Hot 100: the best of travel

Roman empire

Fendi is the latest fashion house to open a luxury hotel: seven VIP suites on the third floor of Palazzo Fendi, the five-storey 17th-century flagship store that reopened in March on Largo Goldoni in the heart of Rome. This is boutique at its best. Italian architect Marco Costanzi has used beige and greys to create a Zen-like ambience above the buzz of the Italian capital.

“This is a home experience for a sophisticated traveller,” says Costanzi of Fendi Private Suites. Walls are clad in travertine, bathrooms in blood-red Lepanto marble and throughout are commissioned artworks, Modernist Giò Ponti mirrors and custom-designed furnishings by Fendi Casa, of course._

Via di Fontanella Borghese, 48, Rome, +39 06 9779 8080, fendiprivatesuites.com _

Ritz renaissance

The word ritzy is derived from the storied Ritz hotels, so it’s only fitting that the Paris Ritz’s opulent renovation would require four years, an army of restoration experts and a multimillion-dollar investment. In charge is architect-designer Thierry Despont, who orchestrated the makeovers of the Carlyle in New York and the Dorchester in London. Scheduled to reopen in June, the hotel’s rooms have been reconfigured with wood panelling, pastel shades and the latest accoutrements. Several historic suites have been named for the hotel’s famous regulars, such as Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel, who lived at the Ritz for 37 years. That residency has inspired the first Chanel spa, under development in the hotel. A retractable roof will cover the hotel’s gardens for year-round access, while a tunnel has been carved under Place Vendôme for VIP access. Three restaurants and three bars, including Bar Hemingway, complete the picture.

Ritz Paris, 15 Place Vendôme, Paris, ritzparis.com 

Clever carry-on

We’re transported by the ever-smarter iterations of luggage. Start-ups such as Bluesmart, Away and Trunkster have created sleek carry-ons armed with a slew of high-tech features: zipperless access, global tracking, built-in scales, digital locks and USB charging points among them.

Bluesmart case, $599. strandbags.com.au

Out in Africa

After years in the doldrums, Zimbabwe is re-emerging as one of Africa’s most exciting safari destinations. A game-changer for travel to Zim as well as other parts of southern Africa will be the opening this month of the expanded Victoria Falls International Airport, delivering travellers to a raft of new and rebuilt lodges in Zimbabwe. These include luxury tents at Imvelo Safari Lodges at Gorges Lodge, Victoria Falls, with awesome views of the Zambezi River; Little Ruckomechi in Mana Pools; Matusadona, a luxury boat on Lake Kariba; and Elephant Camp West, a new private-use camp at Victoria Falls. Among the most exciting Zim newcomers will be and Beyond’s Matetsi River Lodge on a 50,000-hectare Zambezi River reserve near Victoria Falls, which reopens in July after a $13.2 million rebuild, and Wilderness Safaris’ Linkwasha in Hwange National Park, which features a sleep-out deck, easy access to some of the park’s best areas and top guides. The vast Okavango Delta in Botswana is arguably Africa’s most spectacular oasis, and the newly rebuilt and repositioned Belmond Eagle Island Lodge is among the best places to see its teeming wildlife. The lodge’s 12 tented rooms have balconies, pools and monkey-proof outdoor showers. In Uganda, Baker’s Lodge overlooking the River Nile is now a traveller’s best option in game-rich Murchison Falls National Park and near Budongo Forest, famous for its primate communities. New in Rwanda is Bisate Lodge, a 12-room sanctuary adjacent to the Volcanoes National Park, setting a new standard for mountain gorilla-trekking lodges, and Gishwati Lodge, six rustic forest cottages with exclusive access to the habituated chimpanzee and golden monkey communities of Gishwati Forest. In Kenya, 30 tented suites at Angama Mara hang on the edge of the Rift Valley, with views through 11-metre glass walls. In central Kenya, Loisaba reopens this month after a rebuild, with 12 roomy tents and two infinity pools. Namibia Exclusive Safaris’ four new luxury lodges are opening up the remote northern regions of Namibia. Far from conventional tourist routes, they provide rare access to such treasures as the habitat of the endangered black rhino and a national park populated by some 3,000 elephants.

Making tracks in Ireland

In the splendid style of The Royal Scotsman and the Venice Simplon-Orient Express, the Belmond Grand Hibernian will begin circumnavigations of Ireland in August. Belmond’s seventh luxury train has 10 midnight-blue and silver carriages housing 20 ensuite cabins, plus two dining cars and an observation car, with carpets and furnishings made in Ireland and fitted at a Belfast workshop. The menus, too, promise to be a showcase of the Emerald Isle’s finest produce. And whiskey, of course.

belmond.com 

¡Arriba!

The western Mexican city of Guadalajara is the birthplace of mariachi music and tequila. And if that isn’t excuse enough to land in the neoclassical capital of Jalisco, where nectar from the blue agave is distilled into the fiery national spirit, the buzzing neighbourhood of Colonia Lafayette, with Modernist galleries and cafes, is now home to the latest Grupo Habita outpost. Casa Fayette is a converted Art Deco-era villa with 37 rooms bathed in aquamarine hues. Mid-century fixtures sourced by Milanese interior design team Dimorestudio are showcased in the lobby lounge, terrace and bars. The hotel also takes guests by car on a private tour and tequila-tasting at the nearby Herradura estate.

Lerdo de Tejada 2308, 44150 Guadalajara, Mexico, +52 333 679 2000, casafayette.com 

Como afloat

Como fans, meet Cameron. The élite resort and hotel group has launched the live-aboard yacht to complement its two resorts in the Maldives, Cocoa Island and Maalifushi.

The three-cabin 21-metre yacht will ply the waters between Maalifushi in Thaa Atoll and Cocoa Island’s 33 overwater bungalows in the South Malé Atoll, with a night on board en route. Overnight charter costs a not-insubstantial $22,000.

comohotels.com

Miami’s golden age

It’s no coincidence the interiors of the new Faena Hotel Miami Beach look much like a movie set from Hollywood’s golden age. That’s exactly what Argentinian hotelier Alan Faena dreamed of when he hired Australian cinematic duo Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin to “develop the narrative” of his 169-room, 13-penthouse property. Hence the seashell-encrusted columns and Damien Hirst’s gilded woolly mammoth skeleton on the patio of Los Fuegos restaurant. And the lavishly frescoed entrance, the onyx lobby bathrooms and the exquisite Tierra Santa spa, with its Turkish hammam and “healing rituals” steeped in pre-Columbian spirituality. The hotel is the showpiece of the $1.32 billion gentrification of six unloved Miami Beach blocks into Faena District, a cultural precinct also starring Sir Norman Foster (he did the 18-storey apartment block Faena House) and Rem Koolhaas (a retail precinct, Faena Bazaar, and a new cultural centre, Faena Forum; see more page 141). Let the show begin.

faena.com 

Disappearing act

There’s going off the grid and then there’s going off the map. Canny travellers are logging the GPS coordinates of retreats in ever-more-remote locations. Among newcomers that have quickly developed cult followings are Fogo Island Inn, a striking Todd Saunders-designed property tethered to a lonely rock on the rugged coastline of Newfoundland, Canada. And eco-chic Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa in Nicaragua’s Corn Islands is accessible only by a flight and a boat trip. It’s fast becoming a jet-set favourite, in spite of – or maybe because of – its remoteness.

fogoislandinn.ca, littlecornhotel.com

Cuba libre

There go the charming, time-capsule neighbourhoods. McDonald’s hasn’t staked a claim in Havana just yet, but American tourists are about to arrive en masse in Cuba following the détente between the Cold War foes, and Barack Obama’s highly symbolic visit in March. The first commercial flights in 50 years between the US and Cuba are expected to take off late this year, sparking a tourism boom the likes of which the Caribbean island has never known. In the meantime, everyone else is flocking to see Old Havana before it changes forever.

cubatravel.tur.cu 

ZEN time

In Japan, a ritual is made of bathing, elevating it from an elementary scrub-and-rub to meditative purification. Serene Ise-Shima in south-western Japan is where Aman decided to open its first onsen retreat, surrounded by Shinto shrines and other heritage sites. Some of the austere 28 suites and villas face Ago Bay, famed for its pearl farms and female oyster divers. Amanemu also has a 2,000-square-metre spa with a watsu massage pool and traditional bathing pavilions designed for immersive contemplation, preferably with chilled sake in hand.

2165 Hazako Hamajima-cho, Shima-shi, Mie, aman.com 

Taking cruising to extremes

The trickle of daring shore excursions on polar cruises – snowshoeing, sea-kayaking, scuba-diving and hiking – is becoming a flood. Aurora Expeditions tested the waters with Antarctic snorkelling; Quark Expeditions with hot-air ballooning near the North Pole; Ponant has a sub-Antarctic hike for the fit and adventurous on Campbell Island; and Adventure Smith Explorations recently introduced mountaineering, using crampons and ice axes, on an Antarctic glacier. And this northern summer Aurora Expeditions launches snorkelling on the edge of the Arctic icepack in Greenland and Spitsbergen. Brrr.

Sweet dreams in Uluru

A clever reinvention of the traditional Australian bushman’s swag is among the latest developments at the desert camp Longitude 131° at Uluru. The bespoke bedrolls for two are unfurled at nightfall on new balconies fronting each of the 15 luxe tents, giving guests the option of sleeping under the stars, warmed by an EcoSmart fire. The new bedrolls and balconies are among multimillion-dollar renovations by Baillie Lodges, which took over in late 2013. After “exhaustive” testing of swag prototypes by principals James and Hayley Baillie, the bedrolls are handmade by a South Australian company using Australian-made canvas, wool and cotton.

longitude131.com.au 

Modica momento

Prepare for steep climbs up (and down) the cobbled streets winding through this picturesque Baroque hill town in the Val di Noto on Sicily’s south-east coast and reward the effort with dinner by rising star chef Accursio Craparo (accursioristorante.it). His modern take on arancini is alone worth the trip to this part of Ragusa province. The restaurant is tucked in an arched alley off Corso Umberto 1, the main avenue in the lower town, where he’s performing quiet magic with Sicilian ingredients alongside a wine list heavy on Mount Etna bottles so boutique they never leave the island. Modica is equally famous for its chocolates; across the boulevard from Accursio, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto (bonajuto.it) has been producing intensely dark treats since 1880 (ask for the cannoli, too). End the evening savouring an amaro on your terrace at Casa Talia (casatalia.it), perched above the city proper.

QT takes Melbourne

After dazzling Sydney with its cheeky, unorthodox brand of hospitality, QT Hotels is about to open its first Melbourne outpost. For those not familiar with the bold hotel brand, expect industrial-styled spaces, meticulous attention to detail, memorable dining and a sense of humour. The 12-storey Russell Street address will house 200 rooms and suites, 24 private apartments and, because this is Melbourne, a laneway speakeasy and rooftop bar with suitably late licence. Expect curtains up in September.

qthotels.com.au 

Insiders’ Rajasthan

First-time visitors to India inevitably dash about the desert state of Rajasthan ticking off forts and palaces. Old India hands, meanwhile, know the value of slowing down, and luxury home-stays in out-of-the-way places are the way to go. There’s nothing homey, however, about the new batch of family-run forts, hunting lodges and small palaces opening their gilded doors. Among them is Ramathra, a grand 17th-century fort about four hours’ drive south-east of Jaipur (ramathrafort.com). Owners Gitanjali and Ravi Raj Pal have six rooms and suites for guests, some with balconies and outdoor tubs, and six luxury tents set in gardens within the ramparts. On the banks of a small lake between Jodhpur and Udaipur, Shatrunjai Singh Deogarh and his wife Bhavna Kumari have opened Dev Shree, a luxe haveli with eight exceptionally comfortable rooms set around courtyards (devshreedeogarh.com). English interior designer Richard Hanlon and his friend Trish McFarlane, a diamond dealer based in London, have opened Bujera Fort in a village on the outskirts of Udaipur (bujerafort.com). It’s a magical mix of Rajput fort and English country home, and attracts splendidly interesting guests who dip into the pool and the massive library, and ease from afternoon tea to bridge, followed by G&Ts and lavish dinners in a pavilion overlooking a marble pool.

Tipped in Tanzania

It’s tiny, reef-fringed and very private. On Thanda Island in Tanzania’s Shungi Mbili Island Marine Reserve, a single, ultra-luxe villa opened last month, the brainchild of Swedish entrepreneur-philanthropists Christin and Dan Olofsson, and the sister property to their Zululand private game reserve, Thanda Safari. The solar-powered, five-bedroom villa has a grand piano, a glass rim-flow pool and a huge indoor aquarium.

Elsewhere in Tanzania, Entamanu Ngorongoro opens in August on the Ngorongoro crater rim, a six-room highland retreat overlooking the world’s largest unbroken caldera. Asilia’s Highlands project promises to raise the bar for low-impact, high-style tented camps with its eight canvas-and-glass domed suites and focus on hiking. There’s movement in the Serengeti, too. Mkombe’s new exclusive-use House Lamai for 10 is placed perfectly to watch migrations across the Mara River. And luxury camping has arrived in the central Serengeti, in the guise of Roving Bushtops Camp’s high-spec tents.

Northern exposure

The northern lights are expected to be especially excitable this year, so the profusion of glass igloos popping up in northern Finland is timely. Fifteen years ago, Finnish resort Kakslauttanen launched the glass igloo concept, and now oversees a colony of 67. Variations on the theme include new Aurora Domes by Harriniva Hotels & Safaris, igloo-shaped glassed tents on Lake Torassieppi with fireplaces. The Arctic Snow Hotel, near Rovaniemi, has glass and snow igloos and an “aurora alarm” to wake guests if the lights appear. Other high-latitude lodges are installing “aurora bubbles” (Nellim Wilderness Hotel) and “view rooms” (Santa’s Hotel Aurora) to catch the spectacle.

Whale watch

Humpback whales in Australian waters between July and October this year will notice unprecedented numbers of human swimmers bobbing around in their migratory path. Two years ago, Sunshine Coast dive company Sunreef became the first outside Tonga and Mexico to offer a “swimming with humpbacks” experience. This year at least three humpback-swim companies will operate in Queensland, Western Australia is set for several operators to trial tours in Exmouth and Coral Bay, and Fowlers Bay Eco Tours will begin whale swims (licence pending) off South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

sunreef.com.au, fowlerseco.com 

Dalmatian (hot) spot

Just when we thought the Dalmatian coast had revealed all its secrets, we fall for Korčula, an idyllic island in the Adriatic whose medieval architecture, trove of hidden coves and languid lifestyle lend it the air of a dozing Dubrovnik. Check into the Lešić Dimitri Palace hotel, then order scampi at one of the low-key seafood restaurants strung along the waterfront, with a glass of grk, an indigenous grape variety grown only on the island.

Digital keys

The youthful, tech-forward Aloft hotel chain was among the first to harness smartphones as hotel keys. Using bluetooth technology, an in-house app and ubiquitous handheld devices, room access is now as easy as pushing a button on your phone. Fellow Starwood brands W and Element have joined in; Hilton and Hyatt aren’t far behind.

Throwback Tokyo

Slip off your street shoes on entering Hoshinoya Tokyo, the latest addition to Hoshino Resorts’ modern ryokan concept. As at rural Japanese inns, the public spaces and 84 guestrooms are lined with fragrant grass tatami floor mats and you wouldn’t want to scuff them. Architect Rie Azuma’s design features traditional-style bamboo furniture, sliding shoji screens and futon bedding reimagined to occupy the upper floors of a high-rise tower in the central Otemachi district, close to the Imperial Palace Gardens. In the spa, private hot-spring baths have open roofs for stargazing on clear nights.

1-9-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, hoshinoyatokyo.com 

Museum milestones

Three futuristic new art spaces are redefining the museum. Rio’s Calatrava-designed Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow), with its distinctive solar “spines”, is a thought-provoking masterclass on the theme of sustainability, the Faena Forum in Miami features a multidisciplinary arts centre by Rem Koolhaas, while the much-anticipated Louvre Abu Dhabi will finally open its ethereal Jean Nouvel-designed doors later this year.

Brilliant Bordeaux

It’s known as “la belle endormie”, The Sleeping Beauty, but Bordeaux, the golden city beside the Garonne River, has awoken. A beautification program started by mayor and former French prime minister Alain Juppé a decade ago has restored the lustre to Bordeaux’s magnificent riverfront façades, while a raft of ambitious new projects is under way. The futuristic Cité du Vin, a monumental museum devoted to the grape – a theme park of plonk, if you will – is due to open in June. (You can’t miss it – look for the headless golden duck by the river.) Heritage vineyards, too, are dusting themselves off. The premier cru Château Margaux last year unveiled new-look cellars and a visitor centre designed by Sir Norman Foster. It’s the château’s first significant renovation since 1815. Other hotspots are the glass-encased Château Pédesclaux in Pauillac and the Starck-designed cellar at Château Carmes Haut-Brion.

laciteduvin.com 

Most accommodating

Inspired by the runaway success of Airbnb, a host of – often hosted – special-interest accommodation websites have sprung up: Misterbnb for the gay community (misterbnb.com), Accomable for those with special needs (accomable.com) and DogVacay, a boarding service for pets (dogvacay.com).

And now to sleep

Pillow menus are a bit of a yawn. New “sleep amenities” at a handful of hotels around the world include candlelit yoga (Nayara Springs, Costa Rica) and sleep-stretching classes (Park Hyatt Tokyo). Carafes of chilled herbal tinctures – fennel seed and peppermint, perhaps – await guests on turn-down at Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France, LVMH’s beachside resort at St Barths. And there’s moonlight floating meditation in a geothermal mineral pool at Solage Calistoga in California’s Napa Valley.

Measured Mumbai

In India’s biggest, fastest city there’s a small, slow counter-trend under way. Inspired by the open kitchen, designer Noorie Sadarangani has created a tiny fashion workshop called Obataimu in the hip art district of Kala Ghoda, conceived as a place where “design, production and consumption converge”. Shoppers are just a few steps from designers and tailors. Obataimu is open for six months a year, then pops up for the remainder of the year in such places as Rue du Vertbois in Paris’s Marais district and Selfridges in London. In July Obataimu becomes a gelateria, with an Italian chef teaching the tailors how to make gelato.

obataimu.com