stroll away. From 3,500 per week,
From 2,600 per week based on

six peope sharing, (07771 713070;
homeinpuglia.com).
eight sharing, through CV Villas

(020 7563 7999; cvvillas.com).
Villa Vicina,
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

OUTDOOR SEATING AREA AT
VILLA OLIVIA IN GREECE; THE
VILLA VICINA IN CROATIA; THE
SETTING OF ALFAJIRI CLIFF
VILLA IN KENYA; BEDROOM AT
VILLA CERVAROLO IN PUGLIA;
VIEW FROM VILLA MARIA
GRAZIA IN SARDINIA; OUTDOOR
SEATING AT VILLA CABANELLAS
IN MALLORCA
Brac
A traditional, stone-built house full of

character, Vicina is tucked away up a
cobbled staircase that leads away from
the waterfront of Milna, a quiet fishing
village. The location means the beach is
just a few seconds walk away, as are the
towns restaurants and bars. Outside,
the house has a spacious courtyard
garden with pool and a covered dining
area complete with built-in barbecue,
while inside there are three chic
bedrooms. The highlight is the bedroom
on the second floor, with a private patio
that has beautiful views across the
rooftops to the sea. From 1,564 per
week, six sharing, through James
Villa Holidays (0800 074 0122;
jamesvillas.co.uk).
Alfajiri Cliff
Villa, diani beach
Beach holidays dont come any more

glamorous than this; Alfajiri overlooks
the beautiful white sands of famous
Diani Beach on Kenya's beautiful south
coast and combines a rustic chic feel
with total luxury. The four split-level
bedrooms are decorated with antiques
and furniture from around the world,
the sitting and dining area is opensided with a high vaulted roof, giving
a wonderful feeling of being both in
and outside at the same time. All the
bedrooms are en-suite. A week from
3,722pp, eight sharing, including
ights, transfers and catering
through Scott Dunn, (020 3432
5717; scottdunn.com).
Villa Maria
Grazia
Sleek and stylish, with all-white interiors

and gleaming marble floors, the villa
Maria Grazia is perfectly situated for
a holiday beach break, with the lovely
Capo Boi beach just 700 metres away.
The lawned garden runs down towards
the sea and the outdoor terrace is
perfect for alfresco suppers, cooked
up in the elegant kitchen. Bedrooms
are cool and comfortable with French
doors on to the terrace. A week from
1,817, six sharing, (0207 554 8601;
italianrentals4u.com).
M O ST O F T H E A CT I O N W I L L B E FOC U S E D
A R O U N D T H E P O O L , W I T H A S H A L L OW
C H I L D R E N S E N D A N D G A Z E B O D E C K T H AT
S E E M S T O F L O A T A B O V E T H E WA T E R
edged with lights and an outdoor

lounge with chic sofas, dining
area and traditional tiled floor. The
contemporary styling continues
indoors, with polished-wood furniture
and clean, white walls, and a light and
airy kitchen-diner area. The villa is
surrounded by the lush orchards and
rolling countryside, but the bustling
town of Pollensa is only ten minutes
drive away, while the beach is just
five minutes further. A week from
396pp including ights and
transfers, six sharing, through
Simpson Travel (0845 508 6242;
simpsontravel.com).
Villa
Cabanellas
The wonderful garden at Cabanellas

looks like something out of a design
magazine; a stone-built terrace with a
handful of loungers, a gleaming pool
Tree is a lushly beautiful escape, with its

own 18-hole golf course, beautiful spa
and six restaurants and cafes. Guests
who rent a villa can make use of all the
hotel facilities, whilst having their own
private house complete with garden,
outdoor sunken bath and an elegant
dining patio. There are five types of
villas available.
A week from 2,171, two people
sharing, through Banyan Tree
(00 66 76 372 400; banyantree.com).
Greece E l o u n d a v i l l a s ,
crete
H OT E L S W I T H
VILLAS
The perfect world of the privacy of a villa but without foregoing
your human right to hire a private chef or book a spa therapist
complex, the seven spectacularly
luxurious Al Malakiya villas are built
to a traditional Arabic design and set
atop the water, with private swimming
pools, butler service and complimentary
in-room breakfast. The villas have a cool,
contemporary feel with three light,
airy bedrooms, sumptuous marble
bathrooms, state-of-the-art kitchens
and spacious terraces. A week from
Close to the beautiful beach of Elounda,

each of the 14 villas has a private pool
and out-door hot tub with views all the
way down to the sea. Villas sleep from
two to eight people, with an open-plan
kitchen/dining area and spacious
outdoor terrace. Guests can dine at
either of the resorts two restaurants,
they can visit the Elixir spa or have a
personal chef or spa therapist come
to the villas. A week from 2,718,
four people sharing, including
breakfast (00 30 2810 227132;
eloundavillas.com).
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: DOUBLE
POOL VILLA AT
BANYAN TREE
PHUKET; VIEWS OF
AL MALAKIYA IN
DUBAI; THE POOL
AT BANYAN TREE
PHUKET; DOORWAY
TO PORTO ZANTE
IN GREECE
14,880, six sharing, (00 971 366

8888; jumeirah.com).
Porto Zante,
zakynthos
An idyllic beach escape, Porto Zante

is a collection of luxury beachfront
villas with all the services of a five-star
hotel including an elegant waterfront
restaurant and impressive spa with overwater treatment area. The stone-built
villas all have private pool and garden,
open-plan living area with a wellequipped kitchenette and a gorgeous
sandy beach just footsteps from
the door. A week from 4,100, four
Banyan
Tree Phuket
Voted second best resort in Asia by

readers of Cond Nast Traveller, Banyan
people sharing, (0030 26950 65100;

portozante.com).
GUESTS WHO RENT A VILLA CAN MAKE USE

al malakiya
Villas
Part of the huge Madinat Jumeirah
O F A L L T H E H O T E L FA C I L I T I E S , W H I L S T
E N J O Y I N G T H E I R O W N P R I VA T E H O U S E
INDULGE IN LUXURY
Holidays should be incredible, breathtaking, exciting, surprising, relaxing, inspiring and so much more.
We understand this; we appreciate the value of time, the ability to re-energise and re-connect
with your friends and family, the opportunity to be calm and for a period in time, truly relax.
The next time you are thinking like this, think of us.
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ORDER OUR NEW LUXURY GUIDE... Text: luxury with your name and address to 84433
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If youre looking for a unique villa to create an unforgettable holiday,

James Villa Holidays has 30 years of experience and some
spectacular properties available for 2014
Villa Holidays is the company to choose; with over

2,700 properties in more than 50 destinations, James
has a wider selection of villas than any other UK tour
operator, with each one visited and handpicked by the
companys experts.
exquisite luxurious villas
holiday is a precious thing; time spent with loved

ones, away from the everyday pressures of life,
with plenty of sunshine and time to relax. We all
want our time away to be perfect, which is why
its so important to book with a company you can really
trust, and who can help plan a truly memorable break.
If youre organising a week or two in a villa then James
In 2014, James Villas will celebrate its 30th anniversary

and the company has come a long way from its
humble beginnings in 1984, when James himself set
out to market his apartment in Lanzarote. Thirty years
on the company is the UKs leading villa holiday
specialist, ABTA and ATOL bonded, and has a
wonderful collection of over 100 exquisite villas, as
well as properties that are perfect for families, couples
and large group get-togethers. Readers of Cond Nast
Traveller voted James Villas their favourite villa company
in 2012, a well deserved accolade.
Whatever style of villa youre looking for, James Villas
has a property to suit from traditional stone-built
farmhouses in Tuscany and Mallorca, to contemporary

beachfront villas in the Algarve or Canaries. There are
plenty of options further aeld too, with properties in
exotic destinations such as Morocco and Egypt, and
some great family houses in Orlando and the Gulf
Coast in Florida.
glorious greek retreats

Some of the most popular destinations for a villa
holiday are the Greek islands; beautiful beaches, pretty
shing villages scattered with tavernas, lush hills dotted
with olive and cypress trees. The elegant Villa St
Dennis makes a great base for exploring the beautiful
island of Zakynthos; the property has been cleverly
designed so that although it is a new build it has the feel
of a traditional, stone-built villa. Perfect for those who
want to make the most of the glorious Greek weather,
theres a wonderful outdoor kitchen, bar and dining
terrace, and a sizeable pool surrounded by lovely
manicured gardens. Sleeping six, its an ideal family
property.
Crete is another hugely popular Greek island,

and Villa Kyma is a stunning, ultra-modern
property, perched above the Bay of Chania, with
oor to ceiling windows to make the most of the
breath-taking views. Bedrooms mix warm, exposed
stone with minimalist white ttings and sleek stone
oors, while outside the gorgeous innity pool,
chic loungers and elegant alfresco dining space
provide a spectacular contrast to the natural
beauty that surrounds the villa.
For guaranteed sunshine at any time of the year,
the Canary Islands are a great choice. Lanzarote,
dotted with volcanoes and unique black-sand
beaches, is perennially popular and Villa Carlota in
Puerto Calero makes a sophisticated home from
home. Sleeping eight, in four stylish bedrooms, its
just a short walk from the restaurants and shops at
Puerto Calera marina and boasts its own games
room with home cinema, beautiful private gardens
and a good-sized pool with outdoor hot-tub.
sophisticated home from home

Villas arent just for family holidays; theyre also the
ideal way to celebrate a special anniversary or
birthday with a group of friends or relatives. James
Villas has a huge selection of larger properties,
including Casa Ferrel in the Algarve in Portugal,
which sleeps up to 16. The house has both an
indoor and outdoor pool, private gym and cinema
room and is one of the best-equipped properties in
the region. The house also offers a huge amount of
space, with wide outdoor terraces and alfresco
lounging areas, so you can sit back and enjoy the
perfect villa holiday.
For more information visit

jamesvillas.co.uk
Clockwise from top left:

Exterior of Villa Kyma
in Crete; Casa Ferrel in
the Algarve; Games
room at Villa Carlota in
Lanzarote; Pool area
at Villa St Dennis in
Zakynthos; Kitchen at
Villa Kyma; Exterior of
Villa Carlota; Interior of
Casa Ferrel
Question
Why do you
think villa holidays
are so popular?
Answer
For a family holiday

or multi-generation gathering a villa
holiday is the best way to travel. A
villa feels like your own home, with
a swimming pool and plenty of
communal space so that members of
the group can have privacy when they
want, yet come together for meal times
and fun around the pool. A villa holiday
is also a very reasonable option in
terms of price.
What are the new

trends for 2014?
Villa Cetinale near Siena is a

real gem, with history (they used to
run the palio the famous horse
race in the grounds) and style, at
every turn. The villa even has its own
monastery and chapel a genuine
wow factor of a villa.
What makes
the perfect villa
holiday?
Its important clients think

carefully what they want from their
villa holiday; every villa is different
as is every client our job is to
match-make the two. Really, its
about discussing with the experts
and working together to plan the

experience.
What extras do
A&K offer with
their villas?
We can pretty much

offer any service from extra
housekeeping, local cook and
professional chef services to
guided sightseeing, cooking
classes, hot-air ballooning and
yacht charter. Our unique A
&K
Hosted service provides guests
with someone on call 24/7 to
coordinate, suggest, book and
trouble-shoot.
Finally, if you
could choose
from the whole
programme
is there one
particular villa
youd love to
stay in?
A It really depends who I
am travelling with! With family,

Id opt for Villa Le Terme in Italy,
near San Gimignano; stunning
views and spacious pool, spa and
dining areas. If holidaying with
friends, then it would have to be
Villa Neptune on the Cote dAzur,
perched right on the sea with a
wonderfully glamorous feel.
More guests are booking villas for

a big, one-off celebration, with several
families travelling together. Catered
villas, and those that offer local cook
or professional chef services are
particularly popular.
Are there any

new properties
for 2014 that
youre particularly
excited about?
THE INSIDE TRACK

Adam Coats is Head of Sales & Operations at A&K and has been with the
company for 10 years. He has a wide knowledge of the villa industry and
the A&K programme in particular, and Cond Nast Traveler US list him
as one of their top villa experts
THIS PAGE:
SUNSET OVER THE
POOL AT VILLA LE
TERME IN TUSCANY
E V E R Y V I L L A I S D I F F E R E N T, A S I S E V E R Y C L I E N T
O U R J O B I S T O M ATC H - M A K E T H E T WO
M A S S I M OS I TA LY
Sharing my beautiful
country with you
Word of mouth and local recommendation is the best

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We travel with Massimo Provenza & his professional team for

the 10th year this autumn. They oer outstanding hospitality
and continue to make us all happy every time
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on offer in Sicily, Puglia, Sardinia and Tuscany.
Visit www.italianrentals4u.com or call 020 7554 8601
Co mpetition
PHOTOGRAPH: 50 CENTIMOS/PHOTOCASE.COM
WHERE ARE YOU?

Youd be smart to visit this desert oasis,
six hours south of the capitals assets.
In fact, youd be on the money. Remote
though it may look, it is no lost city: the
mirage-like village is only a few minutes
drive from the regions main town.
Visitors used to journey here for the
shady palm trees and the cool, bluegreen water (thought to have medicinal
properties), but now they come for the
sand buggying and boarding up and
down the towering dunes. The lagoon has

many legends of how it was formed. All
of them start with a beautiful princess in
love with a young prince who suddenly
dies. Some say she cried and cried until
her tears created the lake, others claim
that while bathing in the waters she
was startled by a hunter. She ran away,
creating the dunes with the folds of her
mantle. Whatever the story, the spot
takes its name from two local words
meaning to cry and young woman. If

youre tempted to cool off in its depths,
however, watch out for the mermaid of
the laguna: the mysterious creature who
tempts new lovers into the deep, never to
be seen again. Where are you? FIONA KERR
To enter, identify the oasis village 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
Co mpetition prize
WIN
A HOLIDAY WORTH 6,000

For a hit of sunshine to blast
away the winter blues, book a
ight to the golden shores of
the Algarve. One of the best
places to stay in Portugals sultry
south is the Conrad Algarve.
Located in the A-list enclave
of Quinta do Lago, it has an
amazing spa by Aromatherapy
Associates and a restaurant
by superchef Heinz Beck.
Enter this months Where Are
You? competition and you
could win a ve-night holiday
for two here. The prize includes
half-board accommodation in
a Deluxe King room, a dinner
with drinks for two at Gusto
restaurant, two spa treatments,
return ights to Faro with
Monarch Airlines and transfers.
The holiday must be taken by
28 February 2015; August and
the Christmas holiday period
are excluded. For more details,
call +351 289 350700 or visit
www.conradalgarve.com
Identify the location,

left, and send in your
entry to arrive by
31 March. All correct
entries will also be
included in the Grand
Prize draw at the
end of the current
competition period
(1 October 2013
30 September 2014).
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
DECEMBERS WINNER
Jenny Jolliffe of Andover in Hampshire identied
Slovenia as the country where this picture was taken.
She wins a seven-night foodie holiday for two at
The Dionysos Estate on Kumlubk Bay in Turkey.
PHOTOGRAPHS: 50 CENTIMOS/PHOTOCASE.COM; TOMAZ SEONJA/GETTY IMAGES
HOW TO ENTER
Reader offer
POOLSIDE IN
PUGLIA
Save 20 per cent on a luxury, week-long stay in

southern Italy with specialist operator CV Villas
andwiched between two seas at the heel of Italys

boot, Puglia has a history populated by ancient Greeks
and marauding Turks, landscapes that range from rolling
woodland to undulating coastline, and a kitchen larder that contains
creamy burrata cheese and bracingly fresh raw sh known as
crudo. To digest all this, you really need to spend a week here.
CV Villas has 15 characterful properties in the region, including
white-washed trulli, with their distinctive conical roofs, and the
fortied farmhouses known as masserie both unique to the area.
Readers have the opportunity to save 20 per cent on a weeks
stay at one, including a swimming pool and maid service, with
prices from 625 per person on a self-catering basis (a saving
of 125 per person, up to a maximum of ve people). To qualify
for the offer, a minimum of four ights from Gatwick to Bari
with British Airways must be arranged through CV Villas; the
holiday must be booked between 1 February and 28 March 2014.
FOR MORE DETAILS OR TO BOOK

Call +44 20 7563 7993 or visit www.cvvillas.com, quoting the
reference CNTPuglia
THEA DARRICOTTE uncovers your world
luxury
action hero
The Luminor 1950 Left-Handed
3 Days from Panerai is designed
with the clean lines of the
original Panerai watches in mind.
Originally designed for the
commandos of the Italian navy,
today's version is just as elegant
and timeless.
7,000, Panerai.com
bright idea
health & beauty
Celebrate the end of winter with

the new Opalescence Spring
Make-up Collection from clarins.
The smoky plum eyeshadow is
ultra-luminous and seductive
while the Joli Rouge Brilliant
Sheet Shine Lipstick provides
vibrant colour and much needed
moisture after the ski season!
Joli Rouge Brillant Sheer Shine
Lipstick, 18, clarins.com
FOOd & drINk
horSePLaY
Toast the Chinese
Year of the Horse
with this mouthblown Horse decanter
from riedel. The
concave horse profile
helps the winedecanting process;
when filled to the
optimum level it
appears the horse is
drinking.
495, riedel.co.uk
Salty bag upcycles

discarded sail cloths in
Corfu and hand crafts
them into convenient
clutches and weekend
bags. Each one is
accompanied by the
story of the yacht it
once belonged to.
Saltybag.com
FASHION
WEDDED BLISS
Whether youre planning a wedding in the UK or abroad
make sure to visit Millanys website which stocks the
very best of the bridal fashion world, all curated by an
experienced stylist with impeccable contacts.
millany.com
Looking for ways to entertain your little ones on a journey?

The specially personalised 'The Little Girl Who Lost Her
Name (there's also one for boys), tells the story of a child
who tries to find the letters of his or her name with the help
of some wonderful creatures. 18.99, lostmy.name
family TradiTions
St RegiS HotelS & ReSoRtS HaS
launcHed Family tRaditionS, a
Special pRogRamme tHat oFFeRS
unFoRgettable expeRienceS
aRound tHe woRld wHetHeR you
Fancy bobSledding on an olympic
tRack at St RegiS deeR Valley oR a
pRiVate touR oF tHe SiStine cHapel
wHile ViSiting St RegiS Rome.
sTregisfamilyTradiTions.com
SIGHT FOR SORE EYES

Aromatherapy Associates has collaborated with Holistic Silk to bring you this heavenly
Relax Eye Mask infused with natural lavender to help you unwind, cushioned by velvet
for decadent comfort..46, aromatherapyassociates.com
Add a flash of colour to

your swimwear ensemble
with these duepunti
Milano Unconventional
Diamonds. It's the first
company to use a natural
diamond on a silicon ring
making them durable
and lightweight. rings
60, bracelets, 70,
ernestjones.co.uk
w
w
health & beauty
Embrace the spring showers with

the new collection from Jo Malone.
Aptly named London Rain, it
celebrates the British weather from
early-morning dew drops through
to afternoon showers. My favourite
has to be Black Cedarwood and
Juniper for its sultry combination of
cumin, chilli leaves and cedarwood
which evokes the city's late-night
rain. 82, jomalone.com
loves
THE
As well as being a passionate traveller,

Stevie Parle is one of the most
talented young London chefs to emerge in
recent years. He worked at the River Caf,
Moro and Petersham Nurseries before
opening Dock Kitchen in London with an
experimental menu that takes inspiration
from the far-flung places hes travelled
through. Dockkitchen.co.uk
SOMETHING FOR
THE WEEKEND
This Dowel Top Holdall from
exclusive leather goods
purveyor Trevor Pickett makes
an exceptionally smart weekend
bag. From 895, pickett.co.uk
ON YOUR MARKS. . .
The Active Couture Collection from
Brunello Cucinelli is an incredibly
luxurious and comfortable sportsinspired range that uses lightweight
wools, couture silks and organzas.
Below: silk tailored trousers, 740;
cotton tank top, 230; cashmere
embossed jumper, 1,680; leather
bowling bag, 1,090; trainers, 560.
brunellocucinelli.com
health & beauty
Feeling in need of some radiance? The

limited-edition Uber Pink Collection from
BOBBi BrOwn includes Illuminating
Bronzer, Lip Colour, Lip Gloss and Nail
Polish Shades in delightfully pretty tones of
pink, all perfect as a spring pick-me-up!
From 11, bobbibrown.co.uk
luxury
luxury
LOVE is the new limited-edition candle by Neom Luxury Organics

and its heavenly blend of tuberose, jasmine, honey and spice will
help create a calm and peaceful environment wherever you are.
42, neomorganics.com
CASH(MERE) RICH
Flying long haul? These
pure cashmere zip-up
hoodies and trousers from
Derek Rose make ideal
attire to keep you warm,
comfortable and effortlessly
chic. Hoodies and trousers,
both 448 each,
Derek-rose.com
fashion
SADDLE UP
The new Letterbox
saddle bag from Aspinal
Aspina
of London is a welcome
splash of poppy-red, and
bang on trend for S/S14.
Poppy Pebble and
Calf Leather. 350,
aspinaloflondon.com
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.
THE BULL HOTEL. Easy-going and

bursting with life this 16th century
coaching inn oozes eclectic style and
contemporary rustic charm with two
award-winning restaurants, cider house
and cocktail bar in the heart of Bridport
near the Jurassic Coast in West Dorset.
Call 01308 422878 or visit
thebullhotel.co.uk
A Room With A View is in a prime spot

on Brighton seafront. All rooms have
views over the beach, each beautifully
finished to a high spec with crme dcor,
oak floors, blond wood furniture and local
art. Book direct for free parking or
complimentary locally made chocolates.
Call 01273 682 885, or visit
www.aroomwithaviewbrighton.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.
QUALITY VILLAS in France, Italy and

Morocco.
Luxury holiday villas with pools on the
Cote dAzur, St Tropez, Provence, Biarritz,
Tuscany, Umbria, Marrakech, Agadir and
more. Our portfolio of villas are visited
personally by us, meaning we can offer
specialist advice down to the smallest
detail. Services including chef, transfers
and maid service are easily arranged.
Tel 01442 870055 or visit
www.qualityvillas.com ABTA & Fully
Bonded.
istanbul!place apartments Best City

Apartment winners at i-escape. Stylish,
characterful, self-catering period
properties in Galata, the heart of Istanbul.
Stay close to the ancient sights yet be
part of the contemporary, authentic local
community: live like a local. Perfect for
gatherings of families and friends.
www.istanbulplace.com or 07729 251676.
Borgo Pignano is a private estate

extending over 750 acres set in the rolling
hills of the Tuscan countryside. The villa
and two smaller stone farmhouses are
part of the 18th century converted luxury
hotel comprising of seventeen elegantly
furnished rooms. With 350 acres of
organically farmed land and two organic
vegetable gardens the kitchens prepare
locally sourced, fresh Tuscan delicacies.
Rooms can be booked for individual stays
or the Villa and farmhouses can be
booked exclusively making it the ideal
venue for private celebrations, retreats,
classes, holidays, and conferences.
www.borgopignano.it, +39 058 835 032.
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
Dream Destinations
EUROPE
La Baronnie Hotel & Spa*** proposes
some exceptional packages to give you
the opportunity to discover the charming
Ile de R. In October: for 3 nights stay, 1
night is offered and we offer
complimentary breakfast during
weekdays Private parking / No smoking.
Tel:+33 546 092 129;
www.hotel-labaronnie.com
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
BUONANOTTE GARIBALDI is a
charming B&B in Rome that embraces
you from the moment you step through
the gate to a patio of Orange trees and
Magnolia. Owner and Fiber Artist Luisa
Longo has a sophisticated touch in dcor;
visitors can buy her silks and hand
painted screens. Tel +39 06 58330733.
www.buonanottegaribaldi.com
Dream Destinations
NORTH AMERICA
The Baker House 1650s luxurious and
relaxing environment makes it the ideal
home away from home in East Hampton,
New York. On offer is a range of amenities
including breakfast daily, local beach
access, spa treatments, and concierge
services to cater to every guests needs.
T: 631.324.4081 or email
info@bakerhouse1650.com.
Dream Destinations
AFRICA & INDIAN OCEAN

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 2012.
www.thezanzibarcollection.com
WINCHESTER MANSIONS is an iconic

building on the seafront in Cape Town
within close proximity to the V&A
Waterfront and Cape Town International
Airport. This landmark hotel offers
classically elegant rooms boasting sea or
mountain views. Facilities include a pool,
Ginkgo Spa, signature dishes from
Harveys restaurant and full service
conferencing.
Tel: +27 (0)21 434 2351
Fax: +27 (0)21 434 0215
Email: traveller@winchester.co.za
Web: www.winchester.co.za
Now from only 99 per room B&B
Dream Destinations
Set in Andalucias largest natural park,
MOLINO RIO ALAJAR offers freedom in
a rural paradise. Choose from 6 houses
on the estate and walk, swim, play tennis,
taste the local gourmet cuisine or enjoy
the sun. Visit www.molinorioalajar.com or
call +34 959 501282.
CASA LA CONCHA, a beautiful finca

situated in the stunning Marbella
countryside just minutes from Puerto
Banus. An Old Andalusian residence, it
has been exquisitely renovated into a large
main house and 5 luxury cottages. Relax
in the living room with a drink, enjoy a
good book from their library or go explore
the hidden treasures of Marbella. Visit
www.casalaconcha.com or call +34 646
520 883.
AUSTRALASIA & OCEANIA

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.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING FEATURE
Dont Leave Home Without...

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1. COKROACH debuts their unique collection of luxurious velvet-skinned, satin-quilted,

wire-embroidered Albert slippers, all decorated with gold and silver motifs depicting the tales
of the fabled and mysterious Cokroach. The entire collection is painstakingly handcrafted
in the darkest corners of the English Isles and with impeccable attention to detail. Prices
starting from 275. For full enquiries visit www.cokroach.com email
cokroachclothing@gmail.com or call +44 (0) 7714 473 914.
2. Award winning designer jeweller LIZ TYLER delights in creating individual wedding and
engagement
ring sets, using carefully selected diamonds and precious gemstones. Throughout
3
her full range of jewellery and objets there is always a sense of movement in the flow of the
design. Visit www.liztyler.com or contact Liz on 01258 820222 to find out more.
2
3. ROBIES, the No.1 changing robe company originating from grass roots in Cornwall. Robies
bring you the ultimate outdoor changing robe meaning that towels are a thing of the past. They not
only supply prolific travellers but GB teams and elite althletes all over the world. The brand was launched 7 years ago and is flying. Designed by a team of
watersports enthusiasts, the Robies team defy you not to feel the passion that goes into keeping you warm, dry and covered wherever you may be. Retail from 34.99.
www.robierobes.com or call us on 07717 688359.
...continued
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4. ULUVKA VODKA is distilled in small batches by craftsmen, from the finest natural Polish rye and grain. It is
a recreation of a legendary Royal vodka of the late 16th century, made by some of Polands finest modern
alchemists. Winner of over 40 international gold medals including Best Super Premium Vodka 6 times since launch.
Visit www.uluvka.com or call +44 (0)20 7602 7788.
5. BLUE VELVET, the home of contemporary and classic footwear direct from the heart of Europe. Always one step ahead, they have established themselves on their quality and first-rate
service. Visit them at: 174 Kings Road, SW3 4UP or call 020 7376 7442. Visit them online: www.bluevelvetshoes.com
6. D. R. HARRIS have been producing brilliant bath-time indulgences since 1790 and are well known for their Almond Oil Soap. Made with Almond Oil and fragranced with Rose
Geranium this is an enduring favourite for a reason. Complete the experience with a few drops of Rose Geranium Bath Essence. Available from 52 Piccadilly, 35 Bury Street or
www.drharris.co.uk Call 020 7930 3915 for more information.
7. HIDEO WAKAMATSU combine Japanese heritage with contemporary design to create a stylish range of luggage, laptop bags and accessories for the sophisticated and discerning
jetsetter. Pictured is the Muscular blue set small cabin case, the Muscular blue medium case and matching large case (599.99). All cases are made from Panlite, an incredibly strong
lightweight metal used widely in the aerospace industry due to its low density and resistance to corrosion. View the full collection at www.hideowakamatsu.co.uk or call 020 3697 7979
for more information. Quote HWUK310/13 for your exclusive 10% discount. Offer valid until July 2014.
8. SOAK YOURSELF have introduced The Little Box, an exact replica of the original Bath Ritual Recipe Kits, just little. The Little Box is designed for a single use, and is perfect for
business travel (stuck in a hotel room, exhausted), or an ideal way of gifting someone special on a weekend away. Available in all 7 recipes, this cute box retails at 25.00 and is
available at www.soakyourself.co.uk
9. COUNTRY ATTIRE is the home of British style online, offering hand-picked brands, heritage and contemporary, paired with Free UK Delivery. Now launching their resort collections
with luxury brands such as Melissa Odabash (featured above Zanzibar Swimsuit in Lizard 198.95), Heidi Klein, Zimmermann and Swash. Visit their website www.countryattire.com
to view the collections.
10. Bespoke, beautiful, hand-made pieces are all created within the UK but XANTHE MARINA also takes inspiration from her travels, especially the delights of the Caribbean. These
designs are reflected in her collection: Seashells & Water for more information please call 07768 263198 or visit www.xanthemarina.com
11. New fashion accessories brand SNOODYDO has launched its debut collection of hats, scarves, gloves and snoods for Winter 13. Ranges available for Men, Ladies, Girls & Boys.
Pictured are Tyler hat (RRP 19.99) and Tyler Scarf (RRP 24.99). Visit www.snoodydo.com and enter code CONDESD01 to receive a 10% discount.
12. HARLETTE presents its first SWIM collection, launched in Paris. Featuring made with Swarovski Elements, the collection gives a truly luxurious swim experience. Whether poolside at
the Burj Al Arab in Dubai or the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, beachside in Bermuda, Bondi, Cannes, Ibiza or Positano, no one will have a one piece or bikini as fashion forward as
your SWIM by Harlette. Visit www.harlette.com to view the full collection.
13. HAMMAMAS introduce their clever cotton towel, the ideal travel accessory. Ultra absorbent, super soft and quick drying, Hammamas towels are perfect for holidays. Whether used
as a cover-up, beach mat, or post-pool dry off, Hammamas are so much more than a regular towel, yet without the bulk. Made from premium quality cotton, Hammamas are compact,
lightweight and cabin-case-friendly. Available in a dramatic array of colours and designs, prices start from 22. www.hammamas.com or call 01580 714714.
14. TRU VIRTU BELUGA is the only aluminium wallet worldwide for a safe storage of credit and business cards, receipts, coins and a large amount of banknotes. It is the modern and
intelligent alternative to the traditional leather wallet. This smart product allows men and women to carry all their daily essentials well protected in an aluminium shell that combines
resistance and lightness. Available in 10 colours. Enter promo code TVCNT10 to receive 10% off all Tru Virtu products (expires 31st March 2014). Visit www.stonemarketing.com or call
01732 77177.
15. THE ICONIC LEICA M Through the viewfinder of this legendary camera, you can proactively compose scenes and capture them in pictures filled with life. Experience for yourself the
breath taking picture quality of the worlds most compact, full frame digital camera. Available now, with a range of purpose designed accessories, at Leicas Flagship Store in Bruton
Place, Mayfair. Tel 020 7629 1351 or www.leica-storemayfair.co.uk
To advertise within On The Move... please call 020 7499 9080 ext 3705
On The Move...
To Africa and the Indian Ocean
N O S Y B E - M A DAG A S CA R
i n f o @ a n d i l a n a r e s o r t . c o m - w w w. a n d i l a n a r e s o r t . c o m
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#1 rated hotel in British Virgin Islands 2011, 2012, 2013

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www.frenchmansbvi.com
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Carmos is a cosy, romantic and exclusive 15 rooms luxury Boutique Hotel in the
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0845 330 2060

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Ilmington Road | Armscote | Stratford-upon-Avon | Warwickshire | CV37 8DD

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ATOL 1866 | ABTA V5963
Inspiring
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Cond Nast Traveller reminds you to ensure that when

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nancial security through a trade association
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ATOL 1866 | ABTA V5963
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BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY VILLAS, COTTAGES
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Tel: 020 7730 5959
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Email: London.chiletours@btinternet.com
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Germany
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Mallorca
See our website for a

superb selection of fine
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Roo m with a view

WHERE ARE WE? BAA ATOLL, MALDIVES
TAKEN FROM VILLA ONE AT SONEVA FUSHI

Because to wake up here is to see all colours blue. Open the shutters and breathe in the
sea-salty tang of heat, op in to the pool, lever yourself out the other side and its barely 20
steps through icing-sugar sand to the sea and the friendliest little hermit crabs taking their morning dip. Collecting them, and sticking
them in a hole lovingly dug by small spades and even smaller hands, will be the weeks most focused activity. Theres barely any
reason to wear clothes, such is the privacy here, with absolutely no neighbours to the right of you despite having an 180-degree
outlook over the ocean. Though it might be a little disturbing for your private butler when he carries in a round of mango smoothies and
asks if anyone wants to go looking for dolphins. The Maldives are famously solipsistic, but not one of them can be as Willy Wonka
wonderful as Soneva Fushi, which seems like the original and now under enduring love and rolling refurbishment still feels like the
favourite. With a chilled Chocolate Room, treehouse restaurant and a new childrens zone in the shape of a manta ray with pool slides,
pirate ships and Lego rooms, its like a fantasy of the unchecked imagination. Forget the inertia that the Maldives is criticised for:
here you will simply not have time to do everything.
Despite its dynamic spirit, Soneva Fushi is also a very wild, untamed tropical island. Bunnies op
INSIDE TIP around through the undergrowth (which is curious), so look out for them as you wheel about on
your bicycle getting happily lost. Do not miss the spa; itll always have fascinating people in residency, including
the healer Jacqueline Bourbon. MELINDA STEVENS
Carrier (+44 161 492 1358; www.carrier.co.uk) offers seven nights from 2,885 per person half board,
based on two sharing in a Soneva Fushi Villa, including return ights from Gatwick
with British Airways and seaplane transfers
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MARCH 2014 3.

THIS YEARS BIG

ON A FAMILY SAFARI IN DEEPEST BOTSWANA

Sold exclusively in Louis Vuitton stores. Tel. 020 7998 6286

Download t he Louis Vuitton pass app to reveal exclusive content.

R EHABILITATED TURTLES ARE RETURNED

Botswana A very big

74 UK pubs with rooms

Two pints and a packet of crisps oh, and

Its not just the

St Barths The most

Kashmir All aboard for the

17 Word of mouth Whats

24 Ski break The mountain mecca

where showbiz meets snowbiz, Aspen

37 Where to stay Reviews of

50 A letter from Denmark, where a

8 Cond Nast Traveller March 2014

52 Style file The detox guru that

61 If you do one thing in

124 A travellers tales Around

the world with Ty Burrell, the star of

127 The experts Round em up with

the best shing guide in the Wild

158 Competition Win a sensational

6,000 holiday at the Conrad Algarve

161 Reader offer Save 20 per

cent on a weeks stay in one of CV

176 Room with a view Soneva

PHOTOGRAPHS: MEHMET ARDA; SEAN ELLIOTT; RICHARD PHIBBS

Truth in Travel is this magazines promise to the reader to be an essential source

Every day a new

Inspired by this months feature on the best

Lucia van der Post Writer, Botswana (p62)

Lucy Hughes-Hallett Writer, Kashmir (p106)

When it comes to your dream holiday,

Call 0845 154 0876 or visit www.moorings.co.uk

David Crookes Photographer, Botswana (p62)

Zakynthos - Ionian Islands - Greece

Richard Phibbs Photographer, St Barths (p94)

Sienna Miller Writer, Parrot Cay (p128)

PHOTOGRAPHS: DAVID CROOKES

Gerry Stonhills Individual Mason Arms is a 15th-century

Cathrine Wessel Photographer, Kashmir (p106)

SYNDICATION AND EDITORIAL BUSINESS

The most desirable villas in

Cant nd Cond Nast Traveller in the shops?

+44 (0)20 7377 8518

Diversity India Style

Simply call 020 7487 9111

MANAGING DIRECTOR Nicholas Coleridge

Refined travel for discerning tastes

ATOL No. 4023 ABTA No V9610

Cape Town Seoul Mumbai Margate

PHOTOGRAPH: GEORGE MARKS/RETROFILE/GETTY IMAGES

Keep your aim steady and

March 2014 Cond Nast Traveller 17

Founder Nick Jones

Actress Hayley Atwell

GARDEN BRIDGE (www.gardenbridgetrust.org)

PHOTOGRAPHS: GETTY IMAGES; MASAAKI TOYOURA/GETTY IMAGES

Snaking up MANHATTANs west side, THE

OPENING NEW DOORS.

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