Luxury Travel

How are we supposed to show our solidarity towards Tunisia and fight against cruelty and obscurantism? For us, travelers, the best way to do so would be to continue our trips throughout the world and keep on going to the country affected by the Jasmine Revolution. Let us remind ourselves of the beauty of Tunisia, where the Bayram Palace, a building that seems ripped from the pages of One Thousand and One Nights, opens its gates in the Médina. This former residence of the Grand Mufti has been thoroughly restored during a period of seven years. The result? Luxurious suites decorated with wood, marble and period earthenware. And, the cherry on top of the... baklava: the menu of the palace’s gourmet restaurant is signed by Guy Legay, former chef at…

In Luberon Located on the famous Route des Ocres, Coquillade Village, a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection, stands at the heart of a 42-hectare domain filled with never-ending fields of grape vines. This establishment is worth the detour, especially since it just saw the opening of a hamlet with 35 rooms and suites, as well as a 1.500 m2 spa with a theme of ‘health and nature... Chic and in tune with both the Provencal spirit and the environment.. 84400 Gargas. Phone: +33 (0)4 90 74 71 71. www.coquillade.fr In Venice The St. Regis Venice San Clemente Palace, the brand’s 3rd such hotel in Italy, is located in a former monastery located on a private island a few minutes away from the heart of the city…

Jinjuu: Korean coolness American-Korean TV presenter and charismatic chef Judy Joo has opened a new Korean restaurant in January that quickly rose to be one of the coolest places in London. Jinjuu (en. ‘pearl’) has an industrial design and is located on Kingly Street, a hip and buzzing street ever since the days of Swinging London! On the ground floor, the hip and informal bar offers unique cocktails such as the Seoul Sour and treats such as Korean tacos. The basement of the place provides a different and calmer atmosphere in a place with grey concrete walls decorated with red tags and an open kitchen, allowing guests to carefully watch all the fuss going on inside. While a Korean steak tartar or the Southeast Asia-style mussels are a popular choice,…

Tong Yen: in with the new! Gilles & Boissier, a brilliant designer duo, were chosen to breathe new life into this legendary address on rue Jean Mermoz, the go-to place for everyone in Paris for several decades. The elegant redesign features glass screen walls, dark wood and marble, highlighting through alcoves the inside of Chef Arishima’s kitchen, the Michelin-starred chef of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo. His menu is short and well structured, doing true justice to modern Cantonese cuisine. When it comes to starters, it’s quite hard choosing between the slices of mi-cuit beef tenderloin, Tobanjan sauce and Shanghai-style creamy ravioli. As for the large Pékin duck done two-ways or the Sichuan seared shrimp, they are simply magnificent. 1bis, rue Jean Mermoz, 75008 Paris. Phone: + 33 (0)1…

French elegance In the heart of the Saint-Honoré neighborhood, around worldwide icons of haute couture such as Chanel, Hermès and Yves Saint Laurent, the Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg hotel is deeply in tune with the world of fashion. This 18th century private hotel used to be the former headquarters of Marie-Claire magazine during the 90s. On March 5th , it reopened its gates as a 5-star hotel with a bang, during a memorable soirée filled with celebrities such as Chantal Thomass. While being deeply feminine and representing the quintessence of French elegance (typical for the Accor Group), the new design of the hotel is signed by Didier Gomez. As soon as guests step into the lobby, they are met by a magnificent black & white setting signed by…

1_Southampton to Cherbourg. A mini cruise on board the Queen Mary 2, the world’s biggest and most luxurious cruise ship: 345 meters long, 72 meters tall (just as tall as a 3-story building), weighing 151 000 tons and featuring 14 decks, 5 swimming pools, 10 restaurants, 1 huge ballroom, 1.200 cabins, bars, a spa and a casino. 2_All aboard! An employee of the harbor is in charge of my luggage. Registration formalities are carried out fast: ID card, keycard for the room and the payment card. I step through the metal detectors, just like at an airport. I also can’t escape the traditional photo taken once you enter the gangway. I’m going to look for it in the evening (in vain, though) among the photos of all the other 2.000…