Abu Dhabi Spend It
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1/26/09 9:11:31 AM 9:11:31 1/26/09 1 l5.indd 2 Option FEB @DOTWNEWS March 2012 GOURMET LIMA Peru’s new gastro capital SWISS TREASURE Big plans for little Leukerbad 24 HOURS: ABU DHABI Island-hopping in the UAE SPEND IT Holidays of a lifetime Private Cambodia Angkor Wat’s ancient temples deserve intimate exploration INTERVIEW SUITE DREAMS CONNOISSEUR Brigitte Taittinger talks scents Mandarin Oriental New York Singapore’s art hotels 00 CoverJSM_FIN.indd 2 27/02/2012 20:00 JC-DPS.pdf 1 2/26/2012 6:18:28 PM -&+22B02B$'9BLQGG JC-DPS.pdf 1 2/26/2012 6:18:28 PM -&+22B02B$'9BLQGG Burberry.pdf 1 2/26/2012 4:50:26 PM burberry.com EE\BEHDXW\BKHURBDGYBLQGG Burberry.pdf 1 2/26/2012 4:50:26 PM burberry.com EE\BEHDXW\BKHURBDGYBLQGG Lanvin-DPS.pdf 1 2/26/2012 6:16:13 PM $9$17*$5'($'97DJ%LQGG Lanvin-DPS.pdf 1 2/26/2012 6:16:13 PM $9$17*$5'($'97DJ%LQGG Sectiony title MarchContents 2012 On the cover 38 Gourme t Lima Peru’s capital has earned a reputation as the gastro hub of Latin America. Jon Stibbs whets his appetite 46 Secr et Switzerland The once glamorous resort town of Leukerbad is preparing for a major revival, says Caitlin Cheadle 52 P rivate Cambodia Exploring the temples of Angkor Wat in private is a sublime experience, says Caroline Eden 58 Abu Dhabi: 24 Hours Joe Mortimer spends a weekend getting to know Abu Dhabi’s hottest new lifestyle destinations 58 Island-hopping Park Hyatt’s new Saadiyat Island resort is just one reason to visit Abu Dhabi this spring 10 March 2012 dotwnews.com 10-13 ContentsFIN.indd 10 27/02/2012 20:00 Ads.indd 6 28/02/2012 19:12 Mauritius is Magnifique sofitel so Mauritius An intimate getaway on a turquoise lagoon, Sofitel Mauritius Bel Ombre offers supreme luxury while celebrating the natural environment. Strikingly modern and timelessly elegant, it is a haven of peace designed by Lek Bunnag and decorated by Kenzo TAKADA. Luminous suites feature private tropical gardens and provide absolute tranquility and comfort. Route Royale - Beau Champs - Bel Ombre - Ile Maurice – tél.: + 230 605 58 00 – e-mail: [email protected] www.sofitel.com Ads.indd 8 28/02/2012 20:35 ContentsMarch 2012 62 In the news 18 Retrospective Raining style at London Fashion Week 20 Europe London and Paris hotels lure wealthy investors 22 Middle East & Africa Swimmers return to Seychelles beaches 26 Asia & Oceania Are resort owners behind Maldives uprising? 30 Americas Inside Las Vegas’ brand new Mob Museum 34 Debut Hot hotels, chic boutiques and exclusive new resorts 34 36 Interview Annick Goutal president Brigitte Taittinger’s luxurious life 36 70 Insider 60 Diary Out and about this month? Don’t miss these events 62 Spend it Once-in-a-lifetime luxury travel experiences 68 Suite dreams Mandarin Oriental New York’s Central Park View Suite 70 On the road Sometimes we’d rather keep our feet on the ground 72 Trends New travel and tourism concepts making headlines 76 Connoisseur Mary Gostelow embraces art in Singapore 78 Family luxe Kids get the royal treatment with Royal Caribbean 80 Album Cruciani CEO Luca Caprai’s favourite Italian escapes 82 Final Word Beulah London co-founder Natasha Rufus Isaacs dotwnews.com March 2012 13 10-13 ContentsFIN.indd 13 27/02/2012 19:59 Letter from the Editor There are so many wonderful places Deputy editor Caitlin Cheadle has been waiting nine months to in the world that, as distant lands have become tell the world about what’s happening in the Swiss resort town increasingly accessible, have lost some of their charm of leukerbad, where a new luxury residential property, thermal due to overcrowding. Most of them are impressive spa and five-star hotel are expected to breathe new life into natural wonders, historic buildings or ancient sites, the sleepy mountaintop village. Developer sdG is promising where the local economies have thrived thanks to the big things from 51˚Spa Residences, which will feature a direct coach-loads of tourists that visit year-round. source of thermal spring water into each of its residential suites, But it’s often a sore topic among those who pay to which boast Jacuzzis, wrap-around balconies and glorious enjoy the finer things in life: they invest substantially Alpine views. Oh, and there’s a burlesque star in a giant martini in first class air tickets and superior hotel accom- glass. Read more on page 46. modation, undoubtedly with comfortable limousine This issue is also loaded with the latest travel news and our transfers and perhaps even a private helicopter or usual collection of once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences, includ- jet transfer within the country, but there is little they ing the chance to rent out an entire hotel in st. moritz (perfect can do to escape the hundreds if not thousands of for a big celebration or glamorous wedding we reckon), a guide to other visitors that flock to the same main attractions what to do with 24 hours in abu dhabi (spoiler alert: it involves they’ve come to experience. an Aston Martin GT4) and a review of the Premier Central Park While you may not be able to escape the crowds, View Suite at mandarin oriental new york. So without further there are ways to mitigate the discomfort. In this ado, I hope you enjoy the issue. Happy travels. issue, Caroline Eden returned to cambodia’s angkor wat for her third visit, but this time she was determined to enjoy a more intimate experience and come away having learned more about the mythical ruins than in previous encounters. She found that using a reputable company with a team of profes- Joe Mortimer sional private guides gave her the time and Editor flexibility to negotiate the ruins at her own pace, [email protected] while also avoiding the masses of tourist groups, which, combined with first class accommodation at one of the handful of impressive resorts nearby, gave her the private experience she was looking for. Read about her journey on page 52. On the other side of the pacific, Jon Stibbs was busy familiarising himself with the peruvian capital’s gastronomic scene – one that has sprung up out of nowhere to be counted among the most innovative in the world. From Toshiro Konishi’s Mesa 18 to the legendary Astrid & Gaston, lima is home to a smorgasbord of culinary styles and influences that are gaining ground among locals and visitors, and it now ranks among the top dining destinations in the Americas. Most of the action is taking place in upmarket miraflores, home to much of the city’s angkor wat elite, but pockets of culinary creativity are appearing The centuries-old all over the city in hole-in-the-wall huariques and temple complex is menuless front-room style restaurants. Read more in best enjoyed when you don’t have to our ‘Gourmet guide to Lima’ on page 38. share it with crowds 14 March 2012 dotwnews.com 14 Editors Lettercc.indd 14 27/02/2012 19:59 opening march 2012 Classic elegance in historic Kyiv Fairmont Hotels & Resorts offers our guests an extraordinary collection of iconic luxury properties around the world, including The Plaza in New York, The Savoy in London and Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai. This tradition of unrivalled hospitality continues with our first property in Eastern Europe: Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv, Ukraine, opening in 2012. Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv is located in the heart of the capital city’s historic Podil district—a vibrant hub of industry, science, education and culture that offers a compelling blend of old and new. Whether travelling for business or pleasure, guests will be treated to magnificent amenities, exquisite cuisine and indulgent spa treatments—all adding up to a supremely comfortable stay that will not soon be forgotten. For more information, visit fairmont.com/kyiv 00 Cover.indd 20 31/01/2012 15:05 Contributors March 2012, Issue 69 Publisher Anna Zhukov [email protected] Jon Stibbs Editor Joe Mortimer Jon Stibbs is a Londoner who currently lives in [email protected] Bogotá, Colombia. Having previously worked as a Deputy Editor Caitlin Cheadle chef, a cleaner, a model (briefly) and a removals [email protected] man, he is now a happy, itchy-footed journal- Online Editor Nicci Perides ist who enjoys nothing more than travelling the [email protected] Editor-at-Large Andy Round world exploring new destinations. His work has [email protected] appeared in The Observer, Real Travel magazine Sales Manager Karla Toledo and The Sunday Telegraph, among others. This [email protected] month we sent him to Lima to find out why the Assistant Sales Manager Andrea Tsiachtsiri world’s top food critics are all talking about Latin [email protected] America’s new gourmet destination (page 38). Art Director Kris Karacinski [email protected] Advertising Art Director Fami Bakkar [email protected] Caroline Eden Multimedia Executive Vandita Gaurang Caroline Eden is a features writer specialising in [email protected] Asia, spas, luxury hotels and adventure travel. She United Kingdom Sales Representative David Hammond contributes to several international titles including [email protected] The National, ELLE, Geographical and Asian Art Circulation department Newspaper, and is currently writing a book about [email protected] Mumbai. A fan of long dusty roads, mountains, Cover image good wine and Asia’s bustling cities, she finds Angkor Wat – Eric Wessman refuge in bookshops, spas and chic pit-stops.