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November 18, 2019
by Mahala Wallace

Living it Luxe at The Lanesborough London

Inspiration, Lifestyle, STAY

One very confused Uber driver later, I arrive at the Lanesborough Hotel London. With a sigh of relief, I walk toward the entrance clutching my scarf tightly around my neck. The doorman sees me coming. And opens the door for me with a smile. There’s a fire burning just inside. I linger for a moment, letting the heat warm me.

I’d walked passed The Lanesborough when I lived in London in my early 20’s but until now, I’d never been inside. From my position next to the fire, I cast my eyes around the lobby. Regal. It’s truly the only word to describe this hotel. I feel as though I’ve stepped through time. I half expect to see characters from a Jane Austen Novel and historical figures of the Regency period to walk around the corner. Realising I’ve lingered by the fire long enough, I approach the check-in desk.

Image courtesy of The Lanesborough, Oetker Collection
Photo by Dominic James
November 13, 2019
by Mahala Wallace

Glitz and Glam at The Ritz London

Inspiration, Lifestyle, STAY

As I walk up the steps of Green Park Station, the iconic The Ritz London hotel comes into view. There are few hotels in the world that have the capability of stopping you in your tracks. The Ritz London is one. People walk around me quickly, some even huff as they go past the woman who has decided that stopping in the middle of a busy London street is a good idea. I arch my head, looking up toward the pavilion roof and the large green copper lions that adorn it.

Finally, my feet start working. I walk between the archways and the exterior of the Ritz Club and Bar, before turning the corner to the hotel entrance. In a momentary lapse of complete cliché, I start humming ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’. The doorman smiles warmly at me as I step through the revolving doors, forgetting the song and the world outside The Ritz London.

Image courtesy of The Ritz London
November 11, 2019
by Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan

The Hoshinoya Kyoto brings the Edo period of nobility alive in exquisite luxury

Adventure, CITY, STAY

“Domo arigato,” I say to the taxi driver who smiles, bows twice and says “Hai. Hai.” I wheel my bag along a pathway by the Ooi river just over the Togetsukyo bridge heaving with crowds of tourists who clot in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district. Some are in rent-a-kimino taking selfies, others are in school uniform giggling and smiling and then there’s the occasional western tourist biting into a Miffy shaped donut.

This side of the bridge is much quieter. My quest is to find the private boat ramp for the Hoshinoya Kyoto. I see the sign just ahead written in English and Japanese and stop and breathe a sigh of relief. ‘No. No. This way,’ says a Japanese man with a camera hung around his neck gesturing downstream. I smile. Perhaps I should have donned a pair of Blahniks and a flowy Camilla for this journey. “You have to be a very special Japanese person to stay at the Hoshinoya,” my taxi driver confided before he dropped me off.

Image courtesy of Hoshinoya Kyoto
November 2, 2019
by Rebecca Weisser

Flower baths and Balinese bells in a ‘glamboo’ retreat

EARTH, Inspiration, Lifestyle, STAY

On the banks of the Ayung river, bounded on one side by an ancient nutmeg forest and on the other by the village of Mambal, lies Fivelements Retreat Bali, a luxurious eco-sanctuary that puts the glam into bamboo. This is the perfect place to get healthy and go back to nature in comfort and style. 

Sakti Dining Room at Fivelements Healing Center. The soaring roofline, sculpted from bamboo and thatch, resembles a banana leaf, symbol of nourishment.
Image courtesy of Djuna Ivereigh, Fivelements
October 14, 2019
by Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan

In the Pink at the Langham Melbourne

Inspiration, Lifestyle, STAY, Travel

I have a room at the Langham. It’s on the twenty-second floor So it’s going to be a great stay. Twenty-two is my birth date and my special number along with seven which is the number you get when you add up my whole birthdate. And my room is 2217. Zero seven would be better but 2217 is pretty auspicious.

Image courtesy of Langham Melbourne
October 5, 2019
by Mahala Wallace

At Home with Sir Richard Branson

Adventure, Inspiration, STAY

Private islands, Moroccan magic and African safaris; discover a world of luxury with Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Limited Edition (VLE). Travel to the world’s most spectacular destinations across the British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Kenya, Mallorca, Swiss Alps and Morocco. Sir Richard Branson has hand-selected each luxury hotel and destination retreat to ensure a truly unique experience.

Discover your next home away from home with Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Limited Edition below.

For more personalised information tips and advice, or to book this incredible holiday contact your local TravelManagers’ personal travel manager here.

October 4, 2019
by Nicole Lenoir-Jourdan

How I Overcame my Snake Phobia at Aro-ha NZ

EARTH, STAY, Vegan

I hate snakes. I hate them so much that when I was 38, I learnt to surf, jumped out of a plane (Point Break style) and crossed the Gobi desert with just one can of coke. Ok I might be exaggerating about the can of coke. Despite my feats that year, I couldn’t eat one of those jelly snake lollies. (Although I did eat a squirm – no big jelly head.) So when I land in Queenstown, New Zealand where the scariest thing is a hungry bird called a kea, snakes are nowhere in my thoughts. That is until I meet Adam at Aro-ha.

Image courtesy of Aro-ha
October 1, 2019
by Rebecca Weisser

Meditation with Monkeys at Bagus Jati, Bali

Adventure, EARTH, Inspiration, STAY

High up in the misty forests of central Bali, far from the crowded cities with their bright lights and traffic snarls, is the tiny village of Jati — just a handful of houses amid rice terraces and market gardens on a small road that leads, eventually, to Mount Batur. 

Image courtesy of Bagus Jati Health and Wellbeing Retreat
September 23, 2019
by Mahala Wallace

Where to Stay in the ‘Pink City’: Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra Toulouse

Lifestyle, STAY, Travel

The Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra is one of the most popular hotels in Toulouse, and it’s easy to see why. This lavishly appointed four-star boutique hotel exudes charm and character. The Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra is ideally located in the heart of Toulouse on the famous Place du Capitole. And it offers the perfect base for guests to explore the highlights and monuments of Toulouse with ease. There is no better place to stay when exploring the ‘Pink City’.

Image courtesy of Grand Hôtel de l’Opéra
September 16, 2019
by Mahala Wallace

Hotel Adlon Kempinski

Inspiration, Lifestyle, SHOP, STAY

Luxury knows no bounds when it comes to the Hotel Adlon Kempinski. The original Hotel Adlon built in 1907, was one of the most famous luxury hotel across Europe. Despite large portions of the hotel being destroyed in 1945, the Hotel Adlon has remained strong through its redevelopment and reopening as the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, in 1997. Situated just two minutes’ walk from Brandenburg Gate, the hotel offers its guests elegance and glamour.

A view from the top: Brandenberg Gate and Hotel Adlon Kempinski.
Image courtesy of Hotel Adlon Kempinski

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