Table of contents for Issue 64 in Luxury Travel

On Sundays, as fog rises from the lake and wrap the city of Geneva in their embrace, all the beautiful people flcok to La Réserve - the place to see and be seen - in a sweet uproar of luxury cars: Maseratis, Porsches, Ferraris, Bentleys... They meet at merry atmosphere of Le Loti in order to enjoy a nice Sunday brunch: a few grams of Osciètre caviar, an Aubrac beef tenderloin or a «baby trop», a cake which reminds one of warm summers in Saint-Tropez. The menu of Chef Philippe Durandeau turned simplicity into an irresistible recipe, beyond time and fashion. La Réserve is located on the right bank of Lake Léman, a couple of kilometers away from the «Cité de Calvin», a perfectly-preserved enclave which stretches over 4 hectares…

The smallest island in the Lesser Antilles has managed to preserve its authenticity well, and there’s nothing like authenticity that attracts chefs in search of a challenge. The greatest chefs on Earth are flocking to this small 25 km2 celebrity getaway. The first gourmet festival on the island is centered on one main point: 5 nations, 7 chefs, 11 restaurants. Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the French chef who managed to build an empire in New York has donned his battle robes: «I live in New York, yet find this island highly inspiring.» This nobleman of high cuisine (3 Michelin stars) oversees the star restaurant of the islands, namely «On the Rocks» (120 places) at Eden Rock. This small jewel of the Oetker Group overlooks a splendid coral reef and is surrounded by…

Located on the former hunting grounds of Ernest Hemingway, this is the only permanent lounge within the Lake Manyara National Park (330 km2 ) has the easternmost location out of all lodges in the south-east area, which means that guests here enjoy a privileged spot from which they can observe all kinds of wildlife. Tucked away about one kilometer from the lake, the lodge basically consists out of cabins on stilts made up of bamboo and makuti (palm leaves). The place is carefully camouflaged among mahogany trees, wild mango trees and fig trees. In fact, it’s camouflaged so well that we almost bumped into an elephant while staying there. Well, maybe we’re exaggerating a bit - there were still about 7 meters between us and it. Maybe this unexpected guest…

Located near the Kenyan border, Sayari Lodge is one of the rare permanent camps in the northern part of Serengeti. Solitude will be your companion in this place. You’ll immediately feel like stepping onto another planet (which translates as «sayari» in Swahili). Is this what you’re looking for? Perfect. The camp is part of the Asilia hotel group and only features 15 tent-suites located about 100 meters from the River Mara. You’ll most likely be the first ones to notice when hundreds of thousands of gnus cross the river, which has swollen in size due to the heavy rains and is now infested by crocodiles. But they have to cross it, as such is the way of the Great Migration, the search for fresh water and good. You’ll be able…

The sun has already set when we reach the village of Egilsstadir. The snow has stopped and the video projections on the walls of Slaturhusid resume. Undaunted by the biting cold, a handful of people are watching them. This is one of the projects of the 700IS Reindeerland experimental video art festival. It has been running since 2006 and is famous around the world for its avant-garde productions. French video makers, such as Jean-Gabriel Périot, Magali Theviotm Sugarcraft Doudouboy, Etienne de France, Julien Toulze, Oliver Gardiner, Pierre-Luc Gouin, Clementine Delbecq and others are here to create.The indoor cinema place is a whole different story. The Slaturhusid is an old slaughterhouse repurposed as a cinema. The movie theatre is installed in the old cold rooms. The walls are unfurbished and dark…

The 101 Hotel is part of the Design Hotels chain and it got its name from its position in the lively neighborhood that locals nickname the “101”. Ingibjörg S. Palmadottir is the owner as well as the decorator of the place. She mixed modern touches with a palette of black, grey and white, in order to highlight the Icelandic spirit. The walls are covered in works of art produced by local artists. The hotel is a refuge for the artistic world. The visitors can walk around, as if in a gallery, to admire the paintings and the sculptures exhibited. The elegance of the furniture creates a sense of comfort in the rooms. The floors are heated and made of Italian yellow oak, the furniture is lacquered and dark, there’s even…

The cab left me in front of a large iron gate. With my suitcase entrusted to a pair of robust hands, I began heading up paved walkway towards the hotel. Above me, the houses of Eze carefully balance themselves on the hillside. Below me, a splendid terraced garden littered with flowers, sculptures and fountains. The breeze of the Mediterranean gently caresses my face. From this vantage point, I have a sublime view that fades in the distance towards Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Monaco and Nice. A last staircase leads me through a passageway that climbs up to the hotel’s reception. My room is just ahead, located on the other end of a courtyard with a large bougainvillea in the middle. There are only 38 rooms here, classified as Classic, Traditional, Elegance or Suites…

USEFUL INFORMATION Information centers http://fr.visiticeland.com www.inspiredbyiceland.com Time zone differences - 2h during summer (compared to France). Official language Icelandic but English is spoken everywhere. Currency Icelandic crown (1 EURO = approx. 150 ISK). Phone code 354. European telephones operate flawlessly in Iceland. Best time to visit June and July - low levels of rainfall and highest number of sunny days. The sun can shine all through the night at the end of June! Flights WOW air, Icelandic low cost flight operator, offers one-way tickets to Iceland starting from 79€. From January to April, it operates 2 flights each week on Mondays and Wednesday. In May, there are 3 flights/week and, starting from June, there are daily flights. During spring, the company offers weekend getaways starting from 287€/ person (return flight…

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…

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…

Tucked away in the small village of Rémalard in the heart of the Perche, the first «zero gluten» take on the boutique hotel concept has opened its gates last January. Côté Parc is, above all, a family business. Adra, an interior designer, and her husband Pascal Bataille (TV presenter and owner of Hotel Côté Sable in Cap-Ferret) have formed a partnership with Pascal’s sister, Zouleïka Boumaiza, and his brother, Boubaker S. Boumaiza. Then, all four of them have bought a total of three joint establishments: a former doctor’s residence, an old drugstore and another small building. Adra’s touch becomes apparent as soon as you step through the door, as the boutique hotel has a ravishingly feminine and elegant design. Every design element here, starting from the beds and right down…

Sofitel, Accor Group’s high end hotel brand, has recently opened its third hotel in Dubai. Is this a coincidence? Doubtful, given that the megalopolis is a coveted tourist destination due to a dream climate... except in summer, when it’s really, really hot. The Sofitel Dubai Downtown goes beyond the brand’s assets in order to seduce the most demanding of tourists that are in Dubai for business or relaxation. With a prime location among the skyscrapers that span the length of the famous Sheikh Zayed Road, this 5-star hotel is connected, via an air-conditioned tunnel, to the largest commercial center in the United Arab Emirates: Dubai Mall. On one side, the hotel offers a stunning view over the highest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, and on the other, it dominates…

All of Philippe Soulier’s wishes seem to have been fulfilled by Aladdin’s magic lamp. He is a self-made man who made a fortune working in logistics in Nigeria. He is as adventurous as his partner Jade Handi, the winner of the 7th season of the Koh-Lanta show. In 2000, the dashing 40 year-old had a stroke of luck and got his hands on a vast land and several buildings in a palm grove between the Atlas Mountains and the Djebilet hills. «I took out my compass and I seized the day», he says. Six years and 50 million euros later, in April 2012, the monumental gates of the Namaskar, worthy of a maharajah’s palace, open a gateway to a Feng Shui universe. Thought out to be «a place of harmony…

«There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne — bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive.» These are the famous words of Karen Blixen, author of the bestseller ‘Out of Africa’. This emotion is particularly present in Tanzania, especially in the North, where you’ll find the biggest Noah’s ark in the world. Lions and other big cats stare proudly at you from the fields. There are more gnus running about than you could ever capture on film. Lots of giraffes walking with elegance and nonchalance. Elephants with the color of cement.... About one third of the country’s territory is considered a natural reservations. You’ll most definitely get to cross all of the…

One either loves it or hates it right away. One thing’s for sure: the architecture of the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge leaves no one indifferent. This unconventional building is, as some reviewer put it, a mix between «Versailles and Maasai culture». On the outside, the lodge looks like a modest manyatta, which is the name of villages in the region, featuring huts made out of dried dung and clay. On the inside, however, it’s a whole different story. Architect Silvio Rech and designer Chris Browne have unleashed their creative spirit and fitted the place with Venetian-style mirrors and chandeliers, Persian rugs, silk cushions and baroque colors. However, everyone agrees to this: nestled atop a 2.000 m high volcanic mountain, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge offers a breathtaking view over what many call…

The owner of the Serengeti Bushtops Camp, Andrew Stuart, is the great nephew of Bud Cottar. During the Roaring Twenties, Bud Cottar used take the duke and duchess of York through sightseeing through the bush in search for elephants, gazelles and giraffes. Bud was also friends a certain Denys Finch Hatton, which was immortalized in Karen Blixen’s Out of Africa. In other words, we’re among legends here. Located in a secluded spot in the northeastern part of Serengeti, among umbrella-shaped acacias and granite rocks called ‘kopjes’ (Afrikaans word for ‘small heads’), the camp does everything in order to ensure that it meets the high standards set by Bud Cottar. The River Mara, the place of the Great Migration, is located just 25 km away from here. The 12 cabins are…

Given our appearance, we might as well have ridden our snowmobiles out of hell, with our red protective suits and gleaming helmets. «Stay on the track», urges the guide, «the snow might be hiding crevasses». Under the frozen mantle of the Mÿrdalsjoküll, the Katia, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland, is constantly huffing and puffing. We stay close to our guide as we cross a vast field scarred by recent eruptions. The lava has hardened and it crisscrosses the immaculate white of the snow like a black forked lightning. It’s May, but here, on the glacier, you’d think you were in the lands of everlasting winter. At least 12% of the island is occupied by the most important volcanoes in Europe. Every type of volcano is present here,…

Opened in January 2014, the Fosshotel Eastfords is on one hand a modern place, and on the other a historical monument. Situated on the edge of the Fáskrúdsfördur in the middle of the eponymous village, it pays homage to the French sailors who fished for cod for more than 400 years on the Icelandic coasts. The 26 chambers are simple and the arrangement is the spitting image of the chambers of old. Originally, the building was a hospital built in 1904 for the French sailors. It went out of service in 1939 and was eventually turned into a hotel in 2013. More than 5.000 fishermen lost their lives during the past centuries and their memory is kept safe in a small museum that showcases the living conditions of the time.…

OVERVIEW QUEEN MARY 2 Southampton/Bruges (Belgium)/Southampton (3 nights): 410€ for an interior cabin, 529€ for a external cabin with balcony, 1.299 € for a mini-suite, 1.369 € for a suite. Prices do not include transfers from Paris to Southampton or tips to on-board personnel. Note: the official currency aboard the Queen Mary 2 is the dollar. You will be billed for your expenses at the end of the cruise. A mandatory tip proportional to your cabin category will be added to your bill at the end of your tip (between 10 and 12€/person). More information & reservations at any good tour operator or at +33 (0)1 45 75 95 00 (Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM). www.cunard-france.fr ZOOM CITADINES SUITES ARC DE TRIOMPHE PARIS 881, avenue Kléber,…

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,…

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…

This five-star hotel made up of several small buildings stretching over an 800-meter beach was inaugurated last September and has become a flagship hotel on Mauritius. It has a prime location on the northeastern shore of the island, being located in the heart of a 10-hectare tropical garden in Turtle Bay, one of the most beautiful coral reef reservations on the island. The coral reef reservation in Mauritius has been declared a National Marine Park, as the bay offers different types of sea bottoms and is an ideal spot for diving and snorkeling. In the 190 rooms and suites (63 to 195 m2 ), as well as in the 15 private villas scattered throughout the beach, the design is centered around natural tropical materials such as teak and and volcanic…

The building which is now home to the Jules César has had quite a few past lives. It was a 17th century Carmelite convent that became a hospice during the French Revolution. The hospice then closed down in 1903 and the building was turned into a hotel and stepped into its new life in 1928. After having accommodated a large number of beautiful people that used to visit the French Riviera (Hemingway, Picasso, the duke and duchess of York etc.) and after having some glorious years, the Jules César faded into history! That’s until 2013, when the restoration works on the hotel began. Last December, the hotel was reborn from the ashes. This member of the MGallery collection and the Accor Group, a collection of hotels housed in buildings filled…

A banker and an adventurer... In a world without coincidences, the paths of Fabia Bausch and Nicolas Nègre would never have crossed. But they did... in the Bahamas, where they came together due to their mutual love for nature. Today, this French-Swiss couple is the owner of an eco-lodge located between Tarangire National Park and the Lake Manyara National Park. Chem Chem, which stands for ‘springs’ in Swahili, has eight luxury tents of 100 m2 each, connected via bridges made out of eucalyptus in the middle of the outback. Their lodge has a chic design with lava stones, wood and Italian fabrics. Guests here find themselves in an atmosphere of ultimate solitude, as the domain stretches over 20 km2 and the silence isn’t broken but by the rare cries of…

Located north of the Serengeti National Park, this hotel basically gives you front row seats to a fantastic spectacle of nature. You don’t even need to leave the hotel, as the animals come to you! The Four Seasons overlooks a natural spring where elephants, buffaloes and antelopes come and quench their thirst. You’ll be able to experience this show first hand with a nice drink in your hand on the terraces. Magnificent. It’s impossible to miss the show, as a webcam constantly monitors the spring and you get a live feed of the action by switching to Channel 1 inside the rooms. You might want to leave this cozy paradise for one day and take part in the Great Migration. During the event, one million gnus (or one and a…

It is a cold day of November and everyone in Reykjavik has gathered in front of the entrance to the Hafnarhüs, the contemporary art museum of the city. 20 years ago, Gudmundur Gudmundsson, better known as Erró, a pop culture icon and a true son of Iceland, created the foundation that is his namesake and today he celebrates that moment. He has recently donated more than 100 of his works to the museum. Soon, the museum will open its gates to the audience. The Prime-Minister is here, so are the Minister of Culture, the curator of the museum and countless other famous people. Everyone is here to raise a glass in honor of Erró. I had met him the day before at the Borg hotel and he simply told me…

The Marina hotel is owned by the Icelandair company and is situated on the spot of the old harbor. The hangars and the warehouses have been repurposed as cool restaurants. Open since 2012, the hotel has a cozy design inspired by the ‘70s with a touch of old salty dog. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the interior design is inspired by the sea. There are over 100 chambers, each of them boasting a custom ambiance where the world of sailors and fishermen is in the spotlight. Fish skin serves as remote control holders for the TV and the sound system. Giant wooden wheels, former rewinder cores, have been transformed into tables. The walls are covered in dusty photos and ship ensigns. The bar and the restaurant «Slipp Canteen» is lit…

One hour away from Reykjavik, lost in the Nesjavellir valley, the Ion Hotel, member of the Design Hotels chain, bears an uncanny resemblance to the iconic spacecrafts in the science-fiction series Space: 1999. The building protrudes from the hillside and is supported by sturdy pillars. Below, the thermal waterpool is the perfect place to rest one’s legs after a long day. The hotel boasts some 50 modern, glass and concrete chambers, all covered in pictures of Icelandic ponies. The chambers overlooking East have a lovely view of the Nesjavellir geo-thermal power plant and its clouds of steam. Designed by two architects, Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir and Tryggvi Thorsteinsson from Minarc, the idea behind the Ion Hotel is being one with the environment. Thus, the Northern Lights bar was carefully planned to…

USEFUL INFORMATION Information centers Tanzanian embassy and consulate Phone: +33 (0)1 53 70 63 66. Parks: www.tanzaniaparks.com Formalities Valid passport. Visa is mandatory (can be obtained on arrival for 50$). Health requirements Vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory. Antimalarial treatment necessary. Time zone difference. + 1 h during summer and - 2 h during winter (compared to France). Best time to visit Tanzania has a tropical climate. During low season (March-May), because of the heavy rains, many runways are muddy and a large number of hotels are closed. During high season (June-August), the weather is warm and dry, ideal for observing animals. Currency The Tanzanian shilling (TZS). The dollar remains the most appreciated currency and hotels and parks mostly accept this currency. 1 € = 1941 TZS. Telephone codes +…