the full version - Destinations of the World News

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September 2012
24 HOURS:
SAN FRANCISCO
Let loose in The City
TIME TRAVEL
What makes Geneva tick?
INTERVIEW
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal
CONNOISSEUR
Marvellous Marbella
Langkawi
Land of myths and legends
A tropical island hideaway in the Andaman Sea
SPEND IT
Voyages of a lifetime
SUITE DREAMS
Rome Cavalieri - Waldorf Astoria
MOTORING
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Contents
Sectiony
title
September 2012
On the cover
46 Lost in Langkawi
Caitlin Cheadle surrenders to indolence in
northern Malaysia’s tropical island paradise
54 Timeless Geneva
Nick Rice spends a week exploring the
watchmaking legacy of Switzerland’s
financial centre
66 San Francisco: 24 Hours
A day in The City by the Bay should be
planned wisely and involve lots of food,
says Bob Ecker
46
Blue lagoon
The islands of the Langkawi
Archipelago swim in the turquoise
waters of the Andaman Sea
Contents
September 2012
70
In the news
24 Retrospective The Olympic closing ceremony lights up London
28 Europe Countdown begins for Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
30 Middle East & Africa Historical monuments under threat in Syria
34 Asia & Oceania Hong Kong Air scraps all-business class flights
38 Americas Chinese investors make their mark on US hotel scene
40 Debut Hot hotels, chic boutiques and exclusive new resorts
40
42 Profile Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the world’s wealthiest hotelier
76
42
Insider
68 Diary Out and about this month? Don’t miss these events
70 Spend it Once-in-a-lifetime luxury travel experiences
72 Suite dreams Rome Cavalieri is the jewel in the Italian crown
76 On the road Sometimes we’d rather keep our feet on the ground
78 Ignition Behind the wheel of the Mercedes ML 63 AMG
80 Fragrance butler The scents you can’t travel without this season
83 Trends Your own megayacht for just $560,000... per week
86 Online New and exclusive on DOTWNews.com this month
88 Album French culinary legend Albert Roux on his favourite places
90 Connoisseur Mary Gostelow works on her tan in Marbella
dotwnews.com
September 2012
17
Letter from the Editor
TRAVEL BROADENS THE MIND, OR SO SAYS THE
well-known proverb. But isn’t travel also about control
and ownership? Owning your time at least. Travelling for a
vacation is often the only time when we really feel like we
are our own boss (unless you actually are your own boss).
It’s the only time when we are in control of our activities
for an entire week, or two, or three, with no obligation
to be at the office or attend meetings or do the laundry.
When we travel, we are masters of our destiny.
Ownership of time is about the ability to choose.
Sometimes we plan to do nothing and end up filling our
time with activities, and sometimes, with the best intentions to explore or soak up the culture, we end up sitting
by the pool or on the beach or in the spa, realising that
what we really need is time to do nothing at all.
For this month’s cover story on Langkawi, our
deputy editor Caitlin Cheadle set out to spend a week
exploring the myriad wonders of the tropical archipelago, and find out why the “land of myths and
legends” is so enchanting. As it happened, she didn’t
have to wander too far off the beaten track to find out
what made it so special. With the best intentions to see
and experience all the area had to offer, Caitlin found
that it is the rich, fertile atmosphere of the destination
itself that makes it such a tonic for weary
city-dwellers (page 46).
Of course, there are other ways to own our travel
experiences. One of the resorts featured in the cover
story is the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, which
is quite literally owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal
– one of the world’s richest men and most successful
self-made investors – through his company Kingdom
Hotel Investments. Prince Alwaleed always had a
fascination with travel and hospitality, which is why he
is now one of the world’s largest investors in hotels. As
well as substantial hotel investments, he was also the
first individual buyer of an Airbus A380, which joined
his existing fleet of aircraft and other vehicles.
With an extensive travel and hospitality portfolio
and a sizeable bank account, Prince Alwaleed has the
time to make the most of his wealth, and owns the
travel hardware to do so. Read his profile by our
contributor Christian Sylt on page 42.
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September 2012
dotwnews.com
Kingdom 5-KR
Prince Alwaleed’s
282-foot yacht is
part of his extensive
property portfolio.
Time and its ownership have a very different significance in
Switzerland’s financial hub Geneva, where Nick Rice went in
pursuit of an insight into the city’s horological history. From the
great philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who started out as a
watchmaker before leaving the material world behind, to the great
watchmaking houses of Patek Philippe and Piaget, the city is
the home of Swiss watchmaking, just as Switzerland itself is the
world’s watchmaking capital. Read the story on page 54.
When time is of the essence, it’s up to you how you spend it, but
to make your life easier, contributor Bob Ecker presents his guide
of how to spend 24 indulgent hours in San Francisco on page
66, and we’ve rounded up our top once-in-a-lifetime luxury travel
experiences for you in ‘Spend It’ on page 70.
There’s plenty more to beguile and excite in this issue, including
our first luxury car review – a new addition to the motoring section
– on page 78, and some of our favourite images from London 2012
in Retrospective on page 24.
Joe Mortimer
Senior Editor
[email protected]
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Contributors
Caitlin Cheadle
Deputy editor Caitlin Cheadle left her native
Vancouver four years ago after catching the travel
bug while backpacking through Europe. Since
relocating to Dubai she has found herself exploring
hotter climates, most recently the idyllic archipelago
of Langkawi in Malaysia’s Andaman Sea, where
she quickly learned that it’s perfectly acceptable to
do nothing but revel in its lush jungles and tranquil
beaches. Read about what makes Langkawi the ultimate escape-it-all getaway for weary city-dwellers
in our cover story, on page 46.
Nick Rice
Nick Rice hit the road 15 years ago and has been
living and working all over the globe ever since.
Sometimes the road has been the one less travelled,
sometimes the one of least resistance. Occasionally
it’s been dangerous, often times exhilarating, but
always rewarding. Having worked as a jaguar handler
in Bolivia, an amateur sailor in the South China Sea,
and a radio presenter in Havana, youthful exuberance
is now tempered with a bit more caution. And what
better place to enjoy the more tranquil side of travel
than Geneva, where time literally is money (page 54).
September 2012, Issue 75
Publisher Anna Zhukov
[email protected]
Senior Editor Joe Mortimer
[email protected]
Deputy Editor Caitlin Cheadle
[email protected]
Online Editor Nicci Perides
[email protected]
Editor-at-Large Andy Round
[email protected]
Contributing Editor Mary Gostelow
Sales Manager Andrea Tsiachtsiri
[email protected]
Art Director Kris Karacinski
[email protected]
Multimedia Graphics Manager Vandita Gaurang
[email protected]
United Kingdom Sales Representative
David Hammond
[email protected]
Circulation department
[email protected]
Cover image
Kilim Karst Geoforest Park
Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
Christian Sylt
Christian Sylt has been writing about travel since
2002, when he covered the topic for the UK
national newspaper The Business. He now works
freelance for the Telegraph and Guardian newspapers, and writes regular travel features for the Independent and the Scotsman. This month Christian
spoke to one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, and certainly one of the world’s wealthiest
men, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, for Destinations of
the World News. Read our profile piece on the hotel
mogul on page 42.
Mary Gostelow
Mary Gostelow is one of the world’s most prolific travellers and an authority on all things luxury. Mary says
she spends at least 300 days a year on the road, but
judging from the brief notes we receive from far corners
of the world, we think it’s more. Mary is editor-at-large
of WOW.travel and founder and owner of The Gostelow
Report, chief blogger of www.girlahead.com, plus a
contributing editor of Destinations of the World News.
This month, Mary was sunning herself in Marbella for
Connoisseur (page 90) and catching up on the latest
luxury travel gossip in Mary Says on page 28.
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September 2012
dotwnews.com
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Published by
RETROSPECTIVE
A
n aerial view of Olympic Stadium during the Closing Ceremony on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium,
London, on August 12. More than 80,000 spectators packed the stadium, and an estimated 750 million tuned in globally to watch the performance live. The ceremony was a tribute to British life, art and music featuring performances by celebrated British musicians including
the London Symphony Orchestra, George Michael, the Pet Shop Boys, Fatboy Slim, Annie Lennox, Take That, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, the
Spice Girls and Muse, with appearances by Michael Caine, Russell Brand, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Mayor Boris Johnson. The entire show
lasted three hours and 11 minutes, ending with the extinguishing of the Olympic Flame as the Olympic Games were handed to Rio de Janeiro, host
of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
I
RETROSPECTIVE
n a nod to Britain’s mighty literary and media history, this scene at the London 2012 Closing Ceremony featured a line-up of iconic London
landmarks and a fleet of vehicles wrapped up in giant sheets of newspaper, printed with famous quotations and lines from popular British
literature. Vehicles including London taxis, classic cars and a convoy of articulated lorries drove around the circumference of the Olympic
Stadium, accompanied by flag-waving drivers – part of the 3,500 performers who took part in the ceremony.In the centre of the stadium, scale
models of London landmarks including the London Eye, Tower Bridge, the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, The Gherkin, Battersea Power Station, Big
Ben and the Houses of Parliament are also wrapped in sheets of newspaper. The performance came at a poignant time for Britain’s media industry,
as the ongoing Leveson Inquiry digs deeper into the ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal last year.
09.12 NEWS
Russia prepares for Sochi 2014
AS the dust settles over London in
the wake of the Olympic Games,
the spotlight is turned eastward
towards the Russian town of
Sochi, which will host the Winter
Olympics 2014.
The Russian Black Sea resort
hopes to make the most of the
opportunity to transform itself
into a year-round destination with
the creation of Olympic venues
that will continue to attract winter
sports enthusiasts after the Games.
The Games will be divided into
two clusters; a coastal area in Sochi,
which will include a new Olympic
Park, and a mountain cluster in the
Krasnaya Polyana Mountains, where
the downhill events will take place.
Plans are in place to convert the
Olympic venues for use after the
Games: the Central Stadium will
become a football stadium that will
be used in the 2018 FIFA World
Cup; the speed-skating arena will
be turned into an exhibition centre;
and the Bolshoi Ice Palace, which
has been dubbed “The Iceberg”, will
be used as a multi-purpose sports
and entertainment centre.
“I’ve no doubt that in the summer,
Sochi will be as popular as Turkey,
Bulgaria and Croatia and that in
winter, visitors will be able to enjoy
a world-class alpine skiing resort,”
said Dmitry Chernyshenko, president and CEO of the Sochi 2014
Organizing Committee.
In order to accommodate all the
visitors, developers are building
a raft of new hotels. International
companies including Capella,
Kempinski, Hilton, Pullman, Hyatt
Radisson, Marriott and Extreme
Hotels have all signed on to manage hotels in the town, with many
more expected in the next two years.
Sochi’s airport recently opened
a 2.8km train link to Sochi train
station, and plans are in place to
extend the line to the mountain
cluster in Krasnaya Polyana.
Sochi was chosen ahead of
Salzburg in Austria and Pyeongchang in South Korea as the host
city for the Games, which will take
place from February 7-23, 2014.
Time to spare
The Winter Olympics torch relay
is expected to be the longest ever,
covering 40,000 kms over 123
days and passing through nine
time zones across Russia.
Europe
News
MARY SAYS...
The latest in
luxury travel
Lost opera returns to Lausanne
AFTER five years on the
road, the Opéra de Lausanne
has returned to Switzerland
to take up residence in its
newly refurbished home, the
Municipal Theatre.
The five-year renovation
saw a complete overhaul of
the 141-year-old building,
previously known as the
Casino-Théâtre, including
new interior designs and
major improvements to the
technical equipment, the
stage and the orchestra pit.
The theatre has had a
major cultural influence in
the region since the Opera
began in 1755, attracting
aristocracy and nobility from
all over Switzerland.
To celebrate the return
of the Opéra, the venue has
planned a huge opening
season, with six operas, two
concert operas, a children’s
opera, seven concerts, four
ballets and four noon recitals.
“Together in one place at
last, we will embark on new
adventures to delight the
senses and once again feel
the thrill of great nights,” said
director Eric Vigié.
The 2012-13 opera season
starts on October 5 with
L’Elisir d’Amore by Italian
composer Gaetano Donizetti.
www.opera-lausanne.ch
Judy Kim, formerly in marketing with
Accenture, is now based in Shanghai
with her husband. Two years ago she
teamed up with Australian-Chinese
designer Bingbing Deng, whose
designs are ‘new China humour’. Their
company, Pilingpalang, produces the
most covetable ceramics and cloisonné
that you can imagine. The low green
bowls decorated with praying monks,
for example, are the kind of personal
items that you like to see when you
come into the kitchen for your first cup
of pre-breakfast coffee.
www.pilingpalang.com
Have you noticed how many chic
dressers, including entertainment
types and sheikhs (when in Western
dress), are reverting to retro style
flat caps, preferably in tweed? The
knowledgeable source for London’s
top hatters is Lock & Co., in business
on St James’s Street since 1676.
Choose between a Cashmere Gill, with
a deep back, or a Bentley, appropriately
named for its over-the-top strap that
you can let down to hold the cap in
place when motoring in a soft-top.
www.lockhatters.co.uk
Take a few friends with you and rent an
entire village for a memorable occasion.
Rent-A-Village can let you have, say,
Brand in Austria, Deidesheim in Germany
or Engelberg in Switzerland. They come
in various sizes so you can choose one
that fits your needs.
www.rentavillage.com
One year after France introduced its new ‘palace’ rating for hotels and resorts of exceptional
quality, three more hotels have been added to the prestigious list. The three French Riviera
properties are La Reserve Ramatuelle, a member of Design Hotels, and Le Byblos and Le Château de
la Messardière (pictured), which are both members of The Leading Hotels of the World. The hotels
join the nine existing palace properties in France to form an exclusive group of 12 properties.
www.designhotels.com and www.lhw.com
Alternatively, plan ahead for 2013, for a
trip of a lifetime to Iceland. From April
through to August, Arni Stefansson
organises trips inside Thrihnukagigur,
30 minutes’ drive south east of
Reykjavik. The volcano is dormant,
and its cone rises only 100 feet above
ground, but Stefansson will guide you
far into its subterranean chambers.
www.insidethevolcano.com
MARY GOSTELOW
dotwnews.com
September 2012
29
News
Middle East & Africa
Historical monuments under threat in Syria
The Citadel of Aleppo was
struck by a missile last month,
destroying its medieval iron gate
The 12th cenury fortress of Krak
des Chevaliers has been repeatedly
occupied by armed groups
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September 2012
dotwnews.com
SYRIA’S ancient citadels and fortresses have withstood battles
between warring empires for centuries, but whether or not they will
survive the wounds of modern war
remains to be seen.
As the Syrian conflict continues
into its 18th month, international
bodies are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of the country’s historical sites, which include
six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The cities of Damascus, Aleppo
and Bosra are all UNESCO protected, as well as the ancient villages
of northern Syria, the Roman site of
Palmyra, and the citadels of Krak des
Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din
(the fortress of Saladin).
Government forces and rebel
groups are both thought to have
occupied various historical sites during the conflict, making them targets for attack from opposing sides.
“The evolving tragedy in Syria has
a deep cultural, as well as a humanitarian, dimension,” said Bonnie
Burnham, president of the World
Monuments Fund. “These places
form the very matrix of life in the
city, the foundation of its citizens’
identity and history.”
Aleppo’s medieval Citadel was
shelled by government forces last
month and fighting continues near
the site. “The Citadel’s massive
iron doors, dating from 1211, were
blown away by a missile attack, and
its wooden doors with iron fittings
were also shattered, raising concerns
about looting,” Burnham explained.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee chairman, Dr. Sok An, has
appealed to all parties to protect the
cultural sites from further damage.
“Aleppo, the millennial city of art
and history, is now in danger, and
its cultural heritage of outstanding
universal value is now under threat”,
she said.
“No part of the ancient treasure
of humanity shall be destroyed. It
is the collective responsibility of
all humanity to urgently ensure
the safeguarding and protection of
Aleppo’s cultural properties.”
The Roman city of Apamea, home
to a long colonnade of towering columns and ancient mosaics, was also
shelled and looted this year, and the
fortress of Krak des Chevaliers has
suffered damage from shelling.
UNESCO has also alerted
INTERPOL and the World Customs
Organization to the possibility of
widespread smuggling of cultural
artefacts out of the countries to be
sold on the black market.
The United Nations estimates
that the conflict in Syria has cost
around 20,000 lives since it began
last year.
Middle
title East & Africa
Sectiony
News
Taming the wilderness
Two of Orient-Express’
camps in Botswana
have just completed
improvements that make
life in the wilderness
that bit more bearable.
Luxury tents at Savute
Elephant Camp and Khwai
River Lodge (pictured)
in Northern Botswana
now feature full WiFi
connectivity, personalised
mini-bars (with decanters
of port and sherry) and
tea- and coffee-making
facilities. Sliding glass
doors have also been
added, giving residents
better views of the
surrounding wildlife.
www.orient-express.com
Underwater
museum
The Kenyan government plans to
build an underwater museum in
the Malindi Marine National Park
in a bid to further the study of
marine life and shipwrecks. The
waters of Kenya’s Indian Ocean
Coast are home to marine life
including sea turtles, manta rays,
reef sharks and dolphins, as well
as 35 shipwrecks, which create a
lively ecosystem for the marine
life. The museum is expected to
be open by 2014.
www.kws.org
Luxury taxis in Dubai
DUBAI’S fleet of familiar beige-coloured taxis has been given a glamorous
boost with the addition of a new collection of luxury vehicles.
Passengers can now opt to travel in a Lexus or the 4x4 Nissan Infinity
when booking a taxi through Dubai Taxi Corporation’s call centre, or
request one from a dedicated service desk when departing from Dubai
International Airport.
The all-black vehicles can also be hailed on the street with a
starting fare of AED 50 (US$13.60). The company said the drivers
of the new taxis are the crème de la crème of its workforce, and will
maintain high levels of appearance and service.
www.dtc.dubai.ae
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September 2012
dotwnews.com
Beach life gets better
Meydan Beach has opened in Dubai Marina – the first standalone beach club to open in the ciyt’s trendy JBR district.
The exclusive club provides a luxurious beachside setting for
Dubai’s elite, with two infinity pools, chill-out lounge, spa
and fitness centre. The club is also home to the first branch
of Milanese restaurant Giannino outside of Milan. Meydan
Beach is operated by Meydan, the company behind exclusive
desert resort Bab al Shams and The Meydan, a five-star hotel
at Meydan racecourse, home of the Dubai World Cup.
News
Asia & Oceania
Hong Kong Airlines
axes all-business class flights
“Hong Kong Airlines’ daily all-business
class London to Hong Kong service is
estimated to have cost US$1.2 m per
month to run”
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September 2012
dotwnews.com
SIX months after Hong Kong
Airlines launched its daily allbusiness-class flights between
London Gatwick and Hong Kong,
the airline has been forced to cancel
the route, due to “the continuing
weak economic outlook in Europe,
combined with the strength of the
regional business within Asia”,
according to Yang Jian Hong, the
company’s president.
The airline says it now plans on
reintroducing the all-business class
flights on Asian routes. “We believe
that a regional model focused on
Asia Pacific is most appropriate for
Hong Kong Airlines at this stage of
our growth,” Jian Hong said.
Hong Kong Airlines’ daily allbusiness class London to Hong
Kong service is estimated to
have cost US$1.2 m per month
to run. The route was launched
in March 2012, using three new
Airbus A330-200s with just 116
business class seats: 34 lie-flat
Club Premier suites and 82 Club
Classic recliners.
The last flight to operate the
London to Hong Kong route will
be September 10. Hong Kong
Airlines said it would provide
any assistance necessary to its
customers to re-arrange bookings
on the cancelled route or to
otherwise provide a full refund.
Asiatitle
& Oceania
Sectiony
News
Postcards from paradise
Hilton Maldives Iru
Fushi Resort & Spa has
employed professional
photographer Tanya
Sorokina to take up
residence at the resort.
Tanya will offer photo
shoots for guests at
locations around the
island, which is covered
with swaying palm
trees and surrounded
by white sand beaches.
Photo shoots start from
US$250 plus taxes
for one hour with 60
professionally edited
photographs included.
www3.hilton.com
The playful side
of polo in Thailand
The 11th annual Anantara King’s
Cup Elephant Polo will take place
from September 12 – 16 in Hua
Hin, Thailand. Organised by
Anantara Hotels & Resorts in aid
of programmes to help preserve
and protect Thailand’s elephants,
the event sees teams including the
New Zealand All Blacks take to
the field.
The King’s Cup culminates
in the black-tie Gala Dinner,
attracting an A-list crowd from
around the world in a magical
evening of dinner and dancing
under the stars.
Vietnamese airline
fined for ‘bikini dance’
VIETJETAIR, a privately owned airline, was fined US$938 for holding
a mid-air ‘bikini dance’ onboard its inaugural flight from Ho Chi Minh
to the coastal holiday destination of Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Passengers whipped out their smart phones to film the ‘Hawaiian
dance performance’, which involved a group of women in bikinis
shaking their hips to music in the aisle of the airplane.
“It was the first flight to a beach town, so we came up with the idea of
getting a number of girls in bikinis to dance and make passengers happy to
improve our customer service,” a VietjetAir official was quoted as saying.
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September 2012
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Macau hosts Asian Beer and Food Festival 2012
Held from September 8 – 16 in Macau, the Asian Beer and
Food Fest will take place at the East Square, bringing together
Asia’s most popular brews such as Asahi, San Miguel, Tsingtao
and Macau Beer as well as brews from Japan, Thailand, the
Philippines, Korea and China.
News
Americas
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas
“America’s EB-5 visa-for-residency scheme
allows foreign investors the opportunity to gain
a green card when they invest a minimum
of US$500,000 in the US economy”
The Carlyle from Central Park
The leafy entrance to Rosewood Mansion
Chinese investment: a boon for American hotels
City views from The Carlyle
WITH a Chinese middle class that
now exceeds the entire population
of the US, it’s safe to say that America is no longer the world’s leading
consumer market.
But a growing number of China’s
wealthy are turning their attention
to the US as a safehouse for their
millions, pumping money into
infrastructure projects in return for
US residency.
America’s EB-5 visa-for-residency
scheme allows foreign investors the
opportunity to gain a green card
when they invest a minimum of
US$500,000 in the US economy, as
long as their investment creates at
least 10 jobs in America.
In 2006, Chinese nationals were
granted a total of 63 visas under the
EB-5 scheme. Last year the figure
was 2,408, and in 2012 it is already
above 3,700.
Chinese investors now make up
75 percent of the total of EB-5 visas
granted, and so far hotel and real
estate acquisitions have been their
preferred choice for investment.
Hong Kong billionaire Cheng Yutung recently snapped up the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, as well as
Rosewood’s The Mansion on Turtle Creek, The Crescent in Dallas,
The Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe,
and Little Dix Bay in the British
Virgin Islands.
But the EB-5 residency status isn’t
the only reason the Chinese favour
hotel investment; the current growth
of hotel room demand in the US and
the explosion of Asian tourists travelling abroad are also strong draws.
According to industry analyst
Jones Lang LaSalle, Asian investment accounted for eight percent
of US hotels purchased in 2010.
title
Sectiony
‘PopUp
Ashram’
in Mexico
Photo: Design Hotels
PAPAYA Playa Project, a luxury
pop-up hotel in Tulum, Mexico,
has launched the world’s first
‘PopUp Ashram’, running at the
luxury design hotel from September 15 – November 5.
“We want to create a spiritual
retreat for people who are drawn
to yoga or are simply asking the
larger questions about life, but
haven’t figured out where to turn,
what to try, or found a practice
that speaks to them,” said creator
Michael Liss, former managing
director of luxury travel company
Butterfield & Robinson.
Choose from five- or eight-day
packages and sample different
types of yoga, ceremonies with
‘indigenous grandmothers’, and
‘transcendental’ music and art.
Rates start at US$1,095 for the
five-day package.
www.popupashram.com
US home to world’s healthiest ocean
The waters around the uninhabited Pacific island of Jarvis,
a protected territory of the United States near Hawaii, have
ranked highest in a list of the world’s healthiest oceans.
Scientists used 10 different measurements chosen to
reflect the needs of humans and ecosystem sustainability,
including food provision, carbon storage, tourism value and
biodiversity, to determine the rankings. At the bottom of the
list was the West African coastline, with 10 of its 11 oceans
deemed the least healthy in the world.
Las Vegas feels ‘Prince Harry Effect’
Prince Harry may have been cringing after pictures of him partying in
Vegas went viral last month, but the Las Vegas tourism board couldn’t have
asked for a better publicity stunt. The day after the now-infamous nude
photos of the young royal, 27, were posted online by US website TMZ.com,
Virgin Holidays announced that inquiries about Las Vegas skyrocketed by
30 percent.
The company also reported that its Las Vegas web page became the most
visited on its website in the week following Prince Harry’s heavily publicised
lads’ holiday, during which there was a nearly constant stream of images of
the prince and his friends partying in Sin City being posted online. Virgin
Holidays has dubbed the spike the ‘Prince Harry Effect’.
dotwnews.com
September 2012
39
DEBUT
Hot hotels | chic boutiques | exclusive resorts
© Destinations of the World News – The world wide web
A “sensitive re-imaging of the traditional
Mughal palace”, the Fairmont Jaipur
blends authentic, historical architecture
with modern, sophisticated style. Incorporating local customs and traditions, the
hotel takes pride in its authentic Indian
speciality restaurant, Zarin, and brings
guests the opportunity to take part in
cultural experiences like village walks,
traditional entertainment and dancing in
the courtyard, tea in the gardens, authentic spa treatments and falconry. An ideal
location means guests can easily explore
the nearby Amber and Jaigarh Forts and
the Jantar Mantar observatory in Jaipur,
and enjoy attractions like elephant rides
and elephant polo.
www.fairmont.com/jaipur
Jaipur, India
London, England
Housed in the former headquarters
of BBC Radio (Marconi House) near
Covent Garden, and boasting a design
by world-renowned architectural firm
Foster + Partners, ME London blends
an unbeatable location with superb
style. The 157 rooms include 16 suites,
with the prized two-storey ME Suite
enjoying direct access to the rooftop
bar. An ‘Aura Experience Manager’ will
be on hand to ensure every guest enjoys
their stay, whether they’re mingling until
dawn on the Radio Bar’s rooftop terrace,
dining in trendy New York steakhouse
STK, or simply stepping out the hotel’s
front doors onto The Strand to explore
the city.
www.mebymelia.com
Fairmont Jaipur
ME London
Conveniently located close to Chongqing International Exhibition Centre
and the shopping districts of Nanping
and Jiefangbei, Radisson Blu Plaza
Chongqing will add 308 rooms and
suites to this booming city of more than
32 million. An ideal choice for business
travellers due to its extensive meetings
facilities, the hotel will also appeal to
leisure travellers, with an indoor heated
swimming pool and yoga room. Shiki
Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant &
Sushi Bar, Bin 22 lobby lounge and Ya
Yuan Chinese restaurant will fulfil the
needs of guests and visitors, and
a grand ballroom can accommodate
up to 1,000 people.
www.radissonblu.com/hotel-chongqing
Chongqing, China
Radisson Blu Chongqing
Located near the Rocks District and
the Central Business District, the
Langham, Sydney (formerly The
Observatory Hotel) is nestled between
the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge
and the Sydney Opera House, among
the city’s high-end shops, museums,
galleries and restaurants. The elegant,
Georgian-style hotel, previously owned
by luxury hotel group Orient-Express,
will retain its classic style and traditional feel while incorporating new
luxuries and services. Aside from the
idyllic location, guests will be treated to
top of the line service, five-star dining
options and beautifully and thoughtfully decorated rooms.
www.langhamhotels.com
Sydney, Australia
The Langham, Sydney
dotwnews.com
September 2012
Situated in the heart of Sydney’s central
business district within the historic Gowings department store, this cutting-edge
design hotel is amongst the city’s finest
shops, restaurants and art galleries, yet
within easy reach of sandy beaches.
The 200 rooms are split into 12 distinct
styles, blending the building’s heritage
with modern style and edge. The holistic
spaQ encourages guests to book their
appointment and choose a treatment
on the same day, with the guidance of
a skilled therapist, and the QT Sydney
concierge iPhone app links guests to their
own personal concierge service once their
room is booked, allowing them to plan
their bespoke holiday before arrival.
www.qtsydney.com.au
Sydney, Australia
QT Sydney
41
Interview
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal with
wife Princess Ameerah Al Taweel
Interview
THE WORLD’S WEALTHIEST HOTELIER
It isn’t uncommon for billionaires to own hotels, but normally it’s an
afterthought. With a significant part of his US$18bn fortune owed to
hospitality, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the exception to the rule
Words: Christian Sylt
P
rince Alwaleed bin Talal bin
Abdulazziz Alsaud is not necessarily
a household name, but if you have
ever stayed at The Savoy in London,
the George V in Paris, New York’s Plaza, the
Four Seasons in Langkawi or the Raffles in the
Seychelles, among others, then you have been
a guest in one of his hotels.
Grandson of the founder of Saudi Arabia,
Alwaleed was born in Riyadh in March 1955,
but not one drop of his fortune comes from
oil or inheritance. Instead, he built it up by
buying shares that were cheap but expected to
rise in value. It is known as bull investing, and
Alwaleed is perhaps the world’s biggest bull.
Over the past 30 years he has singlehandedly built up a fortune worth $20.4bn
according to Bloomberg, and along the way,
his investment firm Kingdom Holdings has
snapped up for a song shares in the world’s
most famous brand names including Apple,
Disney, Fairmont and Four Seasons.
“We are a very diversified holding company,”
says Alwaleed. “We are invested in real estate,
aviation, petrochemicals, financial services,
media and publishing, entertainment, healthcare, education, retail, agriculture and hotels
in two parts: hotel management and hotel real
estate. We have strategic hotels that we will
keep and many others that we buy, renovate,
brand as one of our brands and then sell. So
hotels and hotel real estate are a very big
component of our holdings.”
Building this portfolio up from scratch is a
feat in itself, and Alwaleed’s boundless energy
comes across within moments of meeting him.
He speaks in a manner that is concise, to the
point and delivered in rapid-fire bursts, accompanied by wildly gesticulating hands. Without
hesitation he recalls detailed information about
all of Kingdom’s investments.
In addition to its portfolio of storied properties, Kingdom’s hotel management investments
range from a 33.3 percent stake in Mövenpick
Hotels & Resorts, to 35 percent of the five-star
Fairmont Raffles group, which also owns Swissôtel. Kingdom’s hotel holdings are crowned by
a 47.5 percent stake in luxury hotel firm Four
Seasons, which it owns with Bill Gates.
Alwaleed’s 282-foot yacht, Kingdom 5-KR
BREAKING THE MOULD
Prince Alwaleed doesn’t fit the stereotype of
a typical sheikh. He wears western clothes
outside Saudi Arabia, and with his black
leather jacket, blue jeans, blue-tinted shades,
jet-black moustache and slicked-back hair, he
resembles a young Burt Reynolds.
Alwaleed says he “began taking life very
seriously when I was 15 years old”. He started
soaking up business information as a youth
by listening to the BBC news on the radio
every day, and reading political magazines
and newspapers.
In 1976 he began undergraduate studies in
business at California’s Menlo College, where
he excelled and absorbed himself in US culture: “Back then, big names were at the back
of my mind. For example, watching movies,
it was Time Warner,” he explains. Alwaleed
obviously remained loyal to his instincts,
since Kingdom now has more than $150m
invested in the company.
His break into business was kick-started
with a $30,000 loan from his father after
graduating. He also gave him a house, which
Alwaleed quickly mortgaged, raising around
$400,000, and each month, as a grandson of
Saudi Arabia founder Ibn Saud, he receives a
$15,000 allowance. The prince was no pauper,
but it was still business savvy that built his
billions. Rather than investing in oil, which
Alwaleed says has a cyclical value, he instead
sought secure returns. And so it was that he
started out in property speculation, and banks
soon came under his gaze.
Alwaleed made his name in 1991 when,
at the bottom of the recession, he invested
$590m in Citicorp, which merged with
Traveler’s Group seven years later to create Citigroup, the world’s biggest bank.
Alwaleed’s investment in the company soared
in value and Kingdom’s 14.9 percent stake is
now worth $14.3 billion.
Citigroup’s turnaround made Alwaleed a
boardroom celebrity overnight. The mere
mention of him investing in companies is
enough to make investors buy into the stock
in anticipation of an upturn in their fortunes. It means that his Midas touch is now a
self-fulfilling prophecy – and it’s understandable that Alwaleed lives like a modern-day
Arabian knight.
ROYAL ABODE
Prince Alwaleed is based in northern Riyadh,
where other Alsaud princes reside in a kind
of royal ghetto, but Alwaleed’s abode is the
grandest of them all. The gates to his family
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September 2012
43
Interview
1 2
1. Prince Alwaleed in front of The Plaza in New York 2. The prince during an interview with Bloomberg
3. Outside the Hotel George V in Paris 4. With Prince Charles at the reopening of The Savoy in London
3 4
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September 2012
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title
Sectiony
Meeting former French president
Nicolas Sarkozy at The Louvre in Paris
home part at the words “open sesame” and the
edifice at the end of the palm tree-lined drive
is equally exotic.
His $130m sand-coloured palace looks like
a Four Seasons hotel, and inside, its 75-foothigh foyer is framed by dual winding staircases. The palace has 42,700 square metres of
living space, 317 rooms, eight elevators, more
than 500 televisions and 400 phones. Among
the 180 walkie-talkie carrying palace staff,
Alwaleed has a personal physician and full-time
barber. But for the all the trappings of luxury,
he doesn’t spend much time relaxing.
“My schedule is straightforward. It is like
a machine,” he says. Alwaleed gets by on five
hours’ sleep, and that sets his rhythm for the
day. From 10am to 11am he exercises, then
from midday until 5pm he works at his office.
Lunch with his children lasts until 8pm, when
he returns to the office for four more hours. He
then burns the midnight oil by exercising and
reading until 4am. At 5am he is finally ready to
go to bed after saying morning prayers.
And his deal-making doesn’t stop when he’s
on water or in the air. Alwaleed’s 282-foot
yacht is moored in Cannes every summer, and
even when he is entertaining guests such as Sir
Rocco Forte and Monaco’s Prince Albert on one
of the decks, his portable Bloomberg business
information screen seems stuck to his lap.
Alwaleed named his floating palace Kingdom 5-KR after his lucky number five and his
two children Khaled and Reem. The yacht’s
glitzy golden interior was already in place
when Alwaleed bought it in 1991 for $18m
from US tycoon Donald Trump, who was on
the brink of bankruptcy during the reces-
sion. It is now worth more than five times the
amount Alwaleed paid for it, serving as proof
that he selects his hobbies as shrewdly as his
shareholdings.
Investment trips often involve travelling to
tens of countries in a few weeks. To cram this
all in, Alwaleed has a fleet of three Boeing aircraft, which carry his entourage of 75 people on
every trip with him. He is even in the process of
converting an Airbus A380 – the world’s largest
passenger plane – for his own personal use.
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE
Alwaleed can’t bear to be out of touch and is
proud that his mind is never off the ball. “It is a
myth that to relax, a person has to be sunbathing and think of nothing. Forget it. I am against
that. It’s a myth. To me it is a myth to just go
and be incommunicado for a week or 10 days.
To me it is incomprehensible,” he says.
Alwaleed says he specialises in technology,
media and hotel investments because “I understand them well.” However, he concedes that
investing in hotels is a personal passion of his,
and there is good reason why his hotel investments cover the star-rating spectrum –
it mitigates risk.
“When we are in a down cycle, like we were
some years ago, some five-star hotels get hit
more, and those that are in the four-star range,
like Mövenpick and Swissotel, will do better,”
he says.
“When the economies of the world begin
picking up, the luxurious hotels like the Four
Seasons, the Raffles and the Fairmonts do better. It depends on which cycle of the industry
you are in,” he adds.
He says that, right now, things are looking
up for hospitality: “We are already seeing major
pick-up in the world economies. We are seeing
a lot of pick-up in Europe, the United States and
the Far East. Clearly, there are still some weak
points in the Middle East, like Egypt for example, and Syria, but in general there is a major
pick-up in the hotel industry. Many hotels are
almost back to the previous era we saw before
the financial crisis, but some are not yet. We are
moving in that direction for sure.”
Given Alwaleed’s knack for spotting market
trends, you can take this one to the bank.n
PALATIAL PROPERTIES
Prince Alwaleed’s five-star investments
Four Seasons George V Paris
The Plaza New York
The Savoy London
Four Seasons Hotel Beirut
Four Seasons Hotel Damascus
Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech
Four Seasons Resort Mauritius
Raffles Hotel Le Royal
Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor
Raffles Resort Hotel Seychelles
Fairmont Mara Safari Club
Fairmont The Norfolk Hotel
Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club
dotwnews.com
September 2012
45
Explore
Langkawi
Langkawi’s islands are surrounded by the
turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea
Langkawi Explore
L O S T
I N
L A N G K A W I
Once a refuge for outlawed pirates, today this serene archipelago off the coast of
Malaysia is a sleepy hideaway for honeymooners and jaded city-dwellers. One thing’s
for certain, when you come to Langkawi, escapism is effortless
WORDS: Caitlin Cheadle
Langkawi
Photo: Aidi Abdullah at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
Explore
1 2
3 4
1. The Datai Langkawi A member of The Leading Hotels of the World 2. Fiddler Crab A colourful inhabitant of the mangrove forests of Langkawi
3. Rustic charm Between stunning beaches and mountains, life goes on for locals 4. Four Seasons Langkawi Beach Villas make the most of the view
“Roughly the size of Singapore, Pulau Langkawi is covered in
prehistoric rock formations, jutting skywards in steep peaks and
cliffs and cloaked in a thick cover of rainforest”
M
adam, you dropped this!”
says a voice from behind me
as I frame another postcardperfect shot of the Andaman
Sea with my camera. I turn around to find
the same young man who had dutifully
delivered chilled towels to my sunlounger
that afternoon, holding out what appears to
be my Blackberry. I stare at it with a slight
sense of disdain – I hadn’t even noticed it
was missing – and press the buttons, none of
which respond to my commands. Normally
I’d be muttering a string of curse words in
frustration by now, but here, with the gentle
surf lapping at my toes, I can’t be bothered
to care. There are more important matters
at hand – like the approaching sunset.
Langkawi will do that to you.
Its dense jungles were once a refuge for
rogue pirates escaping imprisonment, and
today the Langkawi archipelago, a scattering
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September 2012
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of 104 lush tropical islands off the west coast
of Kedah in Malaysia, is a peaceful enclave
where couples come to honeymoon and jaded
city-dwellers come to reconnect with nature.
Only four of these islands are inhabited,
and the largest, Pulau Langkawi, is the only
one that has been developed for tourism,
mostly within the past 20 years, after the
Malaysian government declared it a duty-free
zone in 1986.
Pulau Langkawi is unique for many
reasons, but none impresses more than its
sheer natural beauty. Roughly the size of
Singapore, the island is covered in prehistoric
rock formations, jutting skywards in steep
peaks and cliffs and cloaked in a thick cover
of rainforest. The jungle is home to rare
species of flora and fauna, many of which
are unique to Lankgawi’s islands and would
not even survive on Malaysia’s mainland, less
than an hour’s flight away.
It is in Pulau Langkawi that I spend six
intoxicatingly carefree days, sunbathing
on golden-sand beaches and taking respite
from the afternoon sun in the shade of leafy
jungles, sampling delicious Malay cuisine and
watching blush-pink sunsets over al fresco
dinners. Even must-see-it-all travellers will
find it hard not to succumb to the laid-back
way of life in Langkawi. This is not a place
where there is nothing to do but laze about
on a beach, but many who come here find
themselves doing just that.
At The Datai Langkawi, an exquisite
boutique hotel nestled within the rainforest
that borders Datai Bay, you’re never far from
nature’s bounty. Walking back from the beach
one evening I encounter a group of six docile
Dusky Leaf monkeys, perched on a ledge and
going about their business as guests snap the
impromptu portrait on their cameras. A few
hours later I spy the rambunctious Macaque
Photo: Four Seasons Resort Langkawi
Langkawi Explore
UNESCO-protected Kilim
Karst Geoforest Park
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September 2012
49
Explore
Langkawi
monkey, the kind, I’m told, that will sneak
into my villa to steal my fruit basket if I leave
my terrace doors unlocked. Fruit bats dart in
and out of the jungle as dusk approaches, and
the constant whirring of insects and birds
grows louder as the sky darkens.
On an evening nature walk around the
property with The Datai’s naturalist, I’m
frozen in awe when my guide shines his
flashlight on a tree to reveal a huge purple
tarantula and her three babies clinging to
its bark. At bedtime, the steady chirping
and buzzing of the forest is interrupted
only by the occasional shrill cry of an
unknown creature. But it’s not disruptive or
frightening – this is nature’s lullaby.
Despite the temptation to spend all my
time on Datai Beach, I do manage to pry
myself from my sunlounger to explore the
island. The hotel’s naturalist has offered
to drive me to the Langkawi Cable Car,
on the southwestern side of the island,
where visitors can ascend to the top of
Gunung Machinchang, 708 metres above
sea level. We drive past thick towering
jungles, waterfalls and slivers of tranquil
beach until we turn inland, where rice
paddy fields, rubber tree plantations and
small clusters of houses huddle underneath
authoritative mountains.
A view from the top of Gunung
Machinchang, via the Langkawi Cable Car
The mild-mannered Dusky Leaf monkey
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September 2012
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The cable car proves to be worth the trip
(and the crowd) for the stunning views,
which stretch over jungle-covered peaks and
down to the Andaman Sea, all the way to
Thailand. I can also see the Sky Bridge from
the cable car’s top viewing deck, a curved
steel bridge connecting two peaks of the
mountain, along which visitors can walk.
Back at sea level, I skip the duty-free shops at
the base of the cable car and catch a taxi back
to the hotel. My driver takes the opportunity
to show me brochures of Langkawi’s
attractions, which include a crocodile farm,
the ubiquitous dinner cruise, the Underwater
World, and of course the cable car. I feign
interest as my eyes drift back over to what’s
outside my window.
Later that day a chauffeur arrives to take
me to the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi,
where I will spend the remainder of my stay.
I ask him if there is anything else I should see
during my visit. “You’ve seen the cable car,”
he says. “That’s more than most manage! It’s
the local Malaysians that bring their families
Photo: Caitlin Cheadle
The Datai Langkawi strikes a balance
between untamed nature and luxury
on weekends to see the tourist attractions
and shop at the duty-free. Foreign travellers
tend to come here to do nothing but simply
enjoy the nature.” In other words, I can stop
feeling guilty now.
“Besides,” he adds. “We have one of the
best attractions on the island right next to
the resort.”
The following day I’m cruising past
towering cliffs that jut out of the turquoise
sea and create a natural canal where leisure
yachts and sailboats from all over the world
are anchored, basking in the beauty of one
of Mother Nature’s most gifted children. I’ve
just spent the past three hours exploring the
UNESCO-protected Kilim Karst Geoforest
Park in the company of Aidi, Four Seasons
Langkawi’s naturalist. On my camera are
fresh photos of monkeys, snakes, and eagles,
mangrove forests and limestone caves.
“Langkawi is like eco-tourism light,”
Aidi tells me. “People might not want to go
somewhere they’ve never been before for
two whole weeks, but they can come here
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September 2012
51
Explore
Langkawi
for five days and see the rainforests and the
mangroves, with plenty of time left over to
relax on the beach.”
And he’s right: I’ve seen the Geoforest
Park, I’ve ridden the cable car, I’ve wandered
through unbridled thickets of rainforest and
come face-to-face with vipers, monkeys,
geckos and tarantulas – all within only three
days. And so it is with relaxation on my mind
that I return to the resort, where I sit down
for a lunch of grilled sea bass at the beachside
Kelapa Grill.
The next two days tick by at a deliciously
slow pace. I hop on my bike in the mornings
and cycle over to the yoga pavilion in the spa,
where I practice Yin yoga before breakfast.
I try a Malaysian massage, and spend my
afternoons reading on the deck of my beach
villa before a swim at dusk, and then supper.
A bit of people-watching reveals that just
like at The Datai, most of the guests here are
return visitors. At first I assumed they were
just fans of the hotels – both are experts at
making you feel truly ‘at home’ in a luxury
setting – but I now know Langkawi is a place
you can’t visit just once.
On my flight back to Kuala Lumpur, I
get chatting to my seatmate, an Australian
who last travelled to Langkawi 12 years ago,
returning this time alone to decide whether
or not to sell his business. “Langkawi has
changed a lot since I was last here, but not
enough to keep me from coming back,”
he says. As we exchange travel stories, I
ask him how Langkawi compares to his
previous island escapes to Bali. “Bali doesn’t
come close to Langkawi,” he answers with
a dismissive wave of his hand. “Bali has
become overrun with resorts and tourists, but
Langkawi is still so charming and peaceful.”
Somehow I think that will never change. n
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“Walking back from
the beach one evening
I encounter a group of
six docile Dusky Leaf
monkeys, perched
on a ledge”
Datai Bay was voted one of the 10 best
beaches in the world by National Geographic
LANGKAWI IN BRIEF
The Langkawi archipelago consists of 104 islands;
99 at high tide.
Langkawi has a tropical monsoon climate. The rainy
season is from April to October, and the dry season is from
November to March; however the weather is consistently
pleasant year-round. August and September are the
wettest months of the year.
Pulau Langkawi is a 50-minute flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Daily flights are operated by Air Malaysia from Kuala
Lumpur International airport. Langkawi is also accessible
by ferry from Penang, and the mainland of Kedah.
The official religion of Langkawi is Islam, but Buddhism,
Hinduism and Christianity are also practised. Visitors should
be respectful and wear modest clothing in public places.
Langkawi, with its awe-inspiring landscapes and unique
wildlife, has countless myths attached to it, hence its
moniker, “the land of myths and legends”.
Langkawi is home to more than 200 species of birdlife,
450 species of butterflies and over 90 species of mammals.
A Brown-Winged Kingfisher
watches over the mangrove forest
THEGOLDENBOOK
The Datai Langkawi
+60 (4) 959 2500
www.dataihotels.com
Four Seasons
Resort Langkawi
+60 (4) 950 8888
www.fourseasons.com
City
Geneva
Timeless
Geneva
Geneva has a history of
watchmaking that dates back to a
time when the city was the trading
hub of Europe. Today, its ritzy
shops and museums are proof that
in this city, time really is money
WORDS: Nick Rice
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September 2012
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Geneva City
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55
Photo: Patek Philippe - Grand Complications
Famous faces
The world’s leading watchmakers, including
Patek Philippe, come from Geneva
All that shimmers
Geneva’s Jet d’Eau serves as a symbol of the
city’s economic prosperity
G
eneva sits comfortably
on the plain between
the snow-capped Alps
and the rolling Jura
Mountains. Founded more than
2,000 years ago, the city is spread
over both banks of the Rhone River
and surrounds Lac Léman (Lake
Geneva), one of the largest lakes in
Western Europe. Strolling around
this great body of water, with Mont
Blanc’s imposing silhouette in the
distance and the 140-metre high Jet
d’Eau fountain shimmering, Geneva
begins to exert a beguiling appeal.
Part of the city’s allure is how
contradictory it can be. Rich in ancient
tradition and unashamedly Old
World, the architecture conjures up a
bygone era of master craftsmen and
affluent merchants. Yet at the same
time Geneva pulses with the present
moment; strikingly modern hotels,
contemporary clubs and restaurants,
cutting-edge fashion and industrial
innovation are all happening and
available here, leaving the visitor open
to embrace both worlds and trace a
clear path between old and new.
Geneva is world famous for many
things; for starters, you have its
banks. Wealth management has
a long and deep-rooted history in
Geneva dating back to the 15th
century, when it was an important
trading hub, attracting merchants
from all over Europe. All that
foreign activity and investment
led to the founding of numerous
moneylenders and eventually banks,
and the germination of a seemingly
unshakeable financial industry. Ever
since, Geneva has consistently been
ranked as one of the top 10 financial
centres in the world.
Then you have the international
organisations. As well as the United
Nations, there are around 152
such organisations based here,
with around 186 nationalities
represented at the last count,
creating incredible diversity.
The city is also where the Geneva
Convention was ratified to establish
humane rules in war in 1949. And
now, in the present day, there’s
a different type of convention –
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September 2012
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City
Geneva
the business kind. Geneva hosts
countless exhibitions and expos
across numerous industries, from
automotive and aviation to invention
and art fairs. Chocolate deserves a
deliciously brief mention, and now
Geneva gains more fame as the
location for the discovery of the Higgs
boson particle – the cosmic glue that
holds the universe together.
But above all, the thing that Geneva
is arguably most famous for around the
globe is time-keeping – unparalleled
luxury watches and the world of
haute horology. Utterly peerless in
the creation of the world’s finest
timepieces, Geneva is the cradle of the
Swiss watchmaking industry.
TIME TRAVEL
Allowing time and its precise
measurement to be your guide to
the city reveals a fascinating trail of
discovery. A perfect starting point
is the writer, composer, educator,
politician and philosopher JeanJacques Rousseau. This year, from
summer until winter, Geneva is
hosting a calendar full of events, tours
and exhibitions to commemorate
the tercentenary of the city’s most
illustrious citizen.
Born in 1712, Rousseau began
his life as a watchmaker. It was the
natural order of things to follow
his father, grandfather and great
grandfather into the noble craft.
Even Rousseau’s mother, who died
just days after his birth, was herself
a watchmaker’s daughter.
At this time in the 18th century
in Geneva, a growing corporation of
watchmakers and jewellers called the
Geneva Fabrique had set up shop along
the ‘Rive Droite,’ or right bank, of the
Rhone and transformed it into a world
renowned watchmaking centre.
“Geneva’s most flourishing
manufacture is watchmaking. It
employs more than 5,000 people,
which is over one fifth of the citizens,”
wrote Diderot and d’Alembert in their
celebrated Encyclopedia of 1757.
Although watchmaking was in
Rousseau’s blood, his abandonment
by his father at age 10 had set him
on a different course. A self-taught
polymath and one of the first
theoreticians of democracy, Rousseau
would dedicate his life to teaching,
writing, politics and philosophy.
However, the father of the French
Revolution is still remembered by his
links to the world of watchmaking.
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September 2012
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Tools of the trade (left)
Geneva has been producing handcrafted
timepieces since the 18th century
Flower power (right)
L’Horloge Fleurie, or Flower Clock, is
the centrepiece of the Jardin Anglais
City on the lake (bottom)
Geneva’s picturesque Ile Rousseau
sits in the middle of the River Rhône
JJR (Citizen of Geneva), which will
open at the Grand Théâtre de Genève
on September 9 for two weeks. The
Rousseau programme also includes
nature excursions and several walking
theme trails, all running until
December 12.
TIMELESS INVESTMENTS
The world’s only Patek Philippe
museum is an essential visit on the
trail of time through Geneva. Running
until mid-October, the museum is
showcasing the ‘Timepieces signed
Rousseau’ exhibition. The show
reminds visitors that, “the family of
the celebrated Genevan philosopher
included a number of watchmakers
and artisans in related domains,
making the Rousseau dynasty a
perfect illustration of seventeenthcentury Genevan craftsmanship”.
Forty of the 60 known timepieces in
Europe to bear the Rousseau name are
presented here in tribute to the great
thinker’s lineage.
Next stop on the itinerary should
be a stroll around the public gardens
on Ile Rousseau, home to the famous
bronze statue of the iconic man.
Connected by the Bergues Bridge
that was built in 1832, the islet also
functions as an information centre
for all related Rousseau events and
destinations, such as the Espace
Rousseau at 40 Grand Rue, where
Rousseau was born. The major event
of the whole Rousseau season will
be the world premiere of the opera
After learning so much about the
city’s watchmaking background,
you’ll be primed to invest in a
special timepiece of your own. Quite
appropriately, there is no other
place offering so many of the world’s
highest quality watches than Geneva.
Head straight for the ‘Rive Gauche,’
or left bank, and take your pick from
the 80 watch and jewellery boutiques
on the city’s richest street, the Rue
du Rhône.
Every luxury brand has its own
intricate history and invokes its own
qualities and attributes; it’s a subtle
appeal that speaks to individuals
in different ways and works its
own particular magic. Along the
Rue du Rhône, spells are cast every
few metres by lustrous boutiques
showcasing meticulously crafted
timepieces that encapsulate that
special something. Whatever your
personal preference, you will find it
here. From Piaget to Patek Phillipe,
Breguet to Omega and Cartier to
Jaeger-LeCoultre, you can find the
watch that makes you tick here.
And it’s not just watches on this long
stretch of shoppers’ paradise; there is
exquisite jewellery, diamonds from
Graff, perfume by Chanel and designer
handbags and shoes galore from all the
most prestigious brands. Your every
shopping desire can be fulfilled, but
make sure you are travelling light. The
biggest burden a visitor can carry is an
empty wallet.
“Your every
shopping desire
can be fulfilled, but
make sure you are
travelling light - the
heaviest thing a
traveller can carry
is an empty wallet”
Decorate your wrist
Browse some of the city’s finest
works at Boutique Tourbillon Genève
Independent brands
Richard Mille boutique at
the Grand Hotel Kempinski
On a little side street off Rue du
Rhône you will also find the lesserknown Rue Ceard, on which more
shopping treasures can be found.
There are stores by Hublot, Dior,
Burberry and more, selling all manner
of exotic goods, from cashmere and
silk to Egyptian cotton and fine fur.
If you still don’t find what you’re
looking for, there is even more within
a short walk. The elegant Place de
la Fusterie is home to the Audemars
Piguet boutique and also the Boutique
Tourbillon, which brings together the
most prestigious brands of the Swatch
Group under one roof, including
Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte
Original, Jaquet Droz, Tiffany & Co.,
Omega, Léon Hatot and Swatch.
Shopping is sure to build up an
appetite, and here too you are spoilt
for choice. As Geneva is so vibrantly
international, the breadth of exotic
cuisine available is mouth-watering;
you could sample a different ethnic
restaurant every day for weeks.
Finally, if you still haven’t found
that perfect adornment for your wrist,
cross one of the bridges over to the
right bank, where, rejuvenated by
food and the fresh air, you can behold
yet more great names in the world of
watchmaking.
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September 2012
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City
Geneva
City on the water
Geneva straddles
the River Rhône and
pretty Lake Geneva
As well as palatial boutiques where
you can find the likes of TAG Heuer
and IWC, there are also the Grand
Hotel Kempinski, home to more
elegant stores for Harry Winston,
Ulysse Nardin and the innovative
masterpieces from Richard Mille.
To round off your time-themed
visit, make a final stop at the recordbreaking Horloge Fleurie, or Flower
Clock – the symbol of the watch
industry in Geneva. Head for Quai
du Général-Guisan and the Jardin
Anglais (English Garden) to admire
this masterpiece of floral art and
horological technology. As well
as looking stunning in its array of
seasonal colours, the Flower Clock
also holds the record for the world’s
longest second hand, measuring in at
two-and-a-half-metres.
Geneva’s rich history is
inextricably linked to the art of
watchmaking, but the craft was
recently feared to be in decline.
Fortunately these fears have since
been allayed and there are currently
12 prestigious watch manufacturers
based in Geneva, together with
plans to build a new watchmaking
institute.
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September 2012
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The luxury conglomerate
Richemont has revealed plans to
build an unprecedented new complex
dedicated to continued innovation
and education in the watch industry.
The Richemont Group owns some
of the finest Swiss watchmaking
brands, which altogether have 21,000
employees and generate an incredible
EUR 76.9 billion (US$94.2 billion)
per year.
Richemont is to invest more
than $100 million in the creation
of the Campus Genevois de Haute
Horlogerie, which will house
workshops and a research centre
for watchmaking, all due to open in
2014. The State of Geneva and the
Department of Public Education
have also collaborated with
Richemont in the creation of the
Learning and Apprenticeship Centre
for Haute Horlogerie, which will be
a central part of the campus and will
open its doors to future watchmakers
this autumn.
The evolution of this placid
city and its rich heritage will
continue to tick over, much like the
outstanding timepieces it has been
producing for centuries. ■
“Utterly peerless
in the creation of
the world’s finest
timepieces, Geneva
is the cradle of the
Swiss watchmaking
industry”
THEGOLDENBOOK
Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues
Tel: +41 22 908 70 00
www.fourseasons.com/geneva
Le Richemond Geneva
Tel: +41 22 715 7000
www.lerichemond.com
Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva
Tel: +41 22 908 9081
www.kempinski.com/geneva
AVAILABLE AT MACY’S & MACYS.COM.
T H E N E W F R AG R A N C E
NINEWEST.COM/LOVEFURY
NIGHT & DAY
How to spend an indulgent 24 hours in The City by the Bay
SAN FRANCISCO
Words: Bob Ecker
66
September 2012
13.00
Your first class flight on Emirates (www.
emirates.com) arrives at San Francisco
International Airport (www.flysfo.com) in the
early afternoon, so traffic should be light as
you zip to your downtown hotel. Top choices
are the magnificent and entirely refurbished
Mandarin Oriental Hotel (www.mandarinoriental.com), the stately Ritz-Carlton (www.
ritzcarlton.com), the Four Seasons (www.
fourseasons.com), or the popular boutique
Hotel Triton (www.hoteltriton.com).
14.00
Drop your bags and hit the city. After all,
San Francisco’s historic Cable Cars (www.
sfcablecar.com) are clanging away all day
long. The weather can change suddenly,
so you should always bring along a light
jacket or sweater in case of showers. Head
to North Beach, the historic Italian neighbourhood, and grab a slice at Tony’s Pizza
Napoletana (www.tonyspizzanapoletana.
com). Owner Tony Gemignani is the 11-time
World Pizza Champion. Enjoy walking around
North Beach, then hop back on the street car
north to waterfront destinations like Pier 39,
Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square.
15.30
Walk west on the Marina Green toward
Crissey Field and the iconic Golden Gate
Bridge, which just celebrated its 75th Anniversary. Crissey Field is a wonderful public
dotwnews.com
(that means free) beach where locals and
visitors enjoy the incredible views and fresh
sea breezes. It’s very dog-friendly too. This
part of the city will be the prime viewing
area for the 34th America’s Cup (www.
americascup.com), which takes place from
September 7-22, 2013 in San Francisco
Bay. An America’s Cup World Series preliminary event takes place this year from
October 2-7. The Louis Vuitton Cup yacht
races will determine the Oracle Team USA
challengers and will be held in San Francisco Bay throughout the summer of 2013.
Bay Cruises on Red & White Fleet (www.
redandwhitefleet.com) are another excellent
way to enjoy America’s Cup racing. The old
Presidio area adjacent to Crissey Field also
contains the fascinating Walt Disney Family
Museum (www.waltdisney.org), dedicated
to Walt Disney himself, and the new Inn at
the Presidio (www.innatthepresidio.com) –
the first hotel to open in the area, which is
a National Historic Landmark and National
Park site.
17.00
Take a taxi back to your hotel and get ready
to hit San Francisco’s famous streets. The
city is hopping 24/7 and you have plenty
of first-rate options to catch a show or
perhaps see a game before dinner. Theatre
is alive and well here; San Francisco hosts
pre-Broadway world premieres, original
Broadway cast productions and current hits
such as ‘War Horse’, ‘The Lion King’ and
‘The Book of Mormon’ (www.shnsf.com).
Long-running San Francisco sensation
Beach Blanket Babylon (www.beachblanketbabylon.com) is a hilarious local legend
and shouldn’t be missed.
For something uniquely San Francisco,
catch the action at AT&T Park, home of the
San Francisco Giants. Even if you’ve never
been to a baseball game, or don’t understand
the sport, this could be the prettiest stadium
in the country, with gorgeous Bay views and
a tremendous array of dining choices. Try the
stadium’s signature garlic fries. AT&T Park
will also host the semi-finals and the finals
of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
20.00
San Francisco is a food lover’s paradise full
of tried and true Michelin starred restaurants
like La Folie (www.lafolie.com), the venerable Gary Danko (www.garydanko.com)
and Fleur de Lys (www.hubertkeller.com),
or fantastic new hotspots such as Michael
Mina’s RN74 (www.michaelmina.net),
Boulevard (www.boulevardrestaurant.com)
and Waterbar (www.waterbarsf.com).
22.00
Thirsty? Saunter to some of San Francisco’s
trendier haunts like the very cool Twenty
Five Lusk (www.25lusk.com), Press Club
San Francisco (www.pressclubsf.com),
the curious little watering hole called Big
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
(big-san-francisco.com) on Post Street, AQ
(www.aq-sf.com), or Park Tavern (www.
parktavernsf.com). Beer-lovers should check
out Toronado (www.toronado.com).
00.00
Jones up on Nob Hill (www.620jones.com)
transforms from sophisticated restaurant
into big-time dance club after 10pm. For
an afterparty consider clubs like Infusion
Lounge (www.infusionlounge.com), Monarch (www.monarchsf.com), Ruby Skye
(www.rubyskye.com) and Slide (www.
slidesf.com). Be prepared to dance all night.
08.00
Get up early and walk down to the Ferry
Building Marketplace (www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com) to experience one of the
greatest farmer’s markets in the world. This
homage to all things green and delicious is
a perfect place for breakfast or lunch, but
you’ll have a tough time resisting all the
delectable culinary items on display.
10.00
Hop in a cab and head over to Golden Gate
Park to visit the California Academy of
Sciences (www.calacademy.org). This
important museum is not only educational,
it’s environmentally friendly too (note the
grass growing on the roof). There’s a new
8,000-square-foot Earthquake exhibit,
which will leave you fascinated and terrified.
The nearby De Young Museum (deyoung.
famsf.org) contains precious artworks
including a new exhibit of Dutch Masterworks rarely seen outside of Holland. Golden
Gate Park is one of San Francisco’s jewels
and is a lovely place to walk around and
take in the scenery. In fact, the tranquil San
Francisco Botanical Gardens (www.sfbg.
org), located in the park, is one of the finest
gardens of its kind in the US.
13.00
Head back downtown for a casual yet elegant
lunch at the One Market (www.onemarket.
com), one of the city’s premier restaurants.
15.00
Head off to the airport with your heart firmly
left in San Francisco. n
Tony’s Pizza
Infusion Lounge
STAY
Mandarin Oriental San Francisco
Tel: +1 (415) 276 9888
www.mandarinoriental.com
The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco
Tel: +1 (415) 296-7465
www.ritzcarlton.com
Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
Tel: +1 (415) 633-3000
www.fourseasons.com
dotwnews.com
August 2012
67
DIARY 09.12
Braemar Gathering
Sept 1, Royal Deeside, Scotland
This world-famous event dates
back to 1832 and showcases
traditional Scottish highland games
such as caber-tossing, stoneputting and hammer-throwing,
with performances by pipe bands
and highland dancers. Endorsed
by Queen Victoria in 1848,
today Queen Elizabeth II attends
regularly. Considered one of the
most scenic parts of Scotland,
mountainous Royal Deeside is
home to Balmoral Castle.
www.braemargathering.org
Fiestas de la Vendimia
Sept 11-16, Jerez de la
Frontera, Spain
A celebration of the grape harvest
in Jerez de la Frontera, the festival
is a non-stop party beginning
with the ’pisa’, or squashing of the
grapes with the feet. This year the
festival is dedicated to sherry, and
from start to finish you’ll be spoilt
for choice, with parties, concerts,
bullfights and flamenco dancing
taking place throughout the city. Be
sure to visit the vineyards, bodegas
(sherry houses), and sample
delicious Andalucian cuisine
during your stay.
Bestival
Sept 6–9, Isle of Wight, UK
You’ll hardly be able to see the stage
through the swarm of trendy young
things this ‘boutique’ music festival
draws in. Bestival is centred on the
discovery of new and up-and-coming
talents, but there’s still an impressive
roster of established artists – this
year Happy Mondays and Kool and
the Gang will be performing. Other
than the music, there is a mass fancy
dress party, a Hidden Disco, and a
boutique campsite with tipis, yurts
and bivouacs.
www.bestival.net
London Fashion Week
Sept 14–18, London, England
Head to one of the world’s most
fashionable cities for an aestheticallypleasing lineup of beautiful clothes,
beautiful people and glamour. For four
days, new and established British
fashion designers will showcase
their Spring/Summer 2013 collections
at Somerset House, with smaller
independent shows also taking place
at venues throughout the city. And
of course there are the parties. After
Fashion Week ends the Vodafone
Fashion Weekend runs from Sept
20-23, where you’ll have the chance
to buy designer clothes at discounted
prices and rub shoulders with the
fashion elite at a host of glamorous
parties across the city.
www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
Munich Oktoberfest
Sept 23 – Oct 7, Munich, Germany
Photo: Braemar Gathering Annual
At midday on September 23, the
city of Munich’s Lord Mayor will tap
the first keg of beer and share its
contents around the Schottenhamel
tent, signalling the start of this twoweek festival. It all started in 1810,
when the first Munich Oktoberfest
took place as a celebration of the
Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage
to Princess Therese von SachsenHildburghausen. Visitors can hop
from beer tent to beer tent sampling
brews, watching parades and
dancing to live music.
www.oktoberfest.de/en
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April 2012
63
Spend it
Itineraries
South African adventure
Travel through South Africa in style this
autumn. Depart from Dubai on a first class
flight to Cape Town, where you’ll spend three
luxurious nights in a one-bedroom Marina
Suite at the One&Only Cape Town. From
there, luxury transfer will bring you to Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, where
you’ll have two nights to explore the wildlife
and take part in horse riding, guided nature
walks and whale watching. You’ll then be
whisked to Wilderness for two nights at Views
Boutique Hotel & Spa, where you’ll stay in a
Deluxe Suite and enjoy a tour of the Knysna
Lagoon. From there you’ll be transported
to Sabi Sabi Bush lodge for two nights, for
game drives and walking safaris, before moving on to Sun City’s Palace of the Lost City,
and finally a night at the five-star Peermont
D’oreale Grande in Johannesburg.
From: now until October 31, 2012.
Cost: from AED 45,430 (US$12,368) per person
on twin sharing basis. Includes first class airfare with
Emirates. Restrictions apply.
Book: [email protected]
www.emiratesholidays.com
70
September 2012
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Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge
A slice of the Big Apple
Has the profile of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal
on page 42 inspired you to start your own
hospitality investment portfolio? Even if you’re
not in a position to buy your own luxury hotel,
how about buying a small piece of one? A collection of exclusive suites at The Plaza in New
York are up for sale, starting at a mere US$1.5
million. We’d go for one of the Edwardian
Suites, which range from 800-1,000 sq ft
and start from a cool $2.5 million. The onebedroom suites come with master bedroom,
living room and bathroom with Louis XV-style
period furnishings including custom-designed
club chairs, hand-carved writing desk and rich
textiles and fabric throughout. Bathrooms feature a master bath with inlaid marble mosaic
tiles and 24-carat gold plated Sherle Wagner
fixtures. If you fancy your own pied a terre in
the heart of Manhattan, there are few better
business partners than the owner, Prince
Alwaleed himself.
From: now.
Cost: Edwardian Suite from US$2.5 million.
www.theplaza.com/piedaterre
Over indulgence
Spend it
Celebrate 125 years at Raffles Singapore, see the
Antarctic in style, or buy a luxury suite in New
York’s Plaza Hotel – spend it wisely this month
*All prices are subject to change. Please contact the listed companies for further information.
The Plaza, New York
Classic Antarctica
Raffles Hotel Singapore is celebrating its
125-year anniversary this month, and you
are invited to share in the celebrations with
a holiday experience of a lifetime. Check
into the hotel’s grand Presidential Suite for
at least two nights during September and
you will be treated like a visiting dignitary,
starting with a ride from the airport to the
hotel in its vintage limousine. On arrival in
the Presidential Suite, you’ll be treated to a
bottle of 125th Anniversary champagne to
enjoy as you soak up the tropical atmosphere on your terrace and admire the 1887built colonial building. During your stay,
couples will be presented with a pair of
125th Anniversary edition Jaeger-LeCoultre
Reverso engraved watches – one for him
and one for her. Spend the remainder of
your stay indulging in the hotel’s timeless
luxury. Have a drink at the Long Bar – the
birthplace of the Singapore Sling – take
afternoon tea in the Drawing Room or Tiffin Room, or play a game of billiards in the
room where bellboys once had to chase out
a tiger with a broom. If your stay falls on
September 15, you will also receive tickets
for the Fancy Dress Dinner at Bar & Billiard Room – a gala event to celebrate the
historic anniversary.
From: September 1-30.
Cost: from US$40,160 based on two people
sharing and a minimum of two nights.
www.raffles.com/singapore
Antarctica with Abercrombie & Kent
If you plan to go all the way to Antarctica, you
might as well do it right. In celebration of luxury
travel firm Abercrombie & Kent’s 50-year anniversary, chairman and founder Geoffrey Kent will be
joining guests on a 15-night Classic Antarctica voyage, setting out from the southern tip of Argentina
in the legendary Tierra del Fuego on November
26. Reserve the Owner’s Suite to guarantee this
journey into the great white wilderness aboard
the majestic La Boreal is done in the lap of luxury.
After several days in Buenos Aires getting to know
South America’s most colourful city, you’ll fly
to Ushuaia and set out through Drake’s Passage
before arriving in the Antarctic on day seven.
Spend the next four days visiting penguin colonies
and beaches covered in basking elephant seals, or
hike into the icy interior and explore abandoned
whaling stations along the coast.
From: November 26 to December 11.
Cost: from GBP 17,380 (US$27,259) based on two
people sharing. Includes return flights from London,
flights to Ushuaia, the Owner’s Suite onboard Le Boreal,
and full board dining including open bar.
www.abercrombiekent.co.uk
dotwnews.com
September 2012
71
Suite dreams
When in
Rome
Waldorf Astoria’s Rome
Cavalieri is an elegant
playground for the city’s
most glamorous, says
Joe Mortimer
I
t’s not entirely accurate to say that Waldorf
Astoria’s Rome Cavalieri is one of the best
hotels in Rome, because it isn’t really in
Rome. Not in the busy centre at least.
Nestled on a slope high above the city on the
far side of the River Tiber, the grand dame of a
building commands a panoramic view, allowing
guests to observe the Eternal City from above.
The focal point of the hotel is the 40-metre
outdoor pool and glass conservatory of the Grand
Spa Club. In the summer, the poolside is the place
to see and be seen for Romans, countrymen and
visitors alike, in an eye-pleasing display of flesh
and designer poolwear that could come straight
from the pages of a glossy fashion magazine.
Corner Suite 467 on the fourth floor has a
bird’s eye view of the entire affair, backed by
breathtaking vistas of the city. Marble-framed
mirrors at either end of the double balcony
reflect light and sky, making the space appear
to stretch to infinity.
Inside, the suite is fitted with antique
furniture, marble obelisks, lavish ornaments and
an impressive collection of authentic artwork.
The centrepiece of the living area is a french
antique desk with gilded trim, accompanied by a
glass table lamp and potted orchid.
A curved bookshelf is stocked with Italian
literature and a collection of English language
classics by Mark Twain, Daniel Defoe and
Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as a stack of fine
art catalogues and coffee table books. There’s
even a pair of binoculars for close-up views of
the city (and the pool, one would imagine).
72
September 2012
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Heavy drapes frame the windows, and a
luxurious throw adorns a black leather Keyton
Verona massage chair. An extensive pillow menu
features 13 different types of pillow that can be
used during your stay or taken home for EUR
150 (US$184) each. Above the king-sized bed,
a fisheye-style porthole mirror adds a playful
dimension to the room.
The bathroom is decorated in white marble,
with amenities by Salvatore Ferragamo, and a
bath menu offers four soaking options. Try the
‘Carezzevole’ bath with Crabtree and Evelyn
Aloe Vera, served with caviar and champagne
for an indulgent EUR 300 ($368). Fourteen
different soaps offer a scent for every mood.
Suite guests have access to the Imperial Club,
an exclusive lounge on the seventh floor. There
isn’t a better way to enjoy panoramic views of
Rome than sitting on the breezy terrace with a
glass of prosecco as the sun begins its descent,
illuminating the dome of the Basilica di San
Pietro in Vatican City below.
The important bit
Suite: Corner Suite 467
What: Rome Cavalieri –
Waldorf Astoria
Where: Via Alberto Cadlolo
101, 00136 Rome, Italy
Price: from EUR 1,200
(US$1,473) per night
www.romecavalieri.com
A fireworks display lights up the sky one
night just after 10pm, and the popping of
corks and clinking of glasses marks the
beginning of another glamorous night out for
Rome’s rich and famous. Is that Jay Gatsby
I can see on the lawn below my terrace?
Or just another impeccably dressed guest
mooching off into the shadows? n
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memories that
last a lifetime
Time is a luxury that can’t be bought; that’s why the team at Six Senses Zighy Bay
go one step beyond to ensure that your time with us is well spent. And that goes
for the entire family.
Our goal is to create memorable experiences that the entire family will treasure
both during your stay with us, and long after you return home.
While you’re unwinding by the pool, working out the tension in the award-winning Six Senses Spa or exploring the rugged terrain of the sublime Musandam
Peninsula, our Children’s Club will make sure that your little ones have their own
holiday of a lifetime.
Whether that’s fun activities like rock painting or hunting for crabs; adventurous pursuits like paragliding or snorkeling; or educational programmes such as
Arabic cooking classes, learning about the ocean or an introduction to gardening,
our highly experienced Children’s Club team can create the perfect itinerary for
children of all ages.
Our children’s activities are not restricted to the little ones; mums and dads who
want to join in and share those magical moments with the kids are welcome to
get involved with scheduled indoor and outdoor activities, or just ask our Children’s Club team to help you arrange your own family activities.
After an active day, the whole family can relax in one of our 79 pool villas, all
designed in the local Omani style and fitted out in rustic chic décor that blends
the natural environment with our five-star experience.
In the evening, take the whole family for dinner at one of our spectacular restaurants, set out on a dhow cruise around the peninsula, or have our team arrange
a private dining experience in one of the romantic locations in and around the
resort for a memorable meal under the stars.
Six Senses Zighy Bay transports guests to a world free from worry and stress, but
despite its remote location, Oman’s Musandam Peninsula is only a 90-minute
drive from Dubai, making it a great addition to a Dubai or Abu Dhabi holiday,
or an ideal destination in its own right. Furthermore, as long as they have a UAE
visit visa, our guests don’t require an additional Omani visa.
Children’s Club activities include:
Arabic cooking classes in the organic garden
Introduction to gardening
Paragliding
Snorkelling
Bubblemaker and discover scuba dive courses
Dhow cruises
Sabatyn excursions
Role plays on the historical legends of Oman
Nature drawing
Six Senses Zighy Bay Zighy Bay, Musandam Peninsula, Sultanate of Oman
Tel: +968 26735 888 or +968 26735 555 Fax: +968 26735 887 or
+968 26735 556 E-mail: [email protected]
ON THE ROAD
ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM
COUPÉ AVIATOR COLLECTION
Engine: 6.75-litre V12
BHP: 453
Torque: 720Nm/3500rpm
0-100kph: 5.8 secs
Top speed: 240 kph (limited)
Origin: Goodwood, UK
Cost: AED 2.3 million
(US $626,000)
The best is never enough
for Rolls-Royce. Take the
new Phantom Coupé Aviator
Collection: this limited edition
celebrates the spirit of human
endeavour, specifically that of
co-founder Charles Stewart
Rolls, that made the brand
what it is today. Exclusive
exterior design concepts
include Aviator Grey paint and
contrasting matt finish bonnet,
window and grille surround.
Inside, the wood and metal
mix conveys the sense of
being in a cockpit, enhanced
by the Thommen, aviationgrade clock with blood orange
needle tips. Just 35 will be
made, so reserve yours now.
“Our founding forefather Charles Stewart Rolls was a pioneer who pushed the
boundaries of motoring and aviation to the limit. With our exclusive Phantom
Coupé Aviator Collection we celebrate this great British hero, presenting a
car which hints at experiments in early flight married to the best engineering,
modern design and exquisitely crafted materials”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce
76
July 2012
dotwnews.com
title
ASTON MARTIN
VANTAGE ROADSTER
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Torque: 570 Nm
0-100kph: 4.5 secs
Top speed: 305 kph
Origin: Crewe, UK
Cost: US$235,000
Aston Martin’s new Vantage
Roadster is a serious car. So
serious that only a limited
number are being made. Aston
Martin has taken the nuts and
bolts of its Vantage Coupe
and trimmed it down for a
more sporty performance.
The addition of forged alloy
Sectiony
wheels with Pirelli P Zero
Corsa tyres give extra points
on performance and handling,
and carbon fibre accents give
it an extra sporting finish.
Sport mode allows dynamic
driving with a sharper throttle
response and additional
oomph when accelerating.
dotwnews.com
May 2012
77
WOLF IN SHEEP’S
CLOTHING
WORDS: Joe Mortimer
THERE is no rational explanation for
this car. No one needs a 4x4 that can
out-run a high-performance vehicle,
and few supercar enthusiasts want a
car that can tackle steep inclines and
rocky terrain. Well, look out world, the
Mercedes ML 63 AMG does both.
At first, you would be forgiven for
mistaking the ML for a normal luxury
SUV, the kind that affluent inner-city
mums use to take the kids to school.
You would have had to overlook the
scarlet red brake callipers, AMG
badge, four exhausts and the notinconspicuous “V8 biturbo” emblems
on the front wheel-arches, but you
would still be forgiven. But anyone
familiar with the work of the AMG
stable will immediately recognise that
this car is anything but normal.
The anticipation when sitting in
the cockpit of the ML is similar to
what you experience when you climb
into a roller coaster and the safety
bar settles tightly on your chest.
You’re not entirely sure what’s about
to happen but you know it is going
to be special. The car springs to
life with a low growl as its 5.5-litre
engine roars to life and a barrage of
light dials and digital displays flash
into action.
At slow speeds the ML seems to
drive itself. The AMG Ride Control
sports suspension keeps the car
steady on the road, even when
rounding sharp turns, and the highperformance braking system means
there is very little lurching forwards
and backwards in stop-start traffic.
78
July 2012 2012
September
dotwnews.com
dotwnews.com
But when you dip the accelerator,
the car lets out an almighty roar and
unleashes its full 558 BHP to rocket
propel itself towards the horizon,
accelerating from 0-100kph in less
than five seconds. The sevenspeed Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic
gearbox can be set to Eco, Sport, or
Manual, but for the most interactive
driving experience the tiptronic
controls allow lightning-fast gear
changes that push the ML to its
limit. Or yours - whichever comes
first. Understandably for a twinturbocharged V8, the ML laps up
gasoline, and the needle finds its
way to the red zone much quicker
than you might hope.
For all its complexity, the onboard
computer is very easy to use. Three
different connector cables allow you
to hook up iPods, smartphones and
other devices to the entertainment
system, and there’s a USB socket
for the back seat DVD system. The
Bang & Olufsen sound system
is quite tremendous, producing
a thunderous cacophony. But be
careful not to drown out all that
wonderful engine noise.
By the end of my test drive, I’m
not quite sure whether I’ve been
driving a sports car that wants to be
a 4x4 or an SUV that wants to be a
sports car, but when all is said and
done, the ML’s identity crisis doesn’t
matter one bit. In fact, it might just
make it that unique, once-in-ageneration kind of car that will be
remembered for just that. ■
NUTS & BOLTS
Engine: 5.5-litre V8 biturbo
BHP: 558
Torque: 760Nm
0-100kph: 4.7 secs
Top speed: 250 kph (limited)
Origin: Germany
Cost: from US$99,300
Seasonal scents for him and for her
FRAGRANCE BUTLER
BURBERRY BODY
EAU DE PARFUM ROSE GOLD
As subtle and seductive as their iconic
trench coats, Burberry’s latest scent
combines green absinthe with delicate
peach and freesia, revealing its true
femininity over time: rose, iris and
sandalwood, balanced by vanilla and amber.
MONTBLANC LEGEND POUR FEMME
Inspired by the classic beauty of old
Hollywood’s most memorable stars, this
scent embodies timeless beauty, with
topnotes of neroli, bitter orange and pear,
a blooming heart of jasmine, lily of the
valley and orange blossom, and a powdery
base of musk and vanilla.
Wear it in: Vienna
Wear it in: Corsica
JIMMY CHOO PARFUM
A warm blend of tiger orchid, candied
orange, cypress and caramel topnotes,
Jimmy Choo Parfum is a sweet and
sensual choice for hot summer nights.
A heart of amber, sandalwood and
patchouli brings an invigorating oriental
touch that lingers on the skin.
PERFUMERS WORKSHOP
SAMBA SKIN
Created to capture the essence of justshowered skin, topnotes of bergamont
mingle with peach nectar and incense,
and a floral heart of peony, rose de mai
and jasmine. Musks, sandalwood and
velvety oakmoss add a rich, sensual base.
L’ARTISAN PARFUMER
FOU D’ABSINTHE
A cooling, soothing scent reminiscent of a
stroll through a pine forest, Fou d’Absinthe
blends the icy-cold tingle of absinthe with
black currant buds, star anise, pepper clove,
and ginger, enhanced by earthy notes of
patchouli, pine needles and fir balsam.
Wear it in: Bangkok
Wear it in: Cote d’Azur
Wear it in: Bavaria
dotwnews.com
September 2012
81
Trends
Fifty shades of promotion
First there was the book, soon there will be
the film, and what must follow is the hotel
promotion. The book Fifty Shades of Grey has
become a publishing phenomenon, selling 31
million copies worldwide. For the uninitiated, it
charts the intense romance between Ana Steele
and businessman Christian Grey and involves
a lot of toys that you won’t find in Mothercare.
Anyway, to pick just one of dozens of hotel
examples that are cashing in, the Edgewater
Hotel in Seattle has a US$1,700 package
“honouring the book,” including Ana’s favourite
drinks, a romantic yacht trip, a drive in ‘Grey’s’
Audi and a ’Fifty Shades’ landmark map.
TMZ Tours
Want to know exactly what celebrities get up to?
Log on to TMZ.com. The site has become a mustvisit for anyone obsessed with what sandwich
Lady Gaga is eating this week (now infamous for
publishing nude photos of Prince Harry). The next
step for the multi-million-visited site? TMZ tours of
Hollywood. Stops include parking in front of the Ivy
restaurant (A-list hangout); the Viper Room (where
River Phoenix died) the corner where Hugh Grant
made a new friend; and the Chateau Marmont
(above), where Josh Harnett once phoned the
police about his poorly tummy. Essential Hollywood
or just stalking in a bus? Your call.
Enjoy a jail break
Last month we showed how easy it is to buy your
own island paradise. Now, hot on the heels of
that wonderful concept, comes another isle idea:
booking a holiday at the prison rock of Alcatraz.
It’s only US$600 a night. Included in the price
is the ferry trip, a little show-round by a former
inmate, a little volunteer work and an overnight
stay in D-block, where the most dangerous
prisoners used to be locked up, 24 hours a day.
Your cell door is kept open, but your bedding
includes a nice mattress and, erm, nothing else.
Night activities can include your own midnight
swim. If you dare.
Norse code
Photo: The Viking Ship Museum / Werner Karrasch
Pay with fingerprints
Payment can be such a hassle at check-out;
all that paperwork, all those forms – “use the
same credit card, sir?” Who needs it. Now
at the Ushuaïa Beach Hotel in Ibiza, there
is something that cuts through all that –
biometric paytouch. Guests give their card
details and fingerprint data at check-in, and
that’s it for the rest of your stay. Whenever you
want to buy something at the hotel you just
present a fingertip. No pin numbers, no swiping,
no carrying cash or cards, just a touch. How cool
is that? Answer: very.
There’s nothing like the wind in your sails to put
a spring in your step. But forget mega-cruises or
Riviera jaunts; if you want to really experience life on
the ocean, hop on a Viking long boat. The Roskilde
Viking Ship Museum in Denmark offers courses on
how to sail longboats along the country’s famous
fjords, including manoeuvring sails, rowing and
navigation. Sadly, pillaging is not included, but every
ship has been built to traditional specifications, and
some of the trainers have big Viking beards. The
courses are only US$150, but the chance to be a
Viking for the day is obviously priceless.
dotwnews.com
September 2012
83
POSITIONING
YOUR INVESTMENT
FOR GROWTH
LOOKING TO INVEST IN
RUSSIA & THE CIS?
Now in its 8th year, the Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference (RHIC) has
become the region’s largest industry gathering, with over 450 key players under
one roof. Nowhere else is it possible to meet so many of the region’s most
influential decision makers in once place, at one time.
The conference programme will explore the opportunities current market
conditions present for hotel investors, enabling you to discover how to position
your investment for growth.
For those looking to do business in Russia & the CIS, RHIC is the must-attend
event.
Make valuable contacts — Discover the latest trends — Identify new
business opportunities
REGISTER NOW!
www.russia-cisconference.com or call +44 (0)1462 490609
CO N F E R E N C E H O S TS
FOUNDER SPONSOR
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
P L AT I N U M S P O N S O R S
The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Corinthia Hotels
Horwath HTL Hungary & Russia
GOLD SPONSORS
ACCOR
AECOM
Airportcity Saint-Petersburg
Argentina National Institute of
Tourism Promotion
AZIMUT Hotels
Cushman & Wakefield
Deloitte
DLA Piper
Ernst & Young
Hilton Worldwide
HVS
IHG
Interstate Management Services, Inc
Marriott International, Inc
Orient-Express Hotels
Salans
Schneider Electric
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc
WATG
Wyndham Hotel Group
Sponsors confirmed as of 22 August 2012
IN
Real deal
Real Madrid has scored a great
deal with the creation of its own
resort/theme park island off the
coast of the UAE. Scheduled for
completion in 2015, we can’t
wait for kick-off.
Sand and deliver
The key to the perfect sand castle? Just one percent water. Too
much and it’s mush; too little and
it crumbles. Thank you scientists
at Amsterdam University for that
wonderful insight.
Fright club
Woooo zombies. We love ’em.
News reaches us that Universal
Studios is planning Walking Dead
zombie ‘experiences’. We really
can’t wait.
Difficult Hobbit to break
New Zealand has the forthcoming
Hobbit spectacular all wrapped
up. There are now set tours of
Hobbiton, helicopter tours of
LOTR sights and visits to ‘touch
the props’. But our favourite is
the Air New Zealand Boeing 777s
branded with Hobbit images.
OUT
Marriage by text
Drive-thru weddings in Vegas?
Passé. You can now get married
by text. Just text your location to
ministers Andy or James and they
will fire up the Wedding Wagon
and come to you to do the needful. lasvegasweddingwagon.com
IKEA airport lounge
IKEA last month unveiled a popup airport lounge at Paris-Charles
de Gaulle International. Sadly, the
lounge is a one-off and will not be
available for flat-pack takeaway
from your neighbourhood store.
Is this seat taken?
A two-year study into antisocial
travel behaviour (window seat,
bag on aisle – sound familiar?)
has found out… the bleeding
obvious. “Confinement in small
spaces without privacy causes
people to actively disengage.”
Gourmet baboons
Baboons in Cape Town are
becoming a major nuisance
due to their preference for “the
higher quality of food enjoyed by
humans”. The result? Organised
raids on restaurants.
High sea history
Set sail for serious luxury with the Christina O
W
ith armadas of luxury yachts
clogging up A-list marinas from
Monaco to Miami, it’s often hard to
stand out from the sea-going billionaire herd.
Every Microsoft gazillionaire and football-club
owning oligarch seems to have a gigayacht
complete with helicopter pad, escape submarine
and Jay-Z DJ booth.
So what do you do if you want to make a
splash? You go old school. Forget the flash
and spend your cash on hiring history. Just
US$560,000 a week will get you a yacht that is
not only astonishingly luxurious, but also rich in
iconic personality – it’s called the Christina O, and
it was the floating palace home of shipping tycoon
Aristotle Onassis.
Onassis (a Greek immigrant dishwasher who
arrived in Argentina with US$60 and went on to
own 50 tankers) married Jackie (style icon of the
1960s and widow of assassinated president JFK),
onboard this yacht amid a blast of bouzouki and
plate throwing (really) in 1968.
At the time, the vessel was the most luxurious
yacht in the world and the perfect venue for
its mythically generous host. A young John
F Kennedy was introduced to Sir Winston
Churchill in the ship’s bar. Elizabeth Taylor,
Richard Burton, Frank Sinatra, Rudolf Nureyev
and John Wayne were regulars in the yacht’s
lounge; billionaires John Paul Getty and John D
Rockefeller were always on board for business
and guest rooms accommodated Greta Garbo,
Eva Peron, Margot Fonteyn and Marilyn Monroe.
Onassis bought the former World War II
surplus frigate in 1954 and then set about
updating it with a then extraordinary budget
of US$4 million. After his death in 1975, the
vessel was gifted to the Greek government
as a presidential yacht before undergoing
extensive restoration and becoming available
for charter today.
At 99 metres, the Christina O is huge even by
today’s superyacht standards, and continues to
offer a level of Onassis indulgence that would
make Croesus blush. The open-deck pool, inlaid
with mosaic frescos and bronze border, still closes
at the push of a button, and the bottom rises to
become a dance floor.
Connecting three of the five decks is an ornate
spiral staircase offering access to a world where
Waterford crystal glints, Ercuis silverware
sparkles, Baccarat wall lamps glow and original
Renoirs sulk against a background of marble
bathrooms, lapis lazuli, oak panelling, original
sea charts, onyx fireplaces, glass-covered models,
creaky leather furniture and teak decking.
Perhaps the Christina O’s most astonishing cabin
is Ari’s Bar, which is made from the timbers of a
Spanish galleon, with foot- and handrails carved
from whales’ teeth and bone. Its most famous
feature was its bar stools, upholstered in skin taken
from the most, erm, sensitive parts of whales.
Today those stools are upholstered in fine
leather, as 21st century demands forced
contemporary modifications to the Christina such
as the addition of a Six Senses spa and Michelinstarred cuisine.
Passengers are now catered to with a newly
introduced sports lounge, gym, elevators, video
systems with surround sound, high-tech airfreshening systems, Jacuzzi, massage showers,
children’s playroom and dining room. On the
deck by the tenders and lifeboats is a helipad. In
Onassis’ day, this was where he kept his seaplane.
This grand dame of the sea can still reach 22
knots and continues to wear her iconic status
lightly. The Christina O ’s 18 staterooms can
accommodate up to 36 passengers, and her deck
continues to host parties for the type of people who
appreciate the yacht’s paparazzi-blocking privacy.
Want to really join the world’s wet set? Hire the
Christina O. www.mychristinao.com n
dotwnews.com
September 2012
85
Log onto
DOTWNEWS.COM
to view this exclusive content
most read stories last month
A walk in the clouds
Treat yourself and the
family to a short summer
escape in the stunning
Rigi mountains of central
Switzerland.
Olympic fever
Looking back at some
of the free Cultural
Olympiad events hosted
by nations that took part
in London 2012.
Timeless traditions
at The May Fair
The May Fair hotel has
recaptured the spirit of
London in days gone by
with its new Cigar Room.
Champagne under
the stars in Kenya
The Sankara Nairobi has
opened the first rooftop
champagne bar in the
Kenyan capital.
Drunk pilot ordered
off Qantas flight
A Qantas pilot was ordered
to leave the flight deck
after crew reported she
was drinking alcohol.
preview
Check out these web exclusives coming
up on DOTWNEWS.COM this month
Island in the city
Nicci Perides discovers the delights
of Hong Kong in the luxurious Island
Shangri-La Hong Kong.
Life is a journey
Spa guru Anna Bjurstam
from Raison d’Etre Spas shares
her top six spa destinations.
competition
Urban sanctuary
The COMO Shambhala Urban Escape at The Metropolitan
London is the perfect spot for some R&R.
Mediterranean renaissance
Lucy White finds a touch of luxury in the Balearic Islands
at Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa in Mallorca.
To win a year’s subscription to Destinations of the World News and a bottle of
S.T. Dupont Passenger for Men or for Women, visit DOTWNEWS.COM and
guess the location of the image. The location in August’s competition was
Edinburgh Castle. The winner was Julie McCallum from Saltcoats, Scotland.
SIGN UP TO DOTWNEWS.COM’S TWICE-WEEKLY NEWS ALERTS
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September 2012
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Advertorial
Advertorial
BALI TRADITION
W STYLE
CONTACT
Jl. Petitenget, Seminyak, Bali,
80361, Indonesia
T: +62 361 4738106
E: [email protected]
www.whotels.com/baliseminyak
EVEN in the magical world of Bali, there are some
places that defy expectations. When you’re a guest
at W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak, you’re transported
into a land where traditional Balinese culture and
traditions meet ultra-contemporary design and
technology. The somewhat surreal haven, created
by some of the world’s top architects and designers,
is the jewel in the crown that is Seminyak; Bali’s
exclusive West Coast beach resort where the island’s
trendiest boutiques, hottest galleries and liveliest
nightspots congregate.
Home to 158 Retreats & Suites and 79 Villa Retreats,
W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak is a collection of
unique spaces that incorporate traditional Balinese
design with a twist and a shake, with bold colours
and modern contours adding a fantastical edge to the
island’s mythical spirit. There’s privacy when you need it,
and plenty of opportunities for mingling and flirting when
the sun drops; a daily spectacle best enjoyed from one of
the plump beachfront bean bags with a cocktail in hand.
Dine al fresco and sample Bali’s wealth of fish and
seafood at Starfish Bloo; indulge in flame-grilled prime
meats and seafood from the show-kitchen at FIRE; or
sample artisan cheeses and charcuterie at ICE. After the
sun has set, WooBar and the W Lounge thrill guests and
Bali’s most fashionable souls with a seductive mixture of
high design, electric atmosphere and some of the world’s
top DJs.
If you prefer your holidays to be all about you, AWAY
Spa immerses guest in a world of sensory indulgence,
with three spa menus and a collection of rare and exotic
Balinese treatments. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beach
bum, a gourmand or a spa connoisseur, W Retreat & Spa
Bali – Seminyak promises to tantalise and delight all
those who choose to call it home.
ALBERT ROUX, OBE
French restaurateur and chef
T
he name Albert Roux is, to the
culinary world, what Muhammad Ali
is to boxing – no less than legendary.
Owner of Le Gavroche, the first British
restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars,
and voted, along with his brother Michel, most
influential chef in the country by the UK’s Caterer
and Hotelkeeper magazine in 2003, Albert Roux is
the godfather of Britain’s culinary empire. Among
the young chefs who have cut their teeth in his
kitchen are Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing,
Marco Pierre White and Pierre Koffmann, to
name a few. All talk highly of the experience and
knowledge gained in Roux’s kitchens.
Today, Albert Roux collaborates with his son
Michel Roux Jr at the magnificent Roux at The
Landau at The Langham London, and manages a
number of restaurants through his company Roux
Consultancy. This month he will appear at the
11-day Langham Food and Wine Festival in Hong
Kong, which takes place from September 13-23.
www.langhamfoodandwine.com
Bali
I love the interior landscape of Bali;
the mountains, not by the seaside.
Spending time in the temples,
eating delicious fresh fruit and
meditating is my idea of a perfect
day in Bali.
Paris
Adelaide
One of my favourite places is Paris,
especially in the spring, when it is
so beautiful. I would conclude my
day with a fantastic dinner a La
Tour d’Argent, overlooking Notre
Dame Cathedral, but only in the
charming company of my wife.
I love Adelaide. It is very tranquil
and the countryside, dotted with
vineyards and beautiful farms, is
wonderful. The charming attitude
of the Australian people makes it
a place I love to go back to again
and again.
“In Hong Kong you
can get hand-made
shirts measured and
delivered within 48
hours, and I love all
those little stalls in
the market”
Album
Picture perfect
Hotel Caruso Belvedere’s infinity
pool overlooks the breathtaking
vistas of the Amalfi Coast
Cape Town
Hong Kong
Broome
The Cape Peninsula in South Africa
is a great destination because of
the diversity of all the different
people living happily together. I
also love the wines that they are
producing today, even though I
think they drink it too young.
I must include Hong Kong for its
diversity, the exhilaration of the
tempo, and the broad range of
cuisine you can find. You can get
hand-made shirts measured and
delivered within 48 hours, and I love
all those little stalls in the market
and the people who live there.
Broome, in Australia, is the most
charming little village in the
Northern Territory. The village is
well-known for the production of
pearls, and for the 100 kilometres
of white beach and coral reef, where
there are still aboriginals living the
way they have done for centuries.
dotwnews.com
September 2012
89
Connoisseur
An insider’s guide to the most
luxurious hotels in the world
F
Mary
Gostelow
MARBELLA
Luxury travel
expert
90
September 2012
ly into Malaga, or take the
four-hour high-speed train
from Madrid. It is then a
half-hour drive west to the
Marbella area, a year-round destination
popular with Middle East residents
(there are no fewer than seven Saudi
palaces in Marbella alone) and
Europeans. For tradition and up-to-date
style, nothing beats the Marbella Club
Hotel, originally a farmhouse that was
bought in 1947 by Prince Alfonso of
Hohenlohe-Langenburg for his father,
Max. It became a staging post for Prince
Alfonso’s high-society friends on their
way to Morocco, and since then every
crowned and might-have-been-crowned
head of Europe has stayed there. The
hotel now has 121 rooms, lovingly
looked after by 400 employees. It can
offer everything, from an immediatevicinity beach and promenade to tennis,
swimming, people-watching and, as
of this year, nearby skiing overnight at
El Lodge, the 20-room Sierra Nevada
private lodge of the King of Spain that
the Marbella Club manages. A Marco
Polo Suite, perhaps 310, is closest to
the beach. Lie in your four-post bed
and look across the subtly-designed
room and its terrace to the blue
Mediterranean a few yards away. You
need to book ahead for a prized table at
The Grill, where you might see Count
Rudi von Schonburg, long-time friend
of Prince Alfonso and ongoing hotel
ambassador with a wealth of stories
to share. The GM is would-be French
aviator Franck Sibille.
www.marbellaclub.com
For families, follow parents who know
their children are happiest at the softpink Kempinski Hotel Bahia Estepona,
run by German GM Rudiger Hollweg,
who wanted to be a doctor. Now he
administers happiness over a sprawling
dotwnews.com
Marbella Club Hotel
147-room resort that looks like a Moroccan castle, with myriad private terraces (the
one attached to room 806, a Levante Suite, is large enough to play table tennis on
in style). There are games everywhere, inside and out, and a kids’ club plus several
unusually-shaped swimming pools. For adults there are interesting artworks, serious
hardback books and a spa with Ligne St Barth and hot candle massages. The beach is
also recommended for all ages, and head a few yards further to the hotel’s 3,000 sq m
vegetable garden, which produces nearly all the avocados and tomatoes required in
the cheerful, casual dining outlets.
www.kempinski.com/estepona
For golf enthusiasts and those who want to be kids-free, head a further 20
minutes inland up to Finca Cortesin Hotel, Spa and Golf resort in Casares. The
220-acre estate holds a sprawling all-white colonial house with a mere 67 rooms.
Honeymooning couples might like #42, a second-floor room with a totally private
terrace that holds a 24 sq m private plunge pool. Head off to the course, designed
by Cabell Robinson, with more than 100 bunkers, or stay at the resort and visit the
massive spa, with its snow-room, Biologique Recherché and Carita products. There is
an Olympic-size indoor pool, and an outside one that is twice as long. The signature
restaurant, Shilo, with an open kitchen to watch the action, is run by famed Dutch
culinarian Schilo van Coevorden, who also oversees food at the Conservatorium Hotel
in Amsterdam. In the summer months, Madrid-based, Sicilian-born chef Andrea
Tumbarello moves his Italian concept Don Giovanni to Finca Cortesin. Be prepared, by
the way, to coincide with top car launches. The hotel’s Swiss GM is René Zimmer.
www.fincacortesin.com
Finca Cortesin

the full version - Destinations of the World News

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