NOVEMBER 2019 - Global Escapes
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NOVEMBER 2019
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LUXURY
Vice President: Ruthanne Terrero, CTC
(212) 895-8423 rterrero@questex.com
Associate Editor, Luxury Travel Advisor; LuxuryTravelAdvisor.com:
Matt Turner mturner@questex.com
N OVEM B ER 2 0 19
www.luxurytraveladvisor.com
(212) 895-8289
Contributing Editors: Susan J. Young, Adam Leposa, Mary Winston Nicklin, Sharri
Whiting de Masi, Emily Goldfischer, Pamela McCourt Francescone, Lindsay Lambert Day
T R AV E L A D V I S O R
Editor at Large: Priscilla Alexander
ADVERTISING & SALES STAFF DESTINATIONS COVER STORY
Northeast USA: Kristin Bator kbator@questex.com 6 EXPLORING INDIA: An intimate 46 SOUTHERN COMFORT:
(212) 895-8242
and highly personalized itinerary Tiffany Hines ever-evolves Global
Midwest & Southeast USA: Andi Washington awashington@questex.com across North India with Micato Escapes to serve luxury travelers
(773) 895-6662 by Lindsay Lambert Day by Matt Turner
Florida & Caribbean: Barbara Magro bmagro@questex.com
16 THREE HOURS FROM PARIS:
(561)-257-1710
Three cities that make for a great DEPARTMENTS
West Coast USA, Asia/Pacific: Chris Coon ccoon@questex.com extension or day trip from Paris
(661) 775-1482
2 Editor’s Letter
by Richard Nahem
Europe, Mexico & Latin America: Viveca Caldara viveca@vcmedia.es 66 The Pulse
Wellness Retreats:
+34 971 198 377
HOTELS Four Seasons’ first; New York escape
Hawaii: Loren Malenchek loren@hawaii.rr.com
28 ALL-INCLUSIVES: Options in the
(808) 283-7122 FIX Venice Luxury:
Caribbean and Mexico for families,
New hotels in the “City of Canals”
TRAVEL AGENT LEARNING AND LOYALTY: friend groups or romantic escapes
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Jordan Tielmann jtielmann@questex.com 70 Just Back: New Zealand
(212) 895-8228
SPAS 74 Source List
ART, CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION 34 COUPLE’S SPAS: Resort spas in
Art Director: St. Lucia and Oahu that set the stage
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by Lindsay Lambert Day
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38 BODY & SOUL: New wellness
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UDAIPUR, India
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NOVEMBER 2019 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 1
EDITOR’S LETTER
It’s Not About You
T
here are many attributes that make a of the presentation. She is leaving all this to the end
good salesperson. Passion, tenacity, and will use these slides for an FAQ, only because this
self-motivation, confidence and an meeting is not about her, it’s about the customer.
entrepreneurial spirit are some of the Needless to say, she wins the business for the safari
traits that deliver results. and Travel Advisor A becomes a vague memory.
What is considered the most common element In comparison, it’s easy to see what Travel
among the very top salespeople who consistently Advisor A did; he made the meeting all about him-
crush their sales goals? It’s having a deep under- self. But he also wasted the client’s time by doing
standing of the customer’s business. that and, in today’s world, that’s an egregious error.
Think of it in this context: A consumer is con- It’s nearly 2020 and you’re setting new goals for
sidering taking his large family on a very complex the next decade. Here’s a list of some other things
African safari and they’ve got two referrals for luxury you can do to deliver positive results:
travel advisors from their friends at the country club. Don’t waste time with clients who will not spend
Travel Advisor A takes them to lunch, opens his on a luxury trip. These are the people who are
laptop and does a PowerPoint presentation on his constantly balking about price, even though you’ve
agency and his experience in booking high-end trips. repeatedly shown them the value of the experiences
He’s got all of his certifications listed, the number of spending a bit more will deliver.
Keep your e-mails to years he’s been doing this and toward the end he’s got Keep your e-mails to clients brief and to the
clients brief. They’ll several screens that show off lions and elephants with point. They’re likely going to read your message
some sample, out-of-the-box itineraries. on their cellphone, and they don’t want to pour
likely be reading Travel Advisor B is a curious soul. She researches through massive paragraphs that you’ve copied and
this prospective customer by going back to the cli- pasted from a supplier’s website describing their
them on their cell ent who referred him to politely ask some top-line room, tour or flight.
questions about them (she doesn’t want to stalk) Go out of your comfort zone. This means per-
phones and don’t and with that she’s also able to take a look at their sonally traveling to destinations you’re unsure about
Instagram and Facebook pages. Before the consult but that may interest your clients. When you come
want to see large meeting, she e-mails the prospect, asking him about home, push your clients out of their comfort zones
his likes and dislikes, what made him crazy about as well by challenging them to try a new experience
blocks of copy. his last trip and what sparked joy. they haven’t considered before.
For her meeting, Travel Advisor B has created a Lastly, remain curious — about the world, of
delightful presentation that focuses completely on the course, but mostly about your clients. Digging in
family that is traveling. She’s researched experiences deeper to learn about what makes them tick will
JOIN THE CONVERSATION! that will appeal to each age group and added in some make them incredibly loyal to you and you’ll likely
wow moments that the entire clan will enjoy together. earn a strong friendship from it as a result. And you
She has plenty to share about her own background might just crush those annual sales goals you’ve set
facebook.com/luxurytraveladvisor
and capabilities, which she’s put into the appendix for yourself in 2020.
twitter.com/luxurytamag
RUTHANNE TERRERO, CTC
Vice President
rterrero@questex.com
instagram.com/luxurytraveladvisor www.instagram.com/ruthanneterrero
www.luxurytraveladvisor.com
2 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019
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I T WA S LI K E
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Moving through the marbled corridors and taking in the incredible
décor and art —I felt like a princess discovering her palace for the first time.
Then, we stepped into the main hall. The vaulted ceilings, elaborate adornments
and detailed craftsmanship were amazing. I could’ve spent
an hour exploring that one room.
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DESTINATIONS
EXPLORING
INDIA
6 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019Bespoke itineraries and a familial approach combine to show
travelers a more intimate side of India.
BY LINDSAY LAMBERT DAY
Home to a staggering 1.36 billion people, India is constantly
in motion, a place where sound never stops. Exploring the
vast and populous country can feel overwhelming, but, with
its bespoke itineraries, VIP access to iconic historical sites,
and its familial approach to travel, Micato makes traveling
through India an intimate and highly personalized experience.
We found that out on our own custom journey to some of
North India’s most iconic and sacred sites.
UDAIPUR, India’s “City of Lakes,” is a major tourist
attraction, known for its history, culture, lakes and
palaces. Shown here is the City Palace, which is set on
the banks of the iconic Lake Pichola.
Photo by Getty Images / Sean3810
NOVEMBER 2019 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 7THE OBEROI NEW DELHI’s Kohinoor Suite (here) has 3,500 square feet
of space and its bathroom comes with a full length enamel bathtub.
Pre-departure Gate and Gandhi Smriti, the for-
HUMAYUN’S TOMB (below), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the
Our India journey began several mer private home turned museum
tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun, built in 1560s in New Delhi.
weeks prior to our March where Mahatma Gandhi lived out
departure from the U.S. After the final 144 days of his life and
narrowing our focus to North was assassinated in 1948. A high-
India, we consulted with Marion light of our time in Delhi was a
Miller, director, Micato Safaris visit to one of the city’s gurdwaras,
Bespoke Collection India, to or Sikh temples. Meaningful
create an itinerary that hit all Moment: Volunteers welcomed us
the region’s can’t-miss highlights. into the temple’s massive kitchen,
In the weeks that followed, we where we joined others in flipping
received several care packages chapati, or Indian flat breads, on
from Micato, containing every- a giant grill. We were also invited
thing from helpful trip-planning into the gurdwara’s large langar
materials to a Bollywood DVD. hall to serve free, homemade food
to hundreds of congregants — a
DAYS 1-3 touching display of community.
Delhi
After clearing immigration in Days 4-5
Delhi, we were greeted by a Agra
Micato staffer and shown to a From Delhi, we rode with Singh
waiting car for the late-night and our driver, Darmender,
drive to The Oberoi, New Delhi. to Agra, where we checked
Memorable Moment: Our travel in to a spacious suite at The
fatigue faded when we found a Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra. Magic
small welcome gift and note from Moment: After showing us to the
Micato perched on our pillow. suite, a hotel staffer slowly pulled
Over lunch the next day at back its drapes to reveal a stun-
the hotel’s 360° restaurant, we ning first look at the Taj Mahal. A
met Hem Singh, our guide and sunset visit to the legendary land-
Micato’s senior travel director. mark followed. Note that, while
Singh, who has escorted high- a sunrise visit was scheduled for
profile Micato guests such as the next day, we asked to skip it
Hillary Clinton in India, not only and catch up on our sleep, feeling
took care of logistics throughout certain that the sunset experience
our trip (including tipping), but couldn’t possibly be topped.
he also beautifully shared his Although the Taj Mahal is
encyclopedic knowledge of Indian Agra’s most famous landmark,
history and culture at every turn. there’s plenty more to enjoy there.
After lunch, we set out to explore We enjoyed exploring Agra Fort’s
the city, with stops including Jama resplendent architecture, and
Masjid (India’s largest mosque) visiting with artisans in town who
and a walk and rickshaw ride carry on centuries’ worth of tradi-
THE TAJ MAHAL on the banks of River Yamuna in Agra is a significant
through the jam-packed, narrow tion through their skillful work
Indian landmark, which was built by the order of Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
galis, or lanes, of Old Delhi, where with marble, jewelry and more.
vendors sell everything from street VIP Access: While visiting
food to smartphones to brilliantly the storied Kohinoor Jewellers,
colored bangles. Nice Touch: Back Ruchira Mathur, the brand’s chief
at the Oberoi that evening, to jewelry designer, invited us inside
Photos courtesy of Micato Safaris
help us get better acquainted with its heavily secured workshop.
India’s cuisine, we were treated There, highly skilled technicians
to a private cooking lesson in use 3D-printed molds designed
the kitchen at the elegant Omya digitally on-site to bring Mathur’s
restaurant before eating dinner. exquisite designs — featuring
The rest of our time in Delhi diamonds, sapphires and other
brought visits to stunning sites, precious gems — to life. Mathur’s
such as Humayun’s Tomb, India father and Kohinoor’s current
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THE OBEROI AMARVILAS, Agra is inspired by Mughal
palace designs, containing fountains, terraced lawns,
reflection pools and pavilions. All its accommodations Rajvilas, Jaipur, we set out to
have unrestricted views of the Taj Mahal. explore the city’s historic sites,
including the Amber Fort, Hawa
Mahal, and City Palace. Nice
Touch: At the City Palace, Singh
whisked us through a restricted
door for a peek inside one of the
royal family’s private drawing
rooms. We then emerged onto a
restricted rooftop terrace, where
palace staff poured us refreshing
glasses of cold Champagne as we
savored city views.
Shopping is a must in Jaipur,
which is known for its jew-
elry and textiles, among other
products. So, save room in your
suitcase for new leather slippers,
Photo courtesy of Micato Safaris glass bangles and other purchases
you’re bound to pick up in the
THE OBEROI, RAJVILAS in Jaipur is spread over 32 acres of landscaped owner Ghanshyam Gopal Mathur city’s bazaar. One of the best
gardens. Shown here is the dining room of the hotel’s Kohinoor Villa. also gave us a private tour of his places in town to shop for block-
family’s priceless collection of print pajamas, wraps and more is
embroidered tapestries by artist Heritage Textiles. Personal Touch:
Padmashri Shams. During our own visit to Heritage
We worked up an appetite in Textiles, Singh surprised us by
Agra, and we enjoyed two of our suggesting we pick something to
favorite meals here: A traditional take home — a special gift from
Indian-style thali at The Oberoi our gracious hosts.
Amarvilas’ Esphahan, and a A can’t-miss experience in
casual feast at Peshawri, located Jaipur came later that evening
inside the ITC Mughal, a Luxury with a visit to Dera Amer, a
Collection Hotel, Agra. luxury tented camp and elephant
sanctuary just outside town. There,
Days 6-8 owner and founder Udaijit Singh
Jaipur accompanied us on a walk around
Photo courtesy of Micato Safaris A nearly five-hour drive from the property alongside one of its
Agra took us on to Jaipur three resident rescue elephants,
THE HAWA MAHAL, or “The Palace of Winds,” in Jaipur, India
(nicknamed “the Pink City”), 49-year-old Laxmi. (Rides are
the busiest stop on our sched- strictly off-limits, but guests can
ule. After freshening up in help feed and bathe the gentle
our luxury tent at The Oberoi giants.) After feeding Laxmi more
AT DERA AMER, a luxury tented camp and elephant sanctuary in
Jaipur, guests can help feed and bathe the resident elephants.
Photo courtesy of Dera Amer
Photo by Getty Images / saiko3p
10 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019IN DADAR, Mumbai’s biggest
than a dozen bananas, we sipped flower market sells a variety of
colorful, fresh flowers.
cocktails by a campfire and sat
down for our own Indian feast
under the stars before heading Days 11-12
back to our hotel. Mumbai
While Jaipur’s frenetic atmo- A short flight from Udaipur took
sphere is thrilling, getting out of us to Mumbai, the final stop on
town brings a welcome change of our India itinerary. After check-
pace. We began our final day in ing in to The Oberoi, Mumbai,
Jaipur with a pre-dawn drive to we joined a local guide for an
the countryside for a sunrise hot- introductory tour of the city,
air balloon ride, floating silently with stops including the famous
over farms and tiny villages. The Gateway of India and the 19th-
adventure continued after landing century Victoria Terminus, whose
near Samode, where we took a jeep design was inspired by London’s
safari through the village’s dusty St. Pancras Station. That evening,
streets, stopping along the way to we reminisced over a meal of mod-
greet friendly, local farmers. Local ern Indian cuisine, prepared by
Connection: We paid an afternoon Michelin-star chef Vineet Bhatia,
visit to Samode’s main school, at Ziya, the see-and-be-seen restau-
which Micato supports with rant inside The Oberoi, Mumbai.
guests’ donations. The school’s Eager to make every minute
young students showed us around Photo by Lindsay Lambert Day of our last day in India count,
their classrooms and asked us to we kicked it off with a pre-dawn
take their picture. (We did, and of the East for its breathtaking less rooms of its City Palace, and walking tour that highlights the
Singh had framed copies delivered system of lakes. Upon arriving at visiting its 10th-century temples. city’s important morning rituals,
to the school after we departed.) The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, While each meal of our India from the delivery of newspa-
Waving goodbye, we headed to the hotel’s staff welcomed us journey was memorable, an al pers to the opening of its major
Samode Palace, a lavish former fort with dancers, music and a fresco lunch overlooking the flower and produce markets. Our
and private manor turned luxury shower of fragrant flower petals. pool at Raas Devigarh — an tour concluded at Church Gate
hotel, for a relaxing lunch. Within minutes, we were resting 18th-century palace-turned-chic Station, where we watched in awe
Welcome R&R: Simply put, next to our suite’s semi-private boutique hotel in the Aravalli Hills as Mumbai’s famous dabbawal-
traveling around India can be pool, enjoying beautiful views of — ranked among our favorites. lahs — members of the Mumbai
exhausting. An Oberoi Signature Lake Pichola just beyond it. Nice Wow-worthy Moment: When it Tiffin Box Supplier’s Association
Photos below courtesy of Micato Safaris
Massage at the Rajvilas’ tranquil Touch: As the sun began to set comes to the ultimate India VIP — prepared to deliver thousands
spa was just what we needed to on our first evening in Udaipur, experience, nothing topped being of lunch boxes to workers in
get our second wind halfway we climbed on board our own surprised with a visit to the Oberoi nearby office towers using a nearly
through our trip. private boat for a cruise around family’s private, hilltop home failsafe, 127-year-old system
Lake Pichola, complete with a overlooking Udaipur. We arrived comprising bicycles, carts, and
Days 9-10 full tea service. by private car at the estate, where symbol-based labels. Like India
Udaipur After a packed few days in chefs and staff from The Oberoi itself, the dabbawallahs’ system is
Bidding farewell to Jaipur, we Jaipur, we welcomed Udaipur’s Udaivilas treated us to a beautiful a marvelous marriage of old and
drove to our next destination, slower pace — in particular, meal, served with Champagne on new — something that has to be
Udaipur, nicknamed the Venice wandering between the count- the estate’s breezy, emerald lawn. seen to be believed. g
THE OBEROI UDAIVILAS’s Premier Rooms with Semi THE OBEROI MUMBAI’s Executive Suite (here) has 800 square feet of
Private Pool have sweeping lake views. space and affords panoramic views of the city.
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Three Hours or Less from
Paris BY RICHARD NAHEM
Paris is always a favorite for luxury travelers. Recently, Virtuoso named the “City
of Light” as its Top City in its 2020 Luxe Report. However, for travelers who are
looking for a new French escape, Luxury Travel Advisor has rounded up three cities
that make for a great extension to your vacation or even just as a day trip.
16 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019Lille Le Musée de l’Hospice Comtesse is a for-
Lille, a French and Flemish city on the bor- midable edifice and one of the most relevant
der of Belgium, is about one hour from Paris sites in the Old Quarter. Countess Jeanne
Gare du Nord station. de Flandre started the hospice in 1237 as
Strolling through the old quarter of the a place for the poor to be spiritually and
city, we were struck by the various styles of medically treated; the present-day buildings
architecture, quite a contrast from uniformity date from 15th, 17th and 18th centuries.
of the Haussmann-style buildings from the Remarkably, the hospice operated up until
late 19th-century dominating Paris. We later 1939, and in 1962 it was converted into a
learned the Spaniards, the French and the museum where travelers can visit the mon-
Flemish ruled Lille, hence the fiery colors of astery, the chapel with a ceiling decorated
brick with mustard trim, ornate Baroque style with coats of arms from significant donors,
and the austerity of the Dutch influence. the medicinal gardens and the former hos-
pital ward. The tapestries, wood sculptures
and white porcelain tiles, each individually
painted with figures in blue, sustain the
strong Flemish period details.
THE GRAND PLACE is the main square
Photo by Getty Images / pp76
in Lille, France, which is the site of important
monuments like the Vieille Bourse, the old
stock exchange, the Column of the Goddess
and the Grand Garde which houses
the Theatre du Nord.
LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 17Meert, the oldest pastry shop
in Lille (which dates to 1761),
is a sheer delight for the senses.
The present-day Meert encom-
passes a pastry shop, tea salon,
restaurant, ice cream parlor and
retail shop offering chocolates
and confections. Although we
enjoyed our lunch in the lav-
ishly decorated Louis XVI-style
tearoom, we were much more
excited by our scrumptious des-
serts, lemon meringue tart and a
heavenly chocolate concoction of
chocolate mousse with hazelnut
and almond praline. In case that
wasn’t enough, we went over-
board and bought a box of their
famous gaufres (dry waffles) filled
with vanilla cream.
After our decadent lunch and
pastry feast, we headed to the
Charles de Gaulle Birthplace and
Museum. The former general
and president of France was born
in 1890 in the bourgeois home
of his grandparents; bought by
LA PISCINE (above) derives its name from an Art Deco indoor swimming pool it once
the friends of de Gaulle in 1967
housed. Today, the museum has a revamped version of the pool. to preserve his memory, the
museum features artifacts and
LE MUSÉE DE L’HOSPICE COMTESSE (here) was founded in 1237
as a place for the poor to be spiritually and
objects from de Gaulle’s forma-
medically treated. tive years, plus a multimedia pro-
gram that reflects on his historic
accomplishments.
The Palais des Beaux-Arts
de Lille has a vast collection of
paintings, sculptures and draw-
ings spanning from the second
to 20th century, including
works from the Impressionism,
Symbolism, medieval and
Renaissance periods. Flemish,
Spanish, French, Roman and
Belgian artists are represented:
Rubens, Monet, Courbet,
Manet, Donatello, Delacroix, El
Greco and Picasso are a sampling
of the artists in the museum.
We had an outstanding din-
ner at La Royale, a cozy bistro
within walking distance from our
hotel. A starter of house-made
country pâté with crusty peasant
bread was more than ample for
two people, followed by a suc-
culent, slow-roasted beef served
with organic yellow, orange and
18 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019SANCTUARY & SCENE
Experience The Per fect Balance
nestled in the NoMad neighborhood signature cuisine at Scarpetta
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22 East 29th Street, NYC www.jameshotels.com Reservations: 888.526.3778 @jameshotelsChantilly
The most obvious reason to
go to Chantilly is to visit the
historical Château, but we found
many other activities and sites
to enhance our stay, including
recently restored rooms at the
aforementioned château.
Trains leave Paris Gare du
Nord station to Chantilly /
Gouvieux station almost every
hour, and it takes less than 30
minutes to be whisked to the
verdant French countryside.
A two-year restoration of the
royal apartments at the Château
de Chantilly is a great reason to
revisit the city. Henri d’Orléans,
Duke of Aumale, engaged the
services of architect Victor
CHÂTEAU DE CHANTILLY has a significant collection of masterpieces and an extensive Dubois and decorator Eugene
library with 50,000 books and 15,000 manuscripts.
Lami in 1845 to design private
apartments for him and his new
red carrots and buttery mashed took a tram ride to Croix to In Lille, we stayed at the cozy wife, Maria Carolina Augusta,
potatoes. The genial owner, who visit Villa Cavrois. During the and historic Mercure Lille Centre on the ground floor of the Petite
spoke English, told us he recently 10-minute walk from the tram to Grand-Place Hotel, which was Chateau, an extension of the
sold the restaurant and was relo- the villa, we viewed some stately an easy five-minute walk from the Château de Chantilly. The suite
cating to San Francisco to open a mansions and manor houses with station, ideally located in close of eight rooms was completed in
French wine bar. well-manicured gardens. proximity to many of the main 1847, and it includes the prince
The next morning, we headed Villa Cavrois is the master- attractions. We stayed in a Junior and princesses’ bedroom, salon
outside Lille to the suburbs for piece of French architect Robert Suite — one of the larger rooms and bathrooms, plus the Petite
two terrific and worthwhile Mallet Stevens. Built for textile in the hotel. One of our pet peeves Singerie, the only room that is
attractions. magnate Paul Cavrois and his of late is the lack of plugs in hotel completely intact as it was origi-
Just a 25-minute metro ride wife and seven children, Mallet rooms for the various electron- nally built. A series of wood pan-
from the center of the city is was given free rein to his design ics one is required to travel with els painted in 1735 by Christophe
La Piscine - André Diligent — the only parameters were that these days, and we were happy the Huet exhibit the aristocratic
Museum of Art (most commonly the house should be comfortable, suite had a plug on each side of activities of female monkeys
referred to as La Piscine). The practical and not over budget. the bed, plus a reading lamp and (lunch during the hunt, pick-
museum once contained a lavish Construction began in 1929 and a sconce. A Nespresso machine ing cherries, playing card games,
Art Deco indoor swimming pool completed in 1932; the family was a nifty amenity, a welcome dressing), borrowing the clothes
constructed between 1927 and lived in the house until 1985. It caffeine treat first thing in the and expressions of the Condé
1932 (hence the name). Closed was to be demolished after it was morning. The clever setting for princesses, in all the seasons.
in 1985, it was remodeled into sold to a developer, but the proj- the breakfast buffet was a real-life The Château features the
a museum, also incorporating ect was abandoned in 2001. The kitchen with a four-burner stove second-most significant art col-
an old textile factory next door. state bought the villa and took with Le Creuset pots filled with lection in France after the Louvre,
The museum has an excellent 13 painstaking years restoring simmering breakfast dishes, a with masterpieces by artists
and well-rounded collection of it. We marveled at the scale and dishwasher and a refrigerator filled Corot, Delacroix, Fragonard,
mostly 19th- and 20th-century size of the rooms and the hand- with dairy products. The space Ingres, Poussin, Raphael, Watteau
works, including an impres- some furnishings, impeccable made us feel so much at home, we and van Dyck. An extensive
Photo by Getty Images / isogood
sive selection of porcelain and architectural details and natural were tempted to wear our pajamas library boasts 50,000 books and
pottery. One massive hall has a light flowing through the rooms. and slippers. 15,000 manuscripts. Le Nôtre,
revamped version of the swim- A long, narrow reflecting pool The staff patiently marked our who created the royal gardens
ming pool hedged by plaster and complemented the symmetrical, maps and gave specific directions of Versailles and Fontainebleau,
marble statues and, on the upper manicured gardens, while the to the sites we wanted to visit. designed a gorgeous formal
floors, authentic-looking Art swimming pool is an extension Contact Jérémy Paillart, front French garden, and the park area
Deco railings and balconies. of the house, rather than being office manager, at h0802-sb@ of the chateau has acres of forest,
After leaving La Piscine, we separated. accor.com. streams and meadows — an ideal
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© 2019 Island Destinations. All rights reserved. ® Island Destinations, The Authority for Luxury Travel, are registered trademarks.place to have a picnic. with the animal farm that has the rooms facing the front of the most beautiful and clever we’ve
A few hundred feet from peacocks, ponies, swans, goats hotel, where the main road runs. ever seen — was an exact replica
the Château, horse aficionados and geese, in addition to rabbit Our Junior Suite was decorated of an endive but made of choco-
will embrace the Hippodrome and hen races. A theater on the in typical, luxurious French style late on the outside and filled with
de Chantilly, one of the most property has a festival in summer with blue Toile de Jouy fabric on a sensational mix of chocolate and
prestigious racetracks in Europe. (Tip: Operas are also performed the headboard and drapes in the espresso ganache inside.
The first official race took place from time to time). A tea salon bedroom and lace-trimmed pil- Do not miss the crème de
in 1834, and the current racetrack and café serving full meals and lows on the bed. Our petite salon la crème we experienced at
was constructed in 1879. The flat, pastries, open from May to was tastefully appointed with the hotel’s Spa Valmont: The
thoroughbred track runs a little September, has a lovely setting a tapestry-style carpet, a hand- Thousand & One Chantilly
under a mile and a half, and five inside the formal garden with a some blue silk-covered sofa with treatment. The decadent treat-
classic races include the Prix de green latticework pavilion and mahogany wood trim and classic ment starts with a revitalizing
Diane and Prix du Jockey Club, starched white linens. 18th-century portraits on the wall. exfoliation, followed by a sooth-
which draw international guests. Golf is not a major pastime in The highlight of our stay ing massage; the surprise at the
Next door to the racetrack is The France, but the turf and climate was the dinner we had at the end is the slathering of chilled
Chantilly cream all over your
body. Afterwards, our skin felt
L’AUBERGE DU JEU DE PAUME is a Relais & Châteaux hotel with 92 rooms and suites, as well as two
restaurants, salons and a spa.
smooth and silky for days.
An advantage about Chantilly
is its close proximity to Charles
De Gaulle Airport, only 20
minutes away. Travel advisors
may contact Nicole Wilms-
Kauffmann (nicole.wilms@
aubergedujeudepaume.fr), hotel
manager, directly for bookings
and other information.
Granville
Our last pick is Granville, a small
city in Normandy on the Mont
Saint-Michel Bay (tip: it’s just
an hour away from the popular
eponymous commune).
The main reason we went to
Granville was for the Princess
Grace exhibit at the Musée
Photo courtesy of Auberge du Jeu de Paume Christian Dior. The museum is
actually the home Christian Dior
Living Museum of the Horse, of Chantilly is ideal for the sport. Michelin-star restaurant Le Table grew up in during the early 1900s,
located in the Cour de Remises, There are five premier golf courses du Connétable. We appreciated which had a significant impact
the vast stables of Chantilly. in Chantilly, all with 18 holes and the spaciousness and comfort of on his later life. In his memoir,
Fifteen rooms have been desig- some that sponsor competitions. the elegant dining room, as many Christian Dior et Moi, he says,
nated to exhibit 200 objects and Since there were so many restaurants in France tend to be “I have most tender and amazed
works of art, including manu- activities in Chantilly, it was nec- crammed with too many tables. memories ... of my childhood
scripts, drawings, paintings, prints essary to stay overnight. Auberge French-born chef Julien Lucas home. I would even say that my
and sculptures, which tell the rich du Jeu de Paume, a five-star prepares an exquisite menu of life and my style owe almost every-
history and evolution of the horse Relais & Chateâux hotel, is the truly local specialties, sourcing thing to its site and architecture.”
culture of France. best-situated hotel in Chantilly, most ingredients within 50 miles, Villa Les Rhumbs was the
Le Potager des Princes is the as it is the closest property to the such as endive and mushrooms original name of the house pur-
former royal vegetable garden of Château, and it is also within from Orry-la-Ville; hares, deer chased by Dior’s parents in 1906,
Prince de Condé, and, today, it is walking distance of the restau- and chestnuts from the forestland but in 1932 his father had to sell
a wonderful public garden with rants and boutiques in town. surrounding Chantilly; wild sea- the house for financial reasons
a bevy of sites and activities. A We highly recommend book- food from the waters of Picardie; during the Great Depression.
formal garden still stands along ing the suites and rooms over- and shellfish and saffron from the The city purchased the villa in
with an active vegetable garden; looking the Château gardens and Baie de Somme. A most special 1938 and opened the garden to
and children will be enchanted a tranquil fountain, rather than dessert — probably one of the the public. In 1997, the villa was
22 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019cod fish and shellfish.
After lunch, we walked
through an ancient stone
archway, which led to the old
quarter of Granville. Charming
cottage-style houses with exposed
stone facades and window boxes
brimming with seasonal flowers
lined the uneven, cobblestone
streets. In the center was the old-
est church in the village, Église
Notre-Dame du Cap Lihou,
which was built in 1440 by the
English but not consecrated until
1641. The brilliant stained-
glass windows with geometric
and abstract forms appeared to
be from the 20th century, and
two chapels had small, wooden
THE MUSÉE CHRISTIAN DIOR sailboats hanging in them, com-
(here) in Granville is the home memorating the strong presence
Christian Dior grew up in
during the early 1900s.
of fishermen in the village.
Passing the inviting white
LA COURTINE (below) in lattice exterior and the heavenly
Granville is famous for crepes.
scent of fresh crepes being made,
we couldn’t resist La Courtine.
gala ball for charity Princess Grace We practically inhaled a dreamy
would throw, where she had noted warm crepe smothered in
designers and artists create the whipped Normandy cream and
lavish sets while Dior designed a gooey chocolate syrup.
gown to match the theme. At the end of the afternoon,
After the informative and we discovered the Rue de Juif, a
entertaining exhibit, we treated street chock full of art, ceramic
ourselves to a stroll in the lovely and painting galleries. Most of the
surrounding gardens bursting high-quality work is from local
with late spring blooms. An out- artists depicting the village scenery.
door café with white wood trel- Although we didn’t have time
lises covered in wisteria was too on our day trip, it would be
pretty to pass up, so we sipped on worthwhile to stay longer to take
Earl Grey tea served in a porcelain a boat ride on an early 19th-
teapot, admiring the handsome century schooner, Lys Noir. The
bought by LVMH, the company by Christian Dior. Soon after, manor house and gardens. half-day sail takes passengers to
that owns the Dior brand. The she was exclusively dressed in The house and gardens are Iles de Chausey, a series of inlets,
museum celebrates the life and Christian Dior with Marc Bohan, perched on a high bluff overlook- and small islands. Rugged and
designs of the master couturier. the creative director of the house, ing the dramatic, rocky beach, mostly untouched, the islands
We had the chance to check personally designing all of her gar- and we took the long staircase have white sand beaches, a cha-
out “Grace de Monaco, Princesse ments until her death in 1982. down. It was a blustery day and pel from 1840, an ancient fort
en Dior,” an exhibit tracking Over 90 designs display the the Caribbean-blue water crashed and are a haven for fishermen.
the fairy tale story of how a princesses’ wide-ranging wardrobe, on the high boulders. The sea For an overnight stay, our
movie star gave up a thriving including suits, gowns, day dresses, air made us plenty hungry, so we pick is the Mercure Granville
Hollywood career when she mar- casual clothes and accessories. had lunch at Le Restaurant du Le Grand Large Hotel. It is a
ried a real “Prince Charming,” The clothes are interspersed with Port, which specializes in locally laid-back, four-star property with
Prince Rainier III of Monaco. artifacts of her well-chronicled caught seafood. We enjoyed their contemporary rooms (some with
Announcing their engagement at public life in the press, which hearty signature dish of seafood Channel views), a gym and bar.
her parents’ home in Philadelphia, includes magazine covers, portraits choucroute, a bed of steamed Granville takes between three
Princess Grace wore a dress and photos. The highlight of the sauerkraut and bacon bits topped and three and half hours to get to
adorned with flowers designed exhibit is coverage of the annual with salmon, haddock, sea bass, from Gare Montparnasse Paris. g
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All-Inclusives BY MATT TURNER AND ADAM LEPOSA
Looking for all-inclusive vacation in the ment, the Relais & Châteaux resort, which Good to know: The all-inclusive rate covers
Caribbean or Mexico? Luxury Travel Advisor offers both a bed-and-breakfast and all-inclusive breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, soft
has just the picks for you. rate, updated all of its suites, guest areas, swim- drinks, local beer, house wines and house
On October 14, Cobblers Cove on the ming pool and pavilion. The great entrance spirits, as well as a myriad of water sports, ten-
northwest coast of Barbados reopened with a hall, drawing room and two signature suites nis, boat trips and fishing. Premium alcoholic
new look. As part of the five-year refurbish- also received updates. beverages and snacks are not included.
28 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019Claiming a one-quarter mile of white- top options on-property. Colleton is the
sand beach in a quiet cove, the family- larger of the two (1,780 square feet) and is
owned boutique hotel — which opened in located on the first floor. In addition to the
1968 — is surrounded by three acres of lush four-poster bed, the suite has his-and-hers
tropical gardens. The 40 suites are spread dressing rooms, a double shower, a kitch-
among nine two-story cottages set in the enette, a private covered terrace with its
gardens surrounding the original plantation- own plunge pool and an open terrace with
era Great House. Here, the two honeymoon sun loungers. Camelot at the Great House
suites have hand-woven grass carpets, four- comes in at 1,380 square feet but is spread
poster beds, historical island prints, botani- across two floors; it has a first-floor terrace,
cal drawings, basketwork lamps and views private rooftop with sun loungers, a separate
directly over the Caribbean. bathtub and shower, and kitchenette. Good
The honeymoon suites — Camelot and to know: Each of these rooms also has the
Colleton at the Great House — are the best views of the Caribbean.
The Ocean Front and Ocean View Suites
are the most requested. The Two-Bedroom
THE CAMELOT SUITE (here) at Cobblers
Cove is located on two floors of the Suite is best for families. Note: Only six of the
original Great House and comes with a 40 rooms have bathtubs, so enquire with reser-
private rooftop. vations managers Sheena Goodridge (sheena.
COBBLERS COVE can arrange private lunch
goodridge@cobblerscove.com) or Renee Smith
and dinner at Lazybones Pavilion (renee.smith@cobblerscove.com) should that
(above right), which offers sea views. be a preference.
Known for locally sourced food and fish
caught daily by Barker, the hotel fisher- gardens on the island, including Hunte’s,
man, Camelot Restaurant is run by Bajan Andromeda Botanic Gardens, Orchid World,
chef, Jason Joseph. Guests of the Camelot Welchman Hall Gully and Flower Forest. The
restaurant should order the catch of the day tailor-made heritage tours, led by a guide from
(available blackened or grilled with potato, the Barbados National Trust, visit both public
zucchini and red pepper coulis) and follow and private plantation houses not usually open
that with the Grand Marnier Soufflé with to the public and / or Bridgetown’s UNESCO
vanilla bean ice cream. In addition to a sea- World Heritage garrison.
sonal menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, After a day on the water or exploring the
chef Joseph also offers Tuesday Cocktail Party island, be sure to book a spa treatment with
and “Easy Sunday” BBQ menus, as well as an Carla Cumberbatch, the resort’s therapist.
Island Night menu, available on Fridays. All The spa has only one treatment room, so
three events include live music (think: soca, book as far in advance as possible (couple’s
calypso, steel pan and swing). Tip: Be sure to treatments are available).
request a table at the Gazebo. The hotel is 45 minutes from Grantley
Good to know: Guests can also arrange Adams International Airport. Tip: Book
for a private dinner — whether it’s a roman- FastTrack through immigration via the hotel
tic evening for a couple, a family picnic or when making your reservation. Christmas,
a celebration with friends. Dining locations New Year’s and February are the busiest times
include the Lazybones Pavilion, offering the at the resort; it’s best to book a year in advance
top sea views; North Patio, near the pool and for these times.
bar, or any number of private beaches. Chef Cobblers Cove closes yearly between
Joseph will also work with you to completely August and October for upkeep. The general
customize the menu. To arrange a private manager is Will Oakley (will.oakley@
dining experience, travel advisors should con- cobblerscove.com; 011-12-464-222-291).
tact Anne-Marie Green (anne-marie.green@ In Turks & Caicos, The Meridian Club
cobblerscove.com; 011-12-464-222-291), on Pine Cay first served as a private members
assistant to the general manager. club before opening as a hotel in 1973. Here,
For guests looking to learn more about the three meals daily, afternoon snacks and tea,
island, Cobbers Cove can arrange a variety of water sports, taxi and boat transfers are all
interesting tours, including garden, heritage included in the rate but no drinks of any sort
and hiking tours. The private, chauffeured are included.
Garden Tour will visit numerous notable Guests can stay in any of 13 beachfront
NOVEMBER 2019 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 29THE MERIDIAN CLUB on Pine Cay has 13 beachfront accommodation options.
residences and the original Clubhouse. The
Premium Beachfront Rooms were renovated
in 2018; each of these open-plan rooms has
a king bed and built-in closet space. In the
bathrooms, guests will find double vanities
and a large, walk-in shower that leads to a
private outdoor stone waterfall shower. The
Premium Beachfront Rooms look out onto
Pine Cay’s secluded two-mile beach, and
are set among the same sand dunes as the
Standard Beachfront Rooms; these rooms
have a more traditional Caribbean aesthetic
and a separated living and bedroom space.
Note: The Standard Beachfront Rooms do
not have air conditioning.
Good to know: Both the Premium and
Standard Beachfront Room categories have
screened-in porches. dining dishes. Jump Up Night (hosted every La Esmeralda — and both offer exclusive,
The top accommodations on property are Saturday) is a must. You should also definitely upscale service in the form of the Family
the two new Luxury Beachfront Cottages, head to the upstairs bar in The Clubhouse Concierge at La Esmeralda and the Royal
Sand Dollar and Sea Biscuit. The cottages to take in views of the sunset, while enjoying Service at La Perla resorts-within-a-resort.
have slightly more space than the Beachfront drinks and hors d’oeuvres. All-inclusive rates at the resorts comprise
Rooms (912 square feet compared to 814 The construction of a new spa and fitness roundtrip transfers, à la carte meals and
square feet) and offer more seclusion. They room is nearing completion. Among the drinks — at La Palapa for the Royal Service
have the same amenities as the Beachfront new amenities? A couple’s treatment room. and at the Olio Restaurant for the Family
Rooms but additionally have private outdoor Currently, however, the Sand Dollar Spa has Concierge — as well as private check-in, pool
dining spaces and terraces with a hammock. two treatment rooms. Yani (spa@meridian and beach areas and, of course, butler service,
There are also six private homes available club.com), the spa director and Balinese spa complete with a complimentary cell phone to
in varying sizes, meaning they can accom- specialist, selects products that are natural message the butler while on property.
modate couples, families or groups of friends; and organic. The Balinese Massage is the sig- Both Royal Service at La Perla and Family
they also vary from modern to “casual island nature offering, but the Deep Tissue Massage Concierge at La Esmeralda offer access to
chic” in décor. Good to know: The Private is among the most requested. the best suites Paradisus has to offer in Playa
Homes come with their own golf cart for easy How to get there: Guests should fly into del Carmen. At La Perla, ask for Presidential
access to the Clubhouse. Providenciales International Airport and take Suites Nos. 1392 or 1396, each of which
Note: The Meridian Club accepts a 15-minute taxi to the marina, where a Pine have Thierry Mugler amenities, a view of
children ages 12 and older from November Cay boat will pick them up. A guest service the ocean and access to the exclusive Royal
through May; from June and July, ages representative will get the guests acclimated Service Pool and the water ritual at YHI Spa.
six years and older can stay at the resort. during the 20-minute boat ride. Pine Cay For families, Presidential Suites Nos. 3325
Children under the age of 12 are allowed does have its own small airstrip that can and 3328 at La Esmeralda are the ones to
to stay in some rental homes but there are accommodate some private jets. pick. These have much the same amenities as
limitations in terms of them eating dinner at If you’re looking to get off-property, the Presidential Suites on the adults-only side
the Clubhouse. among the more popular options are bird of the resort, but with access to the exclusive
Travel advisors should contact Avianna watching, bike rides across the island or Family Service Pool instead of the Royal
Adolph Penn (reservations@meridianclub. walking any of the nature trails that lead to Service Pool.
com; 011-888-286-7993), reservations secret beaches. On the water, Hobie Cats, Outside of the Presidential Suites, the
manager, or Melissa Jennings (guestservices@ kayaks, paddle boards and snorkeling gear resorts’ two-bedroom master suites, some of
meridianclub.com; 011-888-286-7993), are included and available. Guests can also which have swim-up access, are a good bet
guest services manager, for bookings. Note: sign up for scuba diving, deep sea fishing, for families and large groups. All told, 67
The Meridian Club on Pine Cay can be fully kitesurfing, whale watching and more. of the connecting rooms are available at La
bought out. Should guests prefer a Mexican retreat, here Esmeralda. For girls’ or guys’ getaways or
Similar to Cobblers Cove, The Meridian are a couple resorts to keep on your radar. other friend groups, the adults-only La Perla
Club is most busy for Christmas, New Year’s The Paradisus Playa del Carmen offers also has 54 connecting two-bedroom master
and February. It also closes yearly, from a pair of options for travelers seeking either suites. For other options with great views of
August through October. a romantic getaway or a family-friendly the ocean, book the one-bedroom suites on
There is one restaurant on property, vacation. The resort complex is divided into the third floor on both the La Perla and La
helmed by executive chef Carlos Andrés two halves — the adults-only Paradisus Esmeralda side.
Meléndez, who creates tropical-inspired fine La Perla and the family-friendly Paradisus Royal Service at La Perla also grants access
30 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | NOVEMBER 2019You can also read
