You don’t need snow to have fun in Haute Savoie October 6, 2013 Savoie Mont Blanc in France is famous for its winter sports but it’s worth checking out all year FOR winter skiing in Haute Savoie, it always pays to put in a little training. Off-season trips, it turns out, require some preparation too: increase wine consumption in the weeks preceding; swap to elasticated trousers to allow [...]
Elephant trekking, luxury and great Thai food September 29, 2013 This luxury beach resort was devastated by the 2005 tsunami. Now it’s back and better than ever THE PERFECT way to end an unforgettable afternoon spent trekking through the jungle trails of Khao Sok National Park in Phuket, Thailand is to give a leathery, old elephant a sunset bath. With Bauthong (lotus flower) repeatedly submerging [...]
Fly away to the fantastical mountains of St Lucia September 22, 2013 There’s a lot of local charm beyond the idyllic beaches, azure waters and postcard sunsets, says Oliver Pickup WHAT connects Superman, Amy Winehouse, Oprah Winfrey, Blackbeard and Napoléon Bonaparte? No, it’s not my ultimate dinner party guest list – although that would be some karaoke line up. The link is that they have all been [...]
The recession is a distant memory in the White Isle September 15, 2013 Two million visit Ibiza every year. Many come for the clubs, but there’s more to it than beats IT IS a hot and sultry night on the east coast of Ibiza. Above my head a huge white crane has stretched out its long steel arm, carrying with it a circular frame resembling an oversized seventies [...]
When the lights come on: Ibiza in the close season September 15, 2013 OF THE destination nightclubs in Ibiza, only Pacha stays open all year round. Some beach bars stick it out until the weather turns, but in general the island is a quiet place out of season. But don’t mistake the lack of noise for a lack of things to do: there’s plenty going on after the [...]
Undergo a cava conversion in rural Catalunya September 8, 2013 Are you a snob about Spanish bubbly? Penedès will change your mind I ALWAYS thought of cava as Champagne’s poorer cousin – something one takes to parties when the French stuff seems a little dear. You turn up, sheepishly handing the sparkling Spaniard to your host, with the caveat that you would have bought France’s [...]
Whisky wonderland September 1, 2013 Scotland’s Jura may be remote, but it sure knows its drink THE Edinburgh Festival may finish today, but there’s still reason to head north of the border. Richard Paterson, Master Blender for the past 40 years at Glasgow-based whisky producer Whyte & Mackay (makers of Jura whisky), is a third generation whisky man who has [...]
Review: Bulgari Hotel September 1, 2013 Zoe Strimpel checks in for a slice of the high-life THE name Bulgari conjures images of diamonds and decadence – it’s appropriate that its first UK hotel is in that home of international wealth, Knightsbridge. Its probably only a matter of time until the Gucci Hotel opens up on Sloane Street, or Fendi launches a [...]
Sun, sea and history in Sardinia August 22, 2013 The small town of Santa Teresa di Gallura on the northern tip of Sardinia held significant strategic importance for various Italian and Sardinian rulers over the ages. Traces of its history can still be spotted in the surrounding towns and villages, although today the economy is supported almost entirely by tourism. Santa Teresa’s population explodes [...]
Travel review: The Four Season’s Hotel George V in Paris August 22, 2013 I have a confession to make. I don’t like Paris and I don’t find Paris romantic. On the contrary I find it dirty, crowded and unsympathetic in every way. But I have family in Paris, so I often find myself there. On this particular occasion, it was my father’s 70th birthday. He’d summoned three generations [...]