TRAVEL NOTES
ALPINE PICNICS IN ST MORITZ
Badrutt’s Palace, the spectacular St Moritz hotel that perches like a fairy tale castle overlooking the crystalline lake in the valley below, is the place where winter Alpine tourism pretty much began, when Victorian-era entrepreneur Caspar Badrutt invited his English friends to try out spending the winter there. But it’s also a fabulous place to experience the full glories of the Alpine summer. And if you’re out exploring all that, you may as well take a picnic. Thankfully, this summer Badrutt’s Palace is supplying guests with an over-flowing champagne hamper packed with Swiss goodies.
A two night “Escape the Heat” package starts from CHF 1,440 per room, including set dinners, a spa treatment and transfers from the Corviglia mountain railway. www.badruttspalace.com
LEGO FUN FOR KIDS IN PROVENCE
Luxury hotels used to be largely child-free zones but the boom in high-end travel over the past decade has seen provision for kids become ever more important.
The latest innovation is at the Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche, in the south of France, where Four Seasons has collaborated with toy giant Lego on its “Kids for all seasons centre”.
This includes two Lego playrooms and a giant splash pool which comes with a slide, pirate boat and water shooting dinosaurs.
There are also educative activities like pony treks, cookery lessons, painting classes and lessons in Petanque to get stuck into.
Room rates start from £475 per room per night, on a bed and breakfast basis.
www.fourseasons.com/provence