Lifestyle and Adventure
The Nautilus series – Day 3
Our final day. We woke up to breakfast in bed giving all of our culinary desires to our butler the evening before.
We ate happily in our room before sending our five-year old for one last day of adventure. This was also the first day where we left our one-year old in the hands of the caretakers which we were apprehensive about as she was going through a bout of major separation anxiety. We felt we had no choice as we didn’t want to bring her along to our turtle snorkelling excursion. In the end there were no regrets...
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Review of The Nautilus Series - Day 1
A place where discretion governs and freedom reigns. It is not about seeing and being seen, it is about being. Having the opportunity to experience what The Nautilus has to offer is one thing but summarising it is another. We could write chapters about this place but for the purpose of ease and not to overwhelm, we have decided to illustrate this experience from the days and nights spent here, starting with our first night.
Featuring Arctic Open at The Akureyri Golf Club
Akureyri Golf Club in the north of the country has some of the trickiest greens to read in the world. You have to make allowances for sudden shifts in the earth’s surface because of the volcanic activity happening under your spikes. You must also be prepared to see your ball disappearing forever down a 60 million-year-old fissure. You are also advised to make sure you check your ball is your ball before playing it. It might be a piece of lava and therefore hazardous to your card, clubs and wrists. The Magnus Gudmundsson designed moorland and ancient rock outcroppings course at Jadar farm first opened in 1935 and is the second oldest golf course in Iceland after Reykjavik ( est 1934). Iceland’s third course is on Westmann Island (Vestmannaeyjar in Icelandic), on the island of Helmaey off the southern coast.
MYBA Charter Show 2022 – the superyacht event of the year
It's been well over a decade since I was in Barcelona, and in recent years, I'd begun to hear vague whispers around London, a sort of polite secret the well-heeled and well-informed would occasionally share, that Barcelona was the 'new hottest' city in Europe. Greatness as a destination, is fragile, hard to achieve, and almost certainly anathema to widespread popularity; too many people, too exploited, and the character and charm evaporate under the tramp of the thronging masses. As you may well imagine then, I'm a little conflicted to write that yes, the rumours are true: Barcelona sits atop my estimation as one of the greatest cultural & luxury destinations in Europe.
Featuring Cambodia high life - the height of luxury sustainable travel
They arrive at reception for their welcome drink and perfumed refresher towel in chains and a safety helmet. The 865 acre Shinta Mani Wild Bensley Collection is an all-inclusive luxury tented camp located deep in the South Cardamom National Park. The tents are more like luxury lodges. The camp has 14 one-bedroom tents (141sqm) and one two-bedroom tent (140sqm) and offers guests bespoke experiences. Its unique mode of arrival is via a double-cable 400m zipline above the forest canopy and across the Tmor Rung river and the Raging Big Sister and Middle Sister waterfalls, straight into the Landing Zone Bar where guests are greeted by their Bensley Adventure Butler and the General Manager. And a gin and tonic. Or a slug of tequila. No mocktails! Not many hotels offer such a spectacular arrival. Or the chance to confiscate a bulldozer! The five-star tent lodges have been named like The Great Conservationist (after Sir Laurens van Der Post), The Botanist’s (which is decorated with Katie Spencer botanical artwork), Gibbons (situated close and personal with a resident troop of pileated gibbons), Birders and the First Lady Jackie Kennedy which marks her visit to Cambodia in 1967.
Featuring The remaking of an iconic hotel—in conversation with...
but have successfully—and valorously—led the relaunch, of a classic hotel that is famed as the heartbeat of Piccadilly Circus. Previously The Meridien, the home away from home has been in service for 114 years. And with an unwavering abundance of clientele that pours through the hotel's revolver doors, we sat down with General Manager James Olivier, to discuss the journey of introducing London’s new modern and breathtaking The Dilly and how its relaunch took so much more than a simple change of curtains and ample lick of paint. You’ve been working in hospitality for 15 years now. What has been the most important advice or experience gained throughout the years that helped you lead the redirection of The Dilly and its future success? For me the most important advice would be to set out a clear strategy and target to aim for. It’s also of paramount importance to ensure you have a strong team in place and to communicate the strategy clearly to them to ensure everyone is aligned. At The Dilly I am very lucky to have a great team at the hotel and a strong sense of engagement and team morale. It is somewhat of a cliché but a happy and engaged team leads to good service levels and allows us to create lasting memories for our guests which in turn fosters loyalty to The Dilly.
Featuring Experience Easter – the ultimate travel inspiration
And although many of us aren't anticipating the idea of travelling just yet, The Sybarite have carefully collated all of the world's most luxury, Easter travel locations, offering a sweet escape. From oysters in Dazzling Dubrovnik, to Easter-egg hunting in the depths of paradise, Maldives. See where our luxury, handpicked experiences take you this Easter.
Review of A fully refurbished Edgar House in the heart of Chester
This is an elegant riverside residence in the heart of the city. Having undergone a full scheme of refurbishment to mark its new chapter as an exclusive holiday home, this handsome Regency Villa can accommodate up to sixteen guests. With that in mind I invited my close family, including my brother and his wife, and my mum and step dad to enjoy the weekend together. Before our arrival, I was introduced to the house manager who asked if we had any special requests and asked how we would like the rooms set up. Driving up from London we arrived on Thursday evening, meaning we could make the most of our weekend. My mum took our little girl, and arrived before us meeting Caroline for a meet and greet. Her words over the phone were ‘I’m in heaven.’ I couldn’t wait to get there!
Women who launch – Valentina de Santis of Grand Hotel...
I’m here to tell you that that would be a mistake. Italy has been one of my most frequently visited countries largely because of its regional diversity. I love how a short drive could mean a complete change in scenery, dialects, and flavours. Late last year, I was fortunate to spend a long weekend in the region of Lombardia where panoramic views of the Alps greeted me every morning. It is in this picturesque location that the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a Preferred Hotels & Resorts member, welcomes guests every season. Lying on the western shores of Lake Como, Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a family-owned five-star luxury hotel with Valentina de Santis as its current CEO. de Santis is a multi-awarded hotelier who has, not only hospitality expertise running in her veins, but a keen eye for design as well. She has taken all the elements of the art nouveau hotel and created a line of products sold in a newly-launched e-boutique that allow guests to take the experience home with them.
Review of The Sybarite Reviews - Sublime Comporta
Sublime Comporta's tranquil 17-hectare estate with rice fields, sand dunes and over 60 km stretch of beach to match is what makes this haven breath-taking for holiday goers. Sublime’s natural habitat takes centre stage and with its sprawling villas along the estate, the flourishing pine trees and cork trees of which it belongs, provide ample views for much needed relinquishment. Our lodging over the two nights was in one of their Villa Room Master’s located within one of their Cabana Villas. Sublime’s concept is that each room is separate but shares a common entrance with shared access to the common spaces. Our room fit all four of us snuggly with a cot provided at the foot of our bed and a children’s bed across our king sized bed. The most attractive part about the room was certainly the views of the undulating trees, for a second we thought we were on a safari holiday, wondering when giraffes or whatever animal you’d expect on a safari would appear.
Featuring International Women’s Day- the best female-only wellness...
Health and Fitness Travel, the wellness holiday specialists have rounded-up the best female-only wellness retreats for solo travel for those looking to book a well-deserved wellness break in 2022. From relaxing on the glistening shores of the Algarve with an immersive yoga experience, to increasing your fitness on an intensive bootcamp overlooking the striking Thai mountains, these exclusive health and fitness retreats are guaranteed to enlighten and empower every woman.
Basel - Switzerlands Perfect Romantic Getaway
You might be thinking of cosy chalets with snow-capped mountains in the backdrop. However, I would recommend the hidden gem that is Basel instead. It is far away from the Swiss Alps, but in fact, it is the third-most populous city in Switzerland. With its proximity to France and Germany, it's always been more multicultural than other parts of the country. It is a city that effortlessly intertwines history with modernity. It is a fabulous city for lovers because you have so much to talk about whether it's their cultural, architectural, or gastronomical excellence. With around 40 museums, it is the museum capital of Switzerland. Despite opening around 25 years ago only and being privately funded, Foundation Beyeler is the most visited museum in the whole country. And it's hardly surprising considering the blockbuster exhibitions they keep securing like the recent Goya retrospective. In their anniversary year, this year, they've secured spectacular exclusives like their current Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition with her unique take on capturing the beauty of flowers. Her works rarely leave the United States, so it's a real coup for the local community.
Review of The Luxury Insider Reviews Hotel nhow - Londons boldest...
This isn’t the sort of hotel I would normally check into, but its interiors fascinated me and so, I was intrigued about how much luxury this uber-cool hotel could provide. Just 10 minutes from Angel and Old Street stations, the nhow is incredibly convenient for anyone exploring this side of the city. The outside is quite unremarkable, but once you walk through the doors you're greeted by a bold and playful British theme which looks like it could have been created by Lewis Carroll and Banksy - think graffiti, a 30ft rocket ship Big Ben and House of Hackney seating that wouldn't look out of place at the Mad Hatter's tea party. If nothing else, it oozes fun and fits with it’s east London location.
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