I’m certainly no Francis Bourgeois, but there’s something so romantic and intriguing about crossing lands unknown in the comfort of a sleeper train. Being given the opportunity to see vast landscapes that many won’t ever get to witness, solely due to its sheer remoteness, is a rare delight.
A few key events are akin to film festivals and fashion weeks in the automotive world. The British have the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival. The French have Retromobile and the Chantilly Concours of Elegance. The Swedes have the newly launched Auroura Concours, Italy brings us the legendary Concorso D’Eleganza Villa D’Este and Fuori Concorso, and then there’s North America…
Travel is a fine and freeing thing. The unshackling of the metaphorical chains, the daily grind of work, and life’s endless expectations. Oh, and the choice! Sunshine, or snow? Lakes, forests, dunes or mountains? Total relaxation, escapism, exhilaration or luxuriation?
It would be easy to say that the past decade or so has been kind to Lisbon – it’s subtly undergone the kind of glow-up certain other smaller European capitals keep putting on the backburner… and it’s been driven organically by tourism raised high on the shoulders of social media’s more gastronomy-oriented corners.
Paul Lister, the rather eccentric and very present custodian of Alladale Wilderness Reserve – a vast stretch of flawless heathery glen in the Scottish Highlands – defines much of Alladale and his place in it through what it and he is not.
Steeped in amazing untold stories, the house was designed by J.L Ball, JT Lee and Pattinson of Manchester and built as a private house in the late 19th century for Edna Howarth
Nestled on the sun-drenched shores of the Costa del Sol, Marbella is an irresistible blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and unparalleled luxury. Renowned for its breath-taking beaches and glamorous lifestyle, it is also a culinary haven that tantalises even the most discerning visitor.
Set between Les Menuires and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, my recent foray to the mountains offered plentiful serene moments of reflection and emotional expansion, with ample time to enjoy the last of the white stuff as the ‘23-’24 ski season came to a close.
I am revisiting Marbella after decades to take a fresh look, as I’ve heard more than a few murmurings that this locale is experiencing a new era of redefined luxury. Indeed, Marbella is said to be undergoing a renaissance created by attracting an entirely new highly sophisticated and professional global jet-set, one that is thriving on a new limitless lifestyle whilst honouring its pedigree and provenance.
The mango-shaped island, only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, was born from volcanic origin and is fringed with soft sandy beaches, golden in the north and dark silver in the southwest.
It is perhaps one of the great tragedies of my life that I don’t spend every weekend in a beautifully crafted replica of a Kyoto bathhouse, surrounded on all sides by thirty or more totally naked Norwegians, each glistening with perspiration and a curated array of essential oils. However, my trip to the spectacular Oslo wellness resort The Well ensured – within an hour of arrival, in fact – that my existence would no longer be completely lacking this experience.
Recently, I was bestowed a great gift, and each evening my partner grows more covetous as its use becomes routine. I speak with friends, and they too desire to know how they might enhance their morning with such an advantage. What is this gift, you ask? Something that should be so simple, yet for many remains just out of reach.
A good night’s sleep.
I won’t lie, I can’t. That part of any trip where I sit at my desk and relive each moment to digitally pen the experience, that really is not the best bit. Where is the snow? Where are the divine panoramas of iced mountains and frosted pines? The morning light hits a little differently in the cityscape I see from my window at home as I embark upon my day. Alas, from my screen to yours, I imbue your daydreams with all the details you need to plan your next sojourn in the Italian Alps. Where to stay Just a short 90 minutes through the rolling countryside outside of…
Puerto Rio is borne out of an immensely long and diverse history. Its current social make-up and the basis for much of the social aspects of life, food, dance and art are influenced by the triumvirate of backgrounds that the population is largely made up of, those being the indigenous population.
To explore the prevailing wind of the latest travel destinations is one thing. To unpick the essence of luxury travel and hospitality, to unravel the nature of what a whole new generation of high-end holidaymakers are seeking, and to understand what is driving the shifting sands of travel trends is something else entirely.
For me, London tends to be a swift one-day affair for a day on set, back-to-back meetings or events across the city. However, last week my visit was a little different, I was to stay at The Gantry, a Stratford hotel, with dinner at Chino Latino, just south of the river. To the eyes of someone with a packed schedule, staying almost an hour away from an evening destination might seem abhorrent. If this sounds all too familiar, let me explain why you need to embrace a slowing pace, and never overlook the joy of seeing one’s own country or city through the eyes of a tourist. The Gantry Arriving…
From the lush terraced rice paddies to mysterious forests and serpentine rivers, Vietnam’s natural splendour is nothing short of breathtaking. The nation’s rich cultural tapestry, a seamless fusion of Asian and French influences, is beautifully woven into the very fabric of daily life, from its unique architecture to exquisite cuisine.
Welcome to the digital nomads. This new tribe of traveller has an intense desire to immerse themselves in a place, to get a sense of its space and its people. To unearth the roots of its way of life and discover its heartbeat. Only then, can they feel like they are part of its landscape rather than just a visitor to it.
The trip in question was to the far-flung shores of Thailand, a place I had once visited in what was seemingly a whole other lifetime. I say that as it was a trip taken with a former fiancée, in a pre-social media world.
The thought of a summer vacation may feel all too painful in the depths of winter, but as the frost begins to thaw, you might find yourself spending more time staring out of the window at your desk, daring to dream of a summer escape.