Eclectic Traveller has a website too you know - www.eclectictraveller.co.uk. It’s worth a look, more detail than you’ll find here with plenty of information about luxury boutique hotels, ski chalets and fabulous spas.
I don’t usually write about spas but decided to make an exception since one of our neighbours in
According to Grayshott the spa provides refuge for those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation in its tranquil location deep in the English countryside. They have all the ‘health farm’ fundamentals: excellent personal consultations, delicious guilt-free healthy cuisine, goal-focused packages (weight loss, detox, de-stress and
fitness), highly trained spa therapists and unbeatable attention to detail.
Grayshott prides itself on being a tranquil and elegant retreat where guests can wander around in their robes from dawn until dusk. Sounds ideal Give them a try when your mind turns to weight loss post Xmas.
Dublin has a fine selection of luxury boutique hotels, great place to stay , good location and attentive staff. Choose from any of the hotels on the list drawn up by Conde Nast, they are some of the best hotels in Dublin.
THE DYLAN Eastmoreland Place, Dublin 4 (00 353 1 660 3000; fax: 660 3005, www.dylan.ie). From the outside, this hotel looks as respectable as its surroundings in Dublin’s affluent inner suburbs. It consists of two buildings joined together: a Victorian red-brick with arches and Dutch gables, and a newly constructed grey-stone wing which matches the proportions of the older building but with none of the frills. Inside, things take a sudden turn for the flamboyant. Red, midnight-blue and white-and-silver walls are hung with baroque mirrors and abstract metal sculptures, and the lift is lined with studded leather. In the Library, all the books have been given new bindings to match the striking green-and-grey colour scheme, while the French and Modern Irish restaurant, Still, is a sea of cream leather lit by rows of miniature chandeliers. The 44 rooms and suites all have flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, iPod docks and marble bathrooms with under-floor heating. Each is individually decorated: some are boldly contemporary. The buzzy, low-lit bar is a popular spot with Dublin’s media crowd. The Dylan was featured in The Hot List 2007. ££
NUMBER 31
31 Leeson Close, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 676 5011; fax: 676 2929; www.number31.ie). A modernist 21-room gem, situated in a mews house designed by Irish architect Sam Stephenson. Service is warm and personal, you are treated as a house guest. There isn’t a restaurant, but delicious breakfasts (mushroom frittata, potato cakes, eggs benedict) are served at communal tables or in your room. ££
THE CLARENCE
6-8 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 407 0800; fax 407 0820; www.theclarence.ie). A 19th-century riverside hotel, renovated and reopened in 1996 by U2’s Bono and The Edge with an arts-and-crafts interior. The double-height Tea Room is Dublin’s most exciting dining place and serves excellent Modern European cuisine. The penthouse, with its cream-leather furniture and outdoor hot tub, is possibly the most indulgent hotel room in Dublin. Only at The Clarence will you find such an unpretentious mix of locals, visitors and rock stars. ££
THE FITZWILLIAM
St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 478 7000; fax: 478 7878; www.fitzwilliamhotel.com). A sleek Conran hotel with a Michelin-starred restaurant, large roof terrace and a fabulous location just a few paces from the shopping hub of Grafton Street, the wonderful terraces of Georgian Dublin, and the bar-club complex that centres on The Pod. ££
THE MERRION
Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 603 0600; fax: 603 0700; www.merrionhotel.com). Four converted Georgian terraces furnished in period style, plus a large modern wing with bedrooms and a spa. The service is exemplary; the staff take pains to ensure that guests are comfortable. There’s the two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud for contemporary French cuisine and the Cellar Restaurant for modern European. The x factor? The collection of Irish paintings and the richly detailed public rooms, many of which are works of art in themselves. ££££
THE MORGAN
10 Fleet Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 643 7000; fax 643 7060; www.themorgan.com). This Anouska Hempel-inspired hotel is in an enticingly hip area and boasts stylish, minimalist rooms equipped with Molton Brown toiletries. It is also within walking distance of Trinity College and Christchurch Cathedral. ££
THE MORRISON
Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 (00 353 1 887 2400; fax: 878 3185; www.morrisonhotel.ie). This designer hotel, located in a former warehouse, has interiors by John Rocha. The neutral decor is accented with polished bronze and splashes of red. There are 138 rooms, including 12 suites and six studios. The food is modern European cuisine served in the minimalist Halo restaurant. In a city full of Victorian and Georgian hotels, the Morrison is a beacon of contemporary design. £££
THE SHELBOURNE
27 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 661 6006; fax: 663 4500; www.Marriott.co.uk). Built in 1824, Dublin’s grande dame hotel reopened in the spring 2007 after an extensive two-year renovation. The landmark hotel, where the Irish Constitution was drafted in 1922, has kept much of its historic charm. You can still take tea and spot famous faces in the plush Lord Mayor’s Lounge or enjoy a Guinness in the classic Horseshoe Bar. New additions include a modern steak and seafood restaurant, The Saddle Room with dark oak walls and rich splashes of gold, and the Number 27 bar. A spa is due to open in 2008. The 265 rooms feature a Georgian palette of soft yellows and pinks, cherrywood furnishings and marble bathrooms. ££
THE WESTIN DUBLIN
College Green, Dublin 2 (00 353 1 645 1000; fax: 645 1234; www.westin.com/dublin). This 163-room hotel comprises one 19th-century bank and half of another converted into a luxury hotel that attracts both business and leisure travellers. The location is unbeatable, next to Trinity College and close to the shops on Grafton Street and the financial centre across the river. The hotel suffers a little from corporate blandness: the decor tends to be rather generic and the bedrooms lack individuality. ££
Unfortunately there’s no such thing as the best chalet company- like choosing a car or a holiday destination you first of all have to sort out your own personal preferences. But. If you’re after luxury and great food, fabulous accommodations, friendly attentive staff and a world class resort then try one of these stars.
All rounder:
http://simplyvaldisere.com - see luxury accommodations
http://www.alpineanswers.co.uk/top_ten/chalets/show/30/item/124
http://www.oxfordski.com/
Verbier http://www.tedbentley.co.uk
Val D’Isere. http://www.yseski.co.uk/home.html
http://www.skiinluxury.com/about-ski-in-luxury.asp
Morzine http://www.starskichalets.com/
Or http://www.rudechalets.com
Blue rhubarb has been discovered in Minchinhampton say Hargeisa Tulip Growers Guild.
Not just for Michael Palin or Phileas Fogg, passenger-carrying freighters are still a great way to travel the world’s oceans. Automation and computer technology have reduced the size of crews, opening up more cabins for use by passengers. And the additional revenue is highly valued by the freighter companies. They offer numerous sailings each monthincluding lengthy (30-day-and-longer) itineraries to exotic ports of the world.
Maximum of 12 passengers taken aboard each ship and prices are very affordable. Plus you get the run of the ship, you dine with the officers, and wander about through long, lazy days, perhaps writing that novel you always had within you.
The best way to obtain a partial glimpse of the options is by accessing www.freighterworld.com
Edinburgh’s hottest new restaurant The Kitchin located in a renovated whiskey warehouse is where you’ll find Tom Kitchin who earned his Michelin star in just 3 months at only 29 years of age - which makes him the youngest Scot to achieve this accolade. If you’re looking for one of the best restaurants in Edinburgh you should look no further.
If you’re in London and want to sample a Gordon Ramsay restaurant try The Narrow. Earlier this year he set aside his pursuit of more Michelin stars to open this stylish pub in Limehouse - can a chain be far away? With only 20 tables and the Ramsay name you’ll need to book ahead - luckily they take reservations. Gordon’s never there of course but his influence can be felt - fish in beer and vodka is closer to tempura than its deep fried in batter high street cousins, potted shrimp with granary toast are worth trying as is the ‘London particular’ a delicious pea and ham soup.
One forgiveable sin when where you’re in France is the inevitable mouth watering visit to the local patisserie. Here are six of the best patisseries in Paris.
Fauchon: Expensive but worth every penny. Fauchon’s first store opened its doors in 1886 - some of the same delicacies you’ll still find there today.
Lenôtre: The pastries are perfect, the cakes immaculate and the breads, fresh and irresistible. Admittedly, it’s heavy but so what?
Pierre Hermé: Vogue called him “the Picasso of Pastry”. Pierre Hermé began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice to Gaston Lenôtre. Has the student surpassed the master? You be the judge.
La Maison du Chocolat: One of the premier Paris chocolatiers thanks to its combination of luxe ingredients and decadent chocolate, Maison du Chocolat speciality is the huge chocolate macaron.
La Durée: Ladurée is a luxury cakes and pastries brand based in Paris, France. It is known as the inventor of the double-decker macaron (sticking two macaron shells together with a creamy ganache as filling), fifteen thousand of which are sold every day. If you can’t make it to Paris this weekend visit the newly opened branch in Harrods
Dalloyau: Everything in Dalloyau is luxury personified. The pastries are works of art, each tasting even better than it looks. Forget the calories!
When Eurostar begins regular daily service between St. Pancras Station and Paris on November 14, it’s forecasting to make the trip in less than two hours and 15 minutes - London to Brussels will only take one hour 51 minutes. Why would you fly? Factoring in the trip to and from the airports means that flying takes longer, it’s less dignified and far more stressful. And when you consider the environmental benefits Eurostar’s a no-brainer.