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Forgive me for being stereotypical but the English do not live in a society that encourages knowledge of ones health and body. Only now has our nation, with the help of government campaigns, advertising and health warnings, acknowledged the rise in obesity so that we are finally encouraged to take charge of our own health.
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It is only when you visit health spas such as La Réserve in Geneva, that you realise how much you have neglected yourself. Myself and my body have finally become friends and we now have an understanding of each other; La Réserve Hotel and Spa has been our ‘counselor’.
La Réserve is set in the southwest of Switzerland between the Alps and the Jura mountain range. Geneva is close by, overflowing with history, museums, beautiful architecture, philosophers, writers, and thoughtfully laid streets making this a perfect retreat to explore, rejuvenate and pay homage to your body. The hotel itself is set in 10 acres of plush landscaped gardens. The interior is designed around a theme of a modern African game reserve lodge, mirroring the name of the hotel. Designed by Jacques Garcia, curiosities such as parrots nestling in lampshades, elephant statues and animal prints throughout make La Réserve something completely different. The modern design however does not make the rooms feel cold and uncomfortable; they give a sense of being homely but nicely styled.
La Réserve boasts a tunnel leading to a private beach on the shores of Lake Geneva, together with a mooring for up to 18 boats. For guests there is a Venetian motorboat transporting you in style to the city to explore. If in the unlikely event you want a break from the spa treatments available at La Réserve, windsurfing, waterskiing, catamarans and sailing boats can be used on the clear waters.
Eating at the reserve could not be finer. Le Tsé Fung’s Chinese cuisine and stunning interior is matched by first class service, while Le Loti, a Mediterranean restaurant is the perfect place to relax in the evenings and listen to the resident DJ (I know what your thinking but it has nothing in common with European resorts).
Une Autre Histiore is La Reserve’s spa and features 17 treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools complete with underwater music, saunas, steam rooms, a fully equipped gym, professional and knowledgeable staff and between treatments guest can relax in the spa bar which offers organic and healthier alternatives to the scrumptious restaurants. Generally the whole spa is so relaxed; you wander around in your robe and slippers, (please note at the end of my trip I was extremely reluctant to change back into the constraints of my normal clothes) and the spa bar has a selection of nuts, dried fruits, herbal teas and herbed water for any aliments.
The spa is the piece de resistance. Alone the hotel is stunning, comfortable and well worth a stay but the spa adds a purpose to your visit, a reason and an excuse to treat yourself. My whole reason for the visit (I quite forgot I had to work) was to sample the age prevention program they offer at the spa, an innovative new programmed introduced in July 2005. The program consists of assessments with highly trained physiotherapists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, naturopathists, functional medicine and clinical nutritionists.
The complete lifestyle assessment, skin analysis, fitness, structural and body composition analysis enables them to give you a biological age. This allows you to understand the stresses and habits that will shorten your life span. When I first learned of this program I panicked. We all think we are a little overweight, do too little exercise and cannot resist a Kentucky Fried Chicken or chocolate biscuit. I knew it would be a wake up call and really hammer home what my lifestyle was doing to my body. I thought if the results gave me a biological age higher than 50 years I wouldn’t add it to this article, but luckily for you and your curiosity it was in fact 26.5 (my chronological age is 24). Not bad. But this does not mean I can sit back and help myself to another biccy while cuddling my KFC family bucket. All the data, analysis and friendly chats produced a comprehensive, personalized and usable report giving advice and practical changes to increase my life expectancy, vitality and decrease my biological age. I have pages of diet and nutrition advice from Warren Kinder, the fantastic health director at the spa. He has expertise and qualifications longer than my arm. The report doesn’t just tell you ‘eat less fat’, ‘eat more vegetables’ or ‘stop being fat’ it has a precise list telling you what vitamins you can increase, the effects of them and what products they are found in. It contains exercise advice that can be done at home and also provides changes that you can make to your lifestyle, for example by increasing social support you can reduce stress.
I am of course making the whole affair sound a little clinical, but it wasn’t just a strict timetable of assessment, meeting with personal trainers and generally regretting how naughty you have been. The tailor made schedule includes lots of lovely pampering sessions featuring acupuncture, massages, balneotherapy, Bain du Lait, seaweed wraps and more. All of theses are negotiation gifts to win over your body’s affection once more. It has been a rocky relationship but I think finally myself and my body are working together to live longer.
Another year’s Festival of Speed creeps up on me, I had put the date in my calendar but only made a mental note to start planning the trip. The year before I was calling around frantically trying to find a hotel close to Goodwood house but on announcing the dates to the hotel I was met with a hearty chuckle, “I’m sorry, we’re fully booked”.
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Imagine my surprise then when I managed to get two rooms in Bailiffscourt Hotel, around 15 minutes from the entrance to the Festival - on the afternoon that I was due to leave. It was time to pack our bags and set off; we left London after the Friday traffic and headed south towards the Coast. We were waved down the long drive by the security guard and as we approached the main entrance I was shocked to see only 6 other cars parked.
We checked in and were shown to our rooms promptly, I enquired about the quiet, this would be a quite night for any hotel, but a hotel this beautiful, this close to Goodwood? It turns out that we are not the first people to discover this little gem, Toyota, Ferrari, and various other manufacturers book large allocations of rooms here and according to the porter, “are rarely used”.
The rooms at Bailifscourt are kept free by the manufacturers for last minute hospitality of VIPs that suddenly decide to stay over for more than one day at the Festival or Revival.
A 400 meter stroll across the grass brings me to an old rural building, there are only two rooms in this block. An old fashioned and heavy duty skeleton key unbolts the old and creaky door, but as it swings open I dont see my room, but a corridor, leading to a small staircase. At the top of the stairs lies a slightly more modern lock which opens up into a gorgeous period room, with four-poster bed, a few armchairs dotted around and a chaise. The bathroom features a beautiful rolltop bath and seperate shower enclosure. I was going to be refreshed for the Festival tomorrow - this place is a find! My photographer alas was not in one of the feature rooms, but in the modern block which was built at the back of the grounds - although the exterior of the modern block is built to reflect its surroundings, it still needs a few years weathering to match in properly.
In most circumstances the addition of modern, Hilton-style rooms onto a hotel this quaint would frustrate me, but I can’t help but feel grateful for this addition, if it weren’t for that block there probably wouldn’t be any space here at all.
After setting our things down we headed back to the lobby to have some dinner. Even though the restaurant was nearly closed my photographer’s dress code wasn’t suitable (hardly surprising considering he was in shorts and tee shirt!). The staff were very apologetic and sat us in the empty hotel lounge, where we were offered a choice from the lounge or restaurant menu, if I’m honest, I think I prefered the peace and quiet of the deserted lounge.
Both the food was fantastic and was enjoyed with an with excellent local beer. The staff were knowledgable and attentive - we really couldn’t have asked for more.
We finished our food and sat in the lounge for a few more drinks, discussing tomorrow’s plans. As the night drew to a close I returned to my room, darting from window to window, lamp to lamp trying to decipher how to make it go dark. - then finally, settled into bed.
There’s something about a countryside hotel that makes it easier to wake up in the morning. Within a few minutes I was ready to go, but not before diving into the restaurant... after all we hadn’t been able to see it yesterday. There’s nothing more impor tant than breakfast when you’re heading off to any Goodwood event - I was greatful for the ability to savour my breakfast and take my time, this morning’s drive to the Festival of Speed would be brief and trouble free. Thanks to Baillifscourt, this trip to Chichester was one of my favourite to date.
Choose a London hotel for under Ł100 a night and you’re hoping the physical basics are covered and you can get some sleep. Have the sheets been changed? Is the shower tray clean? Is the carpet meant to be flecked or does it have crabs?
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When you double that price, you’re sure the basics are right and you’re booking for some kind of style distinction: calm minimalism or late-Baroque curtain swagging, say.
Pay more than Ł250 for a basic room and you’re basically buying a guarantee that the hardware matches the living, breathing software; it’s unlikely you’ll want “daren’t crack a smile haughtiness” if you’re staying amongst Californian prints and flop chairs.
Brown’s knows what it’s good for. The hardware style of those eleven Georgian townhouses grown together over 200 years is classic English townhouse (wood, brass, shoes, all polished, polished, polished) and the software lives up to it: European, educated, empathetic.
I checked in at 4pm on the day when that lovely couple who were definitely going to exchange contracts on our house by the 5pm deadline had suddenly gone to ground; I had a meeting with one of London’s wealthiest operators the next morning (for which I still hadn’t done all my homework) and I was due out for dinner with someone I’d never met at 7pm. It’s one of those days when I daren’t take a drink because I know alcohol doesn’t mix well with adrenaline.
It’s always a good start with the front doors are opened in advance of your foot falling on the welcome mat - don’t you just hate that passive-aggressive, slightly-too-late opening of a door which is done to tell you that, ‘Yes I opened the door for you but by making you wait just a fraction, I’ve reminded you of the service I was delivering’? There was in-room check-in too which is good but to be honest, I was still looking to pick a fight over something as I left the lobby; possibly if the bellboy taking me up to the room pulled the same kind of matey stance his colleague behind the desk was, talking with a guest about his music collections.
Over the course of the five minutes it takes the bellboy to get me into my room he talks me down from my metaphorical rooftop. In the lift he waits to see if I’ll make a conversational move; when I do, he listens like the best private doctor to what I have to say, then he doesn’t flaunt his education in his reply and manages to mix in just the smallest hint of wit and flattery to make it all more enjoyable.
So when he opens the door to my room, I’m no longer looking for a fight but I am still wound up.
The best room in the house at Brown’s is probably the Kipling Royal Suite. The décor is calming, basically taupe (which will be the early 21st Century’s answer to the 70s Avocado bathroom suite and the 80s pink dining room), with accents of deeper earth colours and good use of different textures: hardwood floors, deep rugs, starched sheets on the beds topped with fluffy angora throws.
The drawing room has 3 floor to ceiling windows (all triple-glazed) and working fireplaces with good open floor space. But the magic, the charm is in the flattery of the overall concept: you’re urbane, in London for business but elevated enough in your business not to be working 24 hours a day. So, there are shelves of box-fresh books – good ones too. I don’t mean the clever ones you think you should be reading and torture yourself with on a 12-hour flight. I mean the books you buy when you step off the plane and you want something you’ll enjoy. There’s PG Wodehouse, there’s a poetry anthology, there’s a life of Churchill. Even, by chance, there’s a book that’s going to help me with my preparation for the morning’s meeting. There’s also a good balance between soft seating and functional desk space. There are flat-screen TVs, which are big but not dominant, a good variety of streamed music and room enough to avoid kneeing the furniture. There’s also an unpacking service which sometimes seems like an intrusion but today saves me the twenty minutes I need to get on with my preparation for tomorrow.
There’s water on the table. Better, there’s fruit. I don’t how little it costs to put a bowl of fruit into a room for a guest’s arrival, but if you’ve just flown across the Atlantic (or got stuck coming down Picadilly, which can take about the same amount of time) it’s worth most of the extra cost of the room straightaway.
The walk-in wardrobes are getting big enough to be dressing rooms.
The bathrooms are what you’d expect – limestone and mosaic tiled – but have proper sized baths with a small TV in the wall at your feet.
The toiletries are, strangely, not the best or coolest on the market, but Forte’s own label, which is a wrong note. I just don’t believe that if your expertise is in putting the best hotel together, you’re also going to be the best cosmetic scientists at mixing up bubble bath.
Just after 6 o’clock, I’ve had my emergency shirt pressing, I’ve eaten the fruit, I’ve calmed down. The phone call comes through and the exchange of contracts on the house somehow happened.
I shift down a gear, get in the bath, switch on the TV in the wall at my feet and give myself half an hour’s rest. Brown’s has a certain type of magic. Partially it’s the history of the buildings, partially it’s the history of what they’ve seen. The French government in exile during World War II stayed here, Churchill stayed here, and Kipling stayed here to write. They were always going to be able to cope with my temporary housing crisis.
On a beautiful late September day, I was driving along the dramatic but tortuous coastal route along the Amalfi coast - I know that Italians love their spaghetti, but I didn’t know they had roads like it too. My destination was the Hotel Caruso at Ravello; the newest gem in the crown of the Orient Express Hotels on the divine Amalfi coast, and a beautiful haven in which to unwind!
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Climbing steeply up the mountainside to the delightful mystical old town of Ravello, I arrived at the Hotel Caruso. Its stunning cliff location was immediately apparent with superb views from the large elegant reception hall out towards the dramatic mountainous coastline and the Gulf of Salerno, and a seemingly vertical drop of 350 metres to the village of Minori below! The Hotel was originally an 11th century palazzo, lovingly restored to its former glory after a four year intensive project, with frescoes, fine ceramics and marbled interiors under the direction of the internationally renowned Italian designer Federico Forquet.
An alternative way of arriving would be in a spanking new silver helicopter available to whisk you straight from Naples airport to The Caruso in just 8 minutes, with barely time to drink the champagne on board. Even more exciting for some would be the speedboat transfer option, with a classic mahogany-built Riva Super Aquarama, available on special request.
After a refreshing glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice whilst checking in, I was shown to my superbly appointed and spacious Junior Suite, which was very atmospheric with high vaulted ceilings and original stone arches illustrating the Hotel’s historic foundation. White monogrammed linen and pure cashmere blankets adorned the vast four poster. A giant flat screen television discretely hidden in the foot of the bed, silently arose at the touch of a button.
Time now to wander through the beautiful flower filled gardens to relax in the stunning infinity pool – a charming attendant appearing with a large fluffy towel to envelope me in as I emerged from the pool. Adjacent is the open air ‘Belevedere’ restaurant with its marvellous 11th century colonnade and wonderful 360 degree view of the Amalfi Coast, with a menu to match, where I enjoyed a delicious Southern Italian speciality, a heart-shaped pizza from their brick-oven, and then soaked up the wonderful warm rays on a sunbed on a terrace in the peaceful gardens.
Later that evening, emerging from my luxurious large white marble bathroom in my suite, having sampled the wonderful collection of Bvlgari and Molton Brown products, I enjoyed the complimentary bottle of chilled Prosecco di Valdobbiadene on my private patio whilst drinking in the amazing view.
Dinner al fresco on the Caruso Restaurant terrace was an unforgettable experience with a superb selection of fresh local Mediterranean food from the sea and shore beautifully created and served in the Amalfi moonlight, with a necklace of lights adorning the coastline below.
Next morning, breakfast was equally impressive, with a superb buffet with a variety of fresh produce beautifully displayed, or a choice from a cooked menu. Selection was the only problem – which of four local organic varieties of honey to have, whether fresh pineapple in citrus syrup, or pears in red wine! When I requested more coffee to accompany a highly indulgent, but delicious portion of home-made Torte Caprese, my cup and saucer were whisked away and a fresh one bought with the coffee pot – a nice touch, and just one of many examples of the Hotel’s ethos of “making the difference”.
It was now time to burn off some calories in the panoramic Gymnasium with its state of the art equipment. Nearby was the beautifully appointed Wellness Centre, with wonderful Kanebo body and facial treatments. A recent addition was a holistic marquee set on a peaceful grass terrace overlooking the sea, in which to enjoy a relaxing massage whilst harmonising with nature. Although it beckoned temptingly, time alas did not permit.
Whilst walking in the extensive Hotel grounds, I encountered Executive Chef Domenico Di Raffaele in his delightful organic herb garden, selecting one of ten varieties of thyme for his kitchen. Nearby grew organic apples, tangerines, strawberries, and aubergines, all thriving on the minerals from the ash that showered down from the eruption of Vesuvius many years ago.
I was shown one of the latest exclusive ‘villa suites’, with its own private terrace and garden, which was superb, with stunning views - even from the vast luxurious bathroom. These were created in the grounds to enhance the historic remains uncovered during the restoration project. It was in one of these suites that a renowned composer came to stay and requested a piano in the suite. PR Manager Janet D’Alesio organised a helicopter to lower a grand piano onto the patio – “anything is possible” is her motto!
Sadly time did not permit taking advantage of the Hotel’s private excursions – to Herculaneum and Pompeii with an archaeologist as a personal guide, or a trek up to peer into Vesuvius, or experience the most beautiful view of the Amalfi coast on board the Hotel’s complimentary motor yacht – I feel compelled to return.
The French poet, Andre Gide evocatively described Ravello’s magic location as “nearer the sky than to the shore” - as a guest at the Hotel Caruso you certainly feel that you are in heaven.
The 12 Apostles hotel in Cape Town must have one of the nicest views of any hotel in the world, and as it looks out to the west then there is also no better place to sit and watch the sun set over the Atlantic.
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Unlike everywhere else we stayed in the country (see Lusso 11), this definitely felt more like a hotel, but a nice one all the same. It did well not to feel claustrophobic after the huge spaces we had grown used to in the last two weeks, and our semi-suite room opened out onto a small grassed garden looking over the sea. Before supper we sneaked a quick visit to the spa, which has just been refurbished and includes a flotation tank; great fun, but be careful not to get any of the water in your mouth, the salt does not taste very nice! A quick and refreshing jump into the cold plunge pool and we were ready for our meal.
The very young sommelier clearly knows his stuff, and has just been selected to be on the board for choosing South African Airways’s new wine selection – how does tasting over a thousand wines in a week sound to you? He picked out a very good Chardonnay for us after listening to what we do and don’t like. Considering that this is not my favourite grape (to say the least) he did a great job by giving us something I really enjoyed. The food itself had its ups and downs; nothing to really write home about. For the night owls there is a nice little bar that stays open 24 hours a day, and servers snacks too. At night the effect is not quite as good, but there is an imposing view from here up the mountains towering above. Overall this is a really nice and friendly hotel, with a location second to none, on a global scale. Well worth a visit.
The Plaza Athénée in Paris is the hotel of my dreams. Not because of the restaurant with its three Michelin stars and its chef, Alain Ducasse, one of the Galacticos of world gastronomy. Not because of the bar run by Thierry Hernandez who is to cocktails what Pele is to football. Not because of its Eiffel Suite which, for a mere Ł4000 per night, will provide you with a mind-bending view of the Eiffel Tower on the opposite bank of the Seine.
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What caused the dreams which haunt me still are the pillows. Yes, you read it correctly. I said pillows; the things your head lies on when you sleep. At the Plaza Athénée you are not expected to rest your head on any old pillow. Au contraire. What would Monsieur prefer? Maybe a wheat pillow or a horsehair pillow or, to help those aches and pains which come from a hard day’s shopping, an osteopathic pillow. Or perhaps, with all of your allergies, you might prefer a synthetic pillow.
Which explains why I slept so well at the Plaza Athénée. My suite, which did not have a view of the Eiffel Tower but instead overlooked a quiet courtyard, contained two flat screen televisions and a fridge with enough provisions to feed and water the Household Cavalry.
After sampling Thierry Hernandez’s latest creations, some of which – like his iced lollies of alcohol - appeared to stretch the rules of physics, I chose his signature cocktail, the Rose Royale, champagne and raspberry juice. By then it was time for dinner. Alas, Monsieur Ducasse’s establishment was full so I settled for the Relais, whose décor has been inspired by the liner Normandie. The native oysters and steak tartare were as good as they come. My only disappointment was the absence of St Marcellin, the finest cheese in the world (but only when it is in perfect condition). Never mind. By then my wheat pillow was beckoning.
The breakfast ceremony took place in the Ducasse gastronomic cathedral where I learnt that the pastry chef had just been awarded the title of the best Pastry Cook in the Universe for the millionth time. And sure enough a tsunami of pastries, each one fluffier than the last, appeared before me. I turned down the Egg of the Day, a complex dish with nuts and truffles and instead majored on coffee and ethereal croissants. Everything was going swimmingly until the Plaza Athénée swung into action. In front of me, all alone on a plain white plate, sat a single solitary St Marcellin cheese in perfect condition. God bless the Plaza Athénée.
People that I speak to are often jealous about my job – after all, swanning off around the world to write articles seems from the outside to be an impossibly easy and fun job. Of course I like to pretend it is not really, but that is another matter.
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When the trip in question involves skiing, these people tend to be even more envious – until that is they ask the big question – “Which resort are you going to?” Being Lusso, they would generally expect the answer to be St Moritz, Verbier, or any of the other Big Names to be found in the Alps. When the answer is in fact Spain, noses get turned immediately skywards; isn’t Spain for beaches and cocktails? Well, I have to admit that I had never thought of going to the Pyrenees before either, but a bit of research shows that “my” resort, Baqueira Beret, is a regular hang out for the Spanish Royal Family, and (negative points here), David Beckham used to visit with his family when he played his football in Madrid. So at least there appears to be a bit of pedigree to start with.
Not content with going to an unusual resort, there is also another first for me – staying in a hotel and not a chalet. Just likes Alps vs Pyrenees, Chalet vs Hotel has a bit of a one sided ring to it, but then again there are plenty of brilliant hotels around the world, why can’t one of them be in a ski resort?
La Pleta is a newish hotel situated in the town of Baqueira, which itself is the largest town in the resort. Although its function is obviously centred on skiing and tourism, it does retain a good degree of native charm, quite unlike the 1960s concrete monstrosities littered throughout France. It is not far from Toulouse airport as the crow flies, but the drive takes the best part of three hours. At least it is totally hassle free, as a uniformed hotel driver will meet you as you clear customs.
As we draw closer and the scenery gets peakier, the snow starts to thicken on the ground. Our driver tells us that it snowed only two days ago, which is obviously great news, as the last significant snowfall before that was several weeks ago, and things had apparently started to get a bit patchy. The Pyrenees may not be the most snow sure of the European resorts, but then again it does have over 1000 snow cannons dotted around the slopes, so you are almost guaranteed to have decent conditions regardless of the weather.
The hotel is perched towards at the top end of the town, and in fact there are runs which end up lower down, but it is not possible to ski to the front door. As it turns out, this is not a problem at all, but more of that later. First impressions are good as we are given a quick tour of the facilities – stylish yet comfortable, and pleasantly un-crowded. The Spa and pool looks like a great feature to have on hand, especially after a long hard day on the slopes.
The rooms are nicely furnished, and a decent, if unspectacular, size. The view on the other hand is anything but unspectacular, with our room looking out over the town below and down the valley. When the suns sets later in the evening we are treated to a magical light display as the tops of the mountains change through a range of pastel colours from pink through to orange, before it finally goes dark and the lights twinkle below us, like a reflection of the stars above.
This being Spain, we eat a late supper in one of the hotel restaurants. It is a simple affair, but very tasty – veal burgers and a club sandwich. Without lingering too long, we head off for bed, keen to get an early start in the morning; after all, the whole point of coming here was to ski!
Like the day before, the morning dawns with a bright blue sky, and so after a quick breakfast it is time to go. One of the hotel’s features is that there is a ski rental shop in the building. This means that we were able to sort out all of our equipment the day before, and maximise ski time - always a good thing. As I mentioned earlier, you cannot ski to or from the hotel, but once again there is a man on hand to drive you two minutes up the hill to a little two man chair lift, which in turn carries you up to the main lift area. From here the world, or at least the resort, is your oyster. The first couple of chairlifts we take are, it has to be said, rather slow, and even though the sun is shining, a biting wind makes me wish they were a bit speedier. It does not help that I can see other lifts whizzing alongside us at an apparently breakneck speed. From this point in, we are very careful to choose only the fast lifts when possible, and to be fair, with a bit of planning this is not a problem at all.
The resort has 104km of runs, and at least 90% of them are open for us. I had read that Baquiera Beret is considered to be quite a flat resort, but I think that is an unfair description. Looking at the piste map there are a lot of red runs, and whilst they are maybe not quite as difficult as their Alpine cousins, “flat” would definitely not be a word I would choose. There are also a handful of black runs scattered around, but almost all of these were closed.
Anyway, the sun was out, the snow was good, and best of all, the place seemed almost deserted. On some runs it was possible to imagine that we were the only people in the resort. It turns out that the Spaniards like to get a bit of a later start than us Brits, so as the day progresses more and more people appear. Even in the most congested lift areas it still feels delightfully sparsely populated though.
One thing which takes a bit of getting use to is the fact that almost no one speaks English, which makes ordering lunch a bit of a point and gesticulate affair, not that there is anything wrong with that. Perhaps this effect is just because I speak no Spanish at all, whereas I can speak a few words of French, so I do not notice the language gap so much in the Alps.
At the end of the day, we take the same small lift back to where we had started from, to be met again by the same driver. As the hotel is such a short distance away you do not need to call for them to be there, as they just go back and forth until everyone is collected. It is a neat system that works well.
Back at the hotel, our English bodies start to react to an unexpected day’s exertion, and the Spa is looking very tempting. The pool and sauna combination works wonders for relaxing the muscles, and if you really feel like it there is a huge menu of treatments available, ranging from massages to facials. Personally I’ve never been a facial sort of guy, but my better half is, and she reports that the herb facial is thoroughly relaxing. Most of the time I cannot see the results of it, after all a ski mask is not the best piece of clothing for showing off ones complexion.
In my opinion, one of the nicest things about this hotel is the taxi service they run. This does not just mean to and from the airport or the ski slopes, but they will happily recommend a restaurant in the local area, then drive you there and back. We tried out a couple of the local places, one a tapas bar (reasonable, but nothing to write home about), the other a place serving the Pyrenean specialities. This was a real find, and although we understood almost none of the menu, and had to resort to playing restaurant battleships (point and hope) it turned out to be a delicious meal, especially with a bottle of Rioja – not something I often drink at home. As it turns out, this was in fact a better meal than the one we ate at La Pleta’s fancy restaurant, the Gel Al Foc. They were obviously trying hard, and of the seven or eight plates of food some were very good, but overall perhaps a little more attention to detail is called for.
Overall though La Pleta scores very high marks, both for the standard of accommodation itself, but even more so for the attitude of the staff, who were always helpful and cheerful. Even if they did not all speak English fluently (and it would be arrogant to assume they all would!), there was always someone close at hand who could help out. As for the resort itself – well part of me wants to tell everyone what they have been missing, and part of me wants to keep the whole thing a secret. After all, it is so nice skiing on deserted slopes that why would I want to risk changing that?
When making inquiries and arrangements for the trip to Lagonissi, just outside of Athens, I discovered that most high class destinations were completely booked for many months before the season even started. I guess it was not too much of a suprise - with that sort of sand & sea, Greece in the summer is “the place to be”.
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As we got out of the plane and transferred to the hotel it quickly became evident why this was such a sought-after destination for any type of holiday. Travellers benefit from a warm, sincere welcome by the locals, the weather is simply outstanding and Athens itself can be reached by plane within two to three hours from any major airport in Europe. It is simply as convenient as it is beautiful. Greece may not be the most economically developed country in Europe, though it has made its way into the top 25 countries of the world in the last two decades. Tourism accounts for roughly 20% of the local economy and it seems like the people treasure every individual who comes to enjoy what this country, full of character and history, has to offer. Athens itself is a city in transition, many districts are changing from run-down blocks to hip locations and it has a very rich cultural history plain for everyone to see. The Acropolis, a unique 2500 year old monument, is one of the must-see places to visit during a trip to the city. The marinas in and around Athens are simply overflowing with pricey yachts of the local and international rich & famous, amongst who you find the names of the world’s entertainment superstars as well as industrial billionaires.
The Grand Resort Lagonissi, a five start retreat just 20 minutes from the commercial airport of Athens and 35 minutes from the heart of the city, is a breath-taking sanctuary for tranquillity and luxury. Featuring deluxe rooms, suites with a view that will leave you speechless, as well as bungalows on the waterfront where you can enjoy all aspects of the splendour in front of you from your private swimming pool. This lavish haven of relaxation will leave no wishes unanswered and you wont stop smiling throughout your stay as every time of day holds its unique pleasures, from the sun rising over the hills of Athens when a friendly waiter serves you your breakfast on your veranda; the afternoon on the beach under the warm sun or in crystal-clear water with its animated marine life. And to round things off, the splendid dusks on one of the resorts plenty panorama terraces while dining in style.
Mr. Alexandros Koutodontis, the general manager of the resort, is one of the most, if not the most, successful and famous hotel managers in Greece. As a part of the Helios Group, the Grand Resort Lagonissi seems to be his flag ship in terms of quality service and he masters his staff and motivates them to excel every day. The standard of service that is practiced in this outstanding destination will make most other so called five star hotels and their staff blush. The VIP Service division of the hotel will accommodate you with an abundance of kindness; before we even got to the reception we were smiled at and greeted in several different languages by no less than five people. The hotel frequently accommodates international VIP clientele such as the royal families of the Middle East and is tuned to the highest standards of its trade.
The resort, sitting on a small cape, assures its guests the utmost comfort and care that a busy and stressed individual, looking for a few days of worry-free life, can hope for. With an international cuisine of more than seven restaurants, ranging from Greek over Polynesian to Italian, one is quite literally catered for in any way possible. The service is impeccable in any aspect, the accuracy and correctness is unsurpassed in southern Europe, in my experience. If after a few days of relaxing you get jaded and want some entertainment you can take a limousine ride to the centre of Athens where you can indulge in relics of the ancient history of Greece. Or, while relaxing on the beach, you may enjoy one of the plenty opportunities of marine pleasures such as water-skiing, jet-skiing, snorkeling or scuba diving. A special from the resort is to be taken to the temple of Poseidon by speedboat, see the magnificent sights and to return to your cocktail on the beach within two hours… The temple is only a short ride away and features one of the world’s most famous sunsets. Or, if all you wish to do is kick back and relax, you could simply read a good book, get served whatever you can think of whilst parking yourself on the beach, cultivating your tan to make your peers jealous upon your return…
Surely, the Greek islands such as Mykonos, Kos, Santorini, Crete and the countless others are a wonderful destination for a relaxing holiday; but this resort seems like a well-kept secret amongst the select few who have been here. If you are sitting at a dinner and somebody with a nice tan and a big smile whispers “Lagonissi” in your ear… don’t be surprised.
Panerai expand to New York City
Luxury watch manufacturer Officine Panerai is just about to open a boutique store in New York City, to add to their American presence in Los Angeles.
Ferrari to launch convertible 430 Scuderia – the 16M
It's been rumoured for a while now, but it seems Ferrari are to release a Spyder version of their hardcore 430, the Scuderia. This will be called the 16M and limited to 499 vehicles. The car is to commemorate the company's 16th F1 constructor's title.
Issue 15, Available December 2008.
Travel Special
The ultimate in peace and quite. Lusso Magazine investigates the best island resorts in the world - it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.
Ultimate Toys
Super yacht tenders, powerboats, motorbikes and super cars, we serve up the usual dose of high octane machinery.
And the regulars...
Brian Ebbesen, Arash Farboud, Nick English and others all share their views
Moving Fast Under Sail
“It′s nice to read about something you probably will never experience in your lifetime. I try...” By James Brown 26 November 2008
The Value for Luxury Market
“No really Doug, More ego please. LOL. Sorry, but it′s a great joke to aggravate you about b...” By James Brown 26 November 2008
The Value for Luxury Market
“Doug Richard said:"Which brings me to my first nomination for the “Value Luxury Market” wh...” By James Brown 26 November 2008
