OCTOBER 2017 | Since 1979 AndrewHarper.com

TRAVELING THE WORLD IN SEARCH OF TRULY ENCHANTING PLACES

MEMORABLE HOTELS, INCA RUINS, MAJESTIC LANDSCAPES, FLAMBOYANT CUISINE COVER PHOTOGRAPH Hiking trail and Veronica (19,394 feet), overlooking the / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER

A JOURNEY THROUGH EXOTIC THIS MONTH

ew countries are as endlessly fascinat- standard, they tend to be concentrated , AND THE ing as Peru. A succession of ancient in Cusco and the adjacent Sacred Valley. I Following a spell in Lima, we flew to the Inca Fcultures can be dated as far back as have long tried to find a suitable property capital, Cusco. After staying at an exquisite new 3200 B.C. And in the 16th century, the Incas close to the famously enigmatic Nazca palace hotel, we hiked beneath snowcapped administered what was probably the larg- lines etched into the southern desert but mountains in the nearby Sacred Valley, before est empire in the world at the time. When have so far drawn a blank. And although boarding a new luxury train to ...... 1-7 their last stronghold, Vilcabamba, fell in there are a number of jungle lodges, none 1572, Peru’s gold and silver became the is exceptional, and the best way to see the HAMBURG AND THE BALTIC foundation of Spanish wealth and power. Peruvian Amazon is still on a river cruise Having sampled the pleasures of this newly vibrant German city, we drove to the unspoiled Today 45 percent of the country’s people operated by Aqua Expeditions (see box, coast of Schleswig-Holstein...... 8-11 are still Amerindians, who continue to page 6). Politically, Peru is volatile, and its speak the native languages Quechua and economy is relatively weak. In some areas,  Find additional stories, video and more Aymara. Peru’s terrain rises from stark shocking levels of poverty persist, and photography at AndrewHarper.com. coastal desert to the glaciers of the Andes on my recent visit, I was inconvenienced — Peru has 37 peaks over 6,000 meters by several strikes called by poorly paid Andrew Harper travels anonymously and (19,685 feet) in height — and then descends public-sector workers. pays full rate for all lodging, meals and steeply to the Amazon jungle. In addition, the country’s capital, Lima, related travel expenses. Since the launch of this newsletter in 1979, the featured hotels Alas, Peru is not an entirely straightfor- is an acquired taste. True, the historic and restaurants have been selected on a ward country in which to travel. Although center contains grand Spanish Colonial completely independent basis. there are hotels that meet the required architecture, and the districts of Mira-

Full-service travel planning is available to members at (800) 375-4685 or [email protected]. For comments and inquiries concerning The Hideaway Report, please email [email protected]. Our Atelier room, lobby, and guest lounge at Hotel B, Lima / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER

flores and Barranco offer some vibrant (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo - Lima) of noted chef Oscar Velarde. His menu restaurants and galleries, but from April also debuted in 2013, on Avenida Miguel combines Peruvian and Mediterranean to November, the city is usually covered Grau, a 10-minute walk from the hotel. flavors, with many of the ingredients by a foggy drizzle known locally as garúa, Housed within a stately white Belle coming from his own farm. Expect appe- the result of the cold Humboldt current, Epoque mansion, Hotel B created an imme- tizers such as charcoal-grilled octopus, which flows up the Pacific coast of South diately favorable impression. The reception and crostini with avocado and anchovies, America to mingle with warm water at the staff were genuinely friendly and hospi- and mains like pork loin medallions with Equator. Only from December to March table, with none of the self-congratulatory escalivada (grilled vegetables), and excel- does the sun reliably put in an appearance. hauteur familiar at some other “design” lent grilled fish from the Pacific. When the weather is sunny in Lima, hotels. The spacious, high-ceilinged lobby, Hotel B is a fashionable and stylish cloud and intermittent rain descend on the with its long sofas and striking modern boutique property that will appeal to those Andes. There, the high season is June to art collection, had clearly been designed who don’t normally care for such places. October. July and August provide cloud- to provide a social center for the neigh- I devoutly wish I could discover many less skies and epic views, but this is when borhood. To one side, I glimpsed a library more such imaginative and distinctive the crowds in Cusco and at — where a colorful breakfast buffet was small hotels. are at their most overwhelming. If I had set out on a long wooden table — and an to choose one period in which to travel to adjoining leafy patio, while to the rear of t is an 80-minute flight from Lima to the Peru, it would probably be in September the ground floor, a bar with a substantial Andean city of Cusco, the former capital and October. counter (a peerless spot for a pisco sour) Iof the , which lies in a valley For many years, my recommended led to an intimate dining room with round at an elevation of 11,200 feet. There are hotel in Lima has been Belmond Miraflores marble bistro tables. numerous daily departures aboard modern Park. Located in an upscale residential The hotel’s 17 accommodations come in Airbus aircraft, though their cabins can be neighborhood, on a cliff overlooking the three categories. I suggest that you opt for rather scruffy, and on my plane there was Pacific, it remains a good base, with com- one of the four “Ateliers,” which surround only coach-class seating. Cusco’s present fortable, if slightly utilitarian accom- a peaceful and attractive private lounge on airport is small; a new one is planned, and it modations — insist on an ocean view — the second floor. These come with 16-foot will be able to accommodate larger aircraft a small rooftop pool and a pleasant indoor- ceilings, as well as king-size beds, separate from international destinations. However, outdoor restaurant, Tragaluz, serving sitting areas, writing desks and vintage as Cusco (population 430,000) already Asian, Mediterranean and . armoires. Our Atelier featured a contigu- receives more than 2 million visitors a On this occasion, however, I decided to ous white-marble bath, at the center of year, this potential development inspires try Hotel B, a boutique property that which stood a glass-enclosed steam shower. in me profound misgivings. Thirty years opened in 2013. It is located in Barranco Despite being unconventional, I found the ago, Cusco was an otherworldly place; (Spanish for “ravine”), which was developed room to be comfortable and aesthetically now it is a bustling city that is expanding in the early-20th century as a seaside pleasing. Some would doubtless be unhappy rapidly beyond its historic core. retreat for the Limeño aristocracy. After at the lack of an entirely separate bath. The heart of Cusco is the grand Plaza a long period of decline, Barranco is once Hotel B has few amenities aside from a de Armas, formerly the Huacaypata, or again prosperous, fashionable and home to roof terrace with loungers, kelim-covered “place of tears.” Each territory conquered many of Peru’s leading artists, musicians, decks and a view of the neighborhood. by the Incas had some of its soil taken to designers and photographers. MAC Lima The restaurant is under the supervision the Huacaypata to be symbolically mingled

2 HIDEAWAY REPORT OCTOBER 2017 with the earth there. Today the square is public areas are enlivened by Andean dominated by a massive early-17th-century textiles, restored frescoes and hand- cathedral. The surrounding painted furniture. The accommodations LIMA RESTAURANTS historic city is a network of narrow cobbled come with fireplaces, tapestries and ith its exotic ingredients and colorful mix of streets, with colonial buildings constructed surprisingly lavish modern baths. There influences — Inca, Spanish and Japanese to atop massive Inca stone foundations. To are no amenities other than a small but W name but three — Peruvian cuisine has become the north of the plaza, a steep hillside rises excellent restaurant, serving dishes that a global phenomenon. Gastón Acurio opened to the grand Inca ceremonial center of fuse modern cooking styles with tradi- the firstAstrid y Gastón in 1994, and in the Saksaywaman, overlooking the city. tional Peruvian ingredients. La Casona will intervening years it has become a restaurant Just a few blocks from the cathedral, appeal to those who prefer smaller hotels. franchise throughout and Europe. the Plaza de las Nazarenas is a peaceful Indeed, it doesn’t really seem like a hotel at And Virgilio Martínez Véliz, the owner and chef of public space, with two modest expanses all, rather an exceptionally romantic and Central, now has two restaurants in London, one of grass, a dozen trees and a scattering atmospheric private house. of which was awarded a Michelin star in 2014. of wrought-iron benches. Amazingly, it On this trip, I chose to stay at Belmond is also the location of three hotels that Palacio Nazarenas, which opened in Astrid y Gastón I enthusiastically endorse. Belmond 2012. Built on Inca foundations — the site Acurio has returned to the kitchen in Lima, where Hotel Monasterio is housed within a is thought to have been occupied by the his famous flagship restaurant is now housed converted 16th-century monastery, at the family home of the Inca emperor Huayna within a 17th-century hacienda. He currently offers two tasting menus. Expect dishes such center of which is a magnificent cloistered Capac — the palace was constructed in as Paracas scallops with lucuma (subtropical courtyard. The 122-room property offers the mid-1500s. In 1644, it was acquired Andean fruit) gnocchi, “Amazonic” sauce and atmospheric public areas, with timbered by the Jesuits, and in 1715 it was turned chestnuts; and suckling pig confit withcarapulcra ceilings, stone fireplaces, terra-cotta floors, into a beaterio, a convent for daughters (pork and stew), cacao and peanuts. antique furniture, silver sconces and origi- of the local aristocracy. A complex and Avenida Paz Soldán 290, San Isidro. nal oil paintings. For some years now, the lengthy restoration project, involving the Tel. (51) 1-442-2777. Monasterio has been almost universally construction of a modern annex, resulted regarded as the grande dame of Cusco in the present 55-suite hotel. Central hotels. I do not dissent from this view, As at the Monasterio next door, the Central has been named the best restaurant in although tour groups are not unknown, and historic structure opens onto a large court- Latin America for the past three years. Martínez some of the accommodations are rather yard centered on a fountain. Throughout is known for his use of unique ingredients, such small, their original purpose having been as the hotel, there are surviving Inca water as a potato grown at 16,500 feet above sea level cells for the monks. I strongly recommend channels, some of which still irrigate the (the tasting menu gives the elevation at which the that you opt for a Junior Suite. flower and herb gardens. Our suite was different ingredients are cultivated) and cushuro, On the opposite side of the square, located on the second floor, overlooking an edible cyanobacteria. Look for dishes such as Amazonian catfish with Bahuaja nut, pijuayo Inkaterra La Casona is a very differ- the courtyard, and was accessible by both (palm nut) and huito (a rainforest fruit); and ent property, a true hideaway, with just an elevator and a flight of stairs. Inside, we Andean beef with quinoas and airampo (prickly 11 suites contained within an exquisite found a living room with plain white walls, pear). You may also wish to try Solar Mucilage, a 16th-century manor house, which can a polished wooden floor, heavy furniture, sweet water made from the white pulp covering boast both Spanish Diego a long sofa, leather-backed chairs and Peruvian cacao beans. Calle Santa Isabel 376, de Almagro and “El Libertador” Simón carved wooden doors. The décor seemed Miraflores. Tel. (51) 1-241-6721. Bolívar as former guests. Here the timbered austere and masculine in a recognizable

Suite bed and bath, chicken with cassava, beans and Andean potatoes, and exterior at Belmond Palacio Nazarenas, Cusco / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER

OCTOBER 2017 HIDEAWAY REPORT 3 n R. azo PACIFIC Am Amazon OCEAN IQUITOS R. 6 PACAYA- SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE

PERU

0 100 200 km Inca walls at Saksaywaman, Cusco, and Inca terraces at Moray, Sacred Valley / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER

U r u b a m 100 200 mi b 0 a

R .

Spanish style. A corridor led to a spacious ation area and five treatment rooms (in intimate property that offers both a spa bedroom with a king-size bed framed by a the floors of which glass panels reveal and a swimming pool. And being suites, its carved headboard, a large armoire and two Inca structures below). Even after two accommodations tend to be more spacious. wingback chairs. A glamorous bath came days, I found the complex layout of the with a soaking tub, a walk-in shower and Palacio Nazarenas to be slightly confusing, he Sacred Valley of the Incas begins two marble vanities with silver mirrors. and it was invariably with pleasure and a just north of Cusco and follows the Herbal bath salts, handmade soaps and degree of surprise that I would emerge Tcourse of the fast-flowing Urubamba generous bottles of bath products all onto the unexpectedly spacious pool deck River for more than 60 miles to Aguas revealed commendable attention to detail. — this is the only hotel in Cusco with an Calientes, where most visitors alight at the LIMA Junior Suites in the original building outdoor pool — next to the bar and Senzo train station to take the bus up the switch- also come with courtyard views. Studio Restaurant. The menu at the latter offers back road to Machu Picchu. To the north of COLOMBIA Suites are found throughout the hotel. regional specialties that include grilled the Valley, the Urubamba mountain range Some of those in the new annex have fillet of paiche (an Amazonian fish that rises to several prominent snowcapped outdoor balconies with views of Cusco’s can weigh up to 400 pounds) with crispy summits, including Veronica (19,394 feet) m a z o n picturesque San Blas neighborhood and, cassava,A confitR . of guinea pig with stuffed and Sahuasiray (19,008 feet), while to the on the horizon, the snowcapped 20,945-foot peppers, and grilled alpaca with sun-dried south, the Vilcabamba range is dominated peak of Ausangate. All the accommodations potatoes. Less adventurous diners will by Salcantay (20,574 feet). The majestic can be supplied with oxygen via the air- be reassured to find a variety of more- landscape had sacred significance to the conditioning system to alleviate symptoms conventional options. Incas, who considered the Urubamba to be of altitude sickness. The Monasterio is a distinguished the earthly counterpart to the Milky Way. A maze of alleyways and passages hotel, with grand public areas, a choice of More prosaically, the Valley was the source extends from the central courtyard, one of restaurants and a menu of activities that of the prized giant white corn, paraqay which brings you to the peaceful Hypnôze includes cooking classes and art tours. sara, each kernel the size of a thumbnail, a 5 Spa, with its bougainvillea-draped relax- The Palacio Nazarenas is a smaller, more variety that refuses to prosper elsewhere.

BRAZIL 1 Hotel B (94) A SACRED VALLEY (92) N PERU 1 D 2 Belmond Palacio Nazarenas (96) E SACRED AGUAS CALIENTES (94) S 4 VALLEY VERONICA Inkaterra La Casona (94) LIMA MACHU (19,394 FEET) M 3 SAHUASIRAY 3 explora Valle Sagrado (94) PICCHU MACHU O CUSCO PICCHU (19,008 FEET) Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa (94) U 2 AUSANGATE URUBAMBA N Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado (92) (20,945 FEET) INCA TRAIL MORAY U T ru b A a Sol y Luna (92) mb I MARAS a N PUNO SALCANTAY R 4 Belmond Sanctuary Lodge (91) S . PISAC LAKE (20,574 FEET) SAKSAYWAMAN 5 Titilaka (94) AREQUIPA 5 TITICACA CUSCO ANDEAN EXPLORER PAC IFIC HIRAM BINGHAM (11,200 FEET) TRAIN ROUTE OCEAN TRAIN ROUTE 0 100 200 MI 0 25 MI Peru 0 100 200 KM CHILE 0 25 KM

4 HIDEAWAY REPORT OCTOBER 2017 International Boundary Department Boundary National Capital Department Capital Road PUNO LAKE Railroad TITICACA Rivers Callao is the capital of the Constitutional 3 Province of Callao which has the status of a department but is too small to be shown on this map. At one time, the Sacred Valley was chiefly a place where people would pause on the way to Machu Picchu or to acclima- A NEW TRAIN THROUGH THE ANDES tize, its elevation being 2,000 feet lower elmond is the world’s leading operator of luxury trains, with a portfolio that than that of Cusco. Nowadays, however, includes the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the Belmond Royal Scotsman and the Valley is a destination in its own right, the Eastern & Oriental Express. In Peru, the company’s Belmond Hiram Bingham and the principal resorts have spas and B shuttles up to 84 travelers between Cusco and Machu Picchu aboard 1920s Pullman swimming pools. Although the major carriages. The trip takes three hours and 20 minutes each way, and brunch and archaeological sites at Pisac, Moray and dinner are served. Ollantaytambo can be crowded in the May of this year saw the debut of a second Peruvian train, the Belmond Andean summer high season, more-adventurous Explorer, which offers one- and two-night journeys from Cusco, first to Puno on travelers will find Inca ruins that are Lake Titicaca and then to the southern city of Arequipa. The train has 24 cabins for relatively unfrequented. a maximum of 48 passengers, plus two dining cars, an observation car, a library, a The property in the Valley that has cocktail lounge and a piano bar. A spa car will debut in spring 2018. There are three proved consistently the most popular categories of cabins: Double Bed Cabins are 140 square feet and come with private with Harper members is Belmond Hotel baths and walk-in showers. Twin Bed Cabins are much smaller at 80 square feet, while Rio Sagrado, a 23-room hideaway set Bunk Bed Cabins are just 60 square feet (with banquettes that convert into upper on a pretty hillside above the river, five and lower bunks). Both smaller categories have private showers. miles from the rapidly growing town We opted for the “Spirit of the Water” journey, a one-night, 240-mile trip from of Urubamba. (I am told that a planned Cusco to Puno. (It is 180 miles from Puno to Arequipa.) Our initial impression of extension will significantly increase the the train was extremely positive. The carriages date from the early-20th century, number of accommodations in the rela- but they have been comprehensively modernized and now feature an exceptionally tively near future.) Although the rooms imaginative and attractive décor by London-based interior designer Inge Moore. are rather small, Garden Junior Suites Ivory and slate-gray tones are enlivened by brightly colored Peruvian textiles and are sufficiently spacious and come with handicrafts. Our Double Bed Cabin was similarly stylish, with beige walls, a padded private balconies and patios. As well as an headboard, a blue leather armchair, striped black-and-red cushions, a small table attractive outdoor pool, the resort offers and alpaca throws. Storage space was limited to a cupboard, and our suitcases had a small spa. Undoubtedly, the hotel’s most to be put in the luggage van, which was somewhat inconvenient. At around 8 p.m., distinctive feature is a private station, the Andean Explorer pulls into a siding so that the passengers’ rest is undisturbed. from which PeruRail’s Vistadome train Personally, I like the sensation of sleeping in a moving train, but I appreciate that departs daily to Machu Picchu, two and I am in a minority. In my view, a large cabin suddenly becomes a very small hotel a half hours away. Between January and room if the train isn’t moving. April, Belmond’s Hiram Bingham luxury The cuisine aboard is under the supervision of chef Diego Muñoz, who formerly train also leaves from the hotel; during led the kitchen at Lima’s internationally renowned restaurant Astrid y Gastón. Appar- the remainder of the year, it operates from ently, some of the staff also work at the Belmond Hotel Monasterio. Given the difficulty the Poroy station near Cusco. of cooking in the cramped confines of a train, my expectations were modest, but all My principal base on this trip, though, our meals were extremely well-prepared, attractively presented and professionally was the new explora Valle Sagrado, which served. My lunchtime seared sea bass with Andean mint-scented broad beans, citric opened in July 2016. The explora group’s yogurt and onion broth was especially delicious. Afterward we headed to the open-air first resort debuted in Patagonia in 1993. section of the observation car, as the train ascended through snow-dusted mountains It was followed by properties in Chile’s to the 14,150-foot La Raya Pass and then rumbled at a leisurely pace across the vast Atacama Desert and on Easter Island altiplano dotted with grazing llamas and alpacas. Each day, passengers can go on an in the Pacific. I recommend all three. excursion — we went to see the Inca ruins at Raqch’i — but the real pleasure of the trip The company’s philosophy is to provide comes from watching the spectacular Andean landscape unfurl and chatting to one’s sophisticated comfort in wild areas and to fellow passengers, pisco sour in hand. Junior Double Bed Cabin for two on the “Spirit of encourage guests to immerse themselves the Water” journey, $1,470 (all meals, drinks and excursions included). belmond.com H in nature on “explorations,” chiefly hiking and mountain-biking excursions. Double Bed Cabin interior, and Belmond Andean Explorer at La Raya Pass / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER The new 50-room lodge is located 25 miles north of Cusco and six miles east of Urubamba, in a peaceful rural location. All the explora properties have been designed by Chilean architect José Cruz Ovalle, whose sensibility is austerely modern and often seems more Scandinavian than South American. However, the designs are extremely refined. The Peruvian resort is no exception and features unvarnished

OCTOBER 2017 HIDEAWAY REPORT 5 Exterior, lounge, and our bed at the explora Valle Sagrado / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER AMAZON RIVER CRUISE

he best way to experience Peru’s remote Tupper Amazon is by joining an Aqua Expeditions river cruise. The 147-foot Aria Amazon, launched in 2011, underwent a complete face-lift in 2015, with new lighting and upgraded linens adding to the already high levels of comfort. All of the 16 double- occupancy cabins (four of which can be combined for family use) offer floor-to-ceiling windows. Comfortable lounge areas provide congenial spots for relaxation and briefings. And in the dining room, the menu is overseen by chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, one of Peru’s culinary stars. Days are filled with expeditions into the rainforest aboard aluminum skiffs. Each of these is manned by a trained pilot and a naturalist guide. We found the guides to be amazingly well-informed. As we cruised the waters, or hiked through the forest, we wooden walls, stripped beams and pillars, throughout the resort’s public areas. encountered fantastically colored butterflies, elevated walkways, vaulted ceilings and The open-plan main lodge contains such as giant blue morphos, and dozens of panoramic windows. spacious lounge areas before open fires, species of birds, including elegant capped Our elegantly simple, light-filled room a long and convivial bar, a library and a herons, gorgeous macaws and a stately owl-like came with a king-size bed, alpaca-wool spectacular dining room with a cathedral bird, the great potoo, among them. On a night blankets, wooden floors, a writing desk, ceiling. There the food is relatively simple excursion along a dark tributary, we saw fishing ample hanging space and a color scheme of — local trout with butter and capers, lamb bats skimming the river for prey and the glowing gray and sage green. The bath provided a chops with chimichurri, quinoa tabbou- red eyes of spectacled caimans. Most exciting walk-in shower, twin sinks and a whirlpool leh — but well-prepared and served by was an afternoon spent amid a pod of pink river tub. Expansive windows looked out across enthusiastic young staff. In general, both dolphins. We returned from each adventure to fields of quinoa and corn to the Urubamba the guests and the employees are youth- find members of the crew waiting for us with range, the snowcapped summit of Sahua- ful, the average age of the former probably trays of cool drinks and cold towels, which we siray being visible over an intervening being less than 40. (In contrast, Belmond gratefully accepted before heading to a large Jacuzzi on the top deck. aquaexpeditions.com ridge. Accommodations lack televisions Hotel Rio Sagrado seems to appeal chiefly and Wi-Fi, though the latter is available to baby boomers.) This is undoubtedly due to the nature of the experience. Despite having a spa, housed within a 17th-century HOTELS AT A GLANCE hacienda a short walk from the main lodge, the explora Valle Sagrado is a resort where HOTEL B A94 people come chiefly to engage in strenu- LIKE Imaginative and attractive interior; ideal location; friendly staff; excellent restaurant. DISLIKE Some of the ous exercise. Each evening, guests have accommodations are quite small; there is no fitness center. GOOD TO KNOW Several interesting museums are one-on-one consultations with the guides, within walking distance, including MAC Lima and MATE - Museo Mario Testino, established in 2012 by the celebrated to select the following day’s program and Peruvian photographer. Aposento King, $450; Atelier King, $575. Sáenz Peña 204, Barranco. Tel. (51) 1-206-0800. hotelb.pe discuss the level of fitness required. Hiking is the most popular activity, and on our first afternoon, we opted for BELMOND PALACIO NAZARENAS A96 a gentle three-hour walk. Having been LIKE Atmospheric 16th-century main building; spacious and stylish suites; tranquil spa. DISLIKE Outdoor tables at the restaurant are too close to the edge of the swimming pool. GOOD TO KNOW Guests have dining privileges driven for 45 minutes to the end of a dirt at Belmond Hotel Monasterio next door. Inca Studio Suite, $645; Deluxe City View Studio Suite, $945; One Bedroom road on the southern slope of the Sacred Suite, $1,145. Plaza Nazarenas 276, Cusco. Tel. (51) 84-582-222. belmond.com Valley, we set off with our guide through fields surrounding immemorial ocher- EXPLORA VALLE SAGRADO A94 colored villages, at an elevation of around LIKE Striking architecture; exceptional guides. DISLIKE The spa and swimming pool are too far from the main 11,500 feet. The path was smooth, and the lodge to be convenient. GOOD TO KNOW This is a resort best suited to the fit, active and comparatively youthful. Standard Room for two, $1,130; Suite for two, $1,600 (all meals, drinks and airport transfers included; three-night ascents were undemanding. Along the minimum stay required). Fundo Salabella-Silvayoc S/N, Urquillos, Urubamba. Tel. (51) 84-300-000. explora.com way, our eyes were constantly drawn to the glaciers descending from Sahuasiray preceding a rating, denotes an officially recommended hotel that will be added to The Andrew Harper Collection. A Visit AndrewHarper.com for information on these and eight additional recommendations in Peru. and the neighboring Chicón (18,143 feet). Eventually, we arrived at a viewpoint from

6 HIDEAWAY REPORT OCTOBER 2017 VISITING MACHU PICCHU

early everyone who comes to Peru for the first time heads to Machu Picchu. This is entirely understandable. The famous story of its “discovery” in 1911 by Yale Nprofessor Hiram Bingham is impossibly romantic. And the ruins themselves, set on a precipitous ridge at an elevation of 7,970 feet beneath cathedral-like rock spires, are every bit as spectacular as they look in back issues of National Geographic. Unfortunately, the inevitable result has been gross overcrowding, with 1.4 million tourists visiting the site in 2016. Under pressure from UNESCO, which has repeatedly threatened to add Machu Picchu to its list of World Heritage sites in danger, the government has been forced to regulate the flow. (The Peruvian authorities have a long track record of proposing appalling ideas to maximize tourist revenues, including the construction of a shopping-and-dining complex, a large luxury hotel, a helipad and a cable car, all of which they have been shamed into abandoning.) Visitors must now be accompanied by an official tour guide, and their tickets will grant entry for a specific time period, in either the morning or the afternoon. Undoubtedly, the best way to see Machu Picchu is to stay at Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, an unobtrusive 31-room resort adjacent to the ruins, from which it is possible to visit the site before the arrival of tourists in the morning and after their departure which we watched the sun decline and the in the evening. (Nearly all visitors to Machu Picchu either come for the day or stay in shadows deepen in the Sacred Valley below. Aguas Calientes, at the bottom of the hill.) For the fit and more adventurous, however, The following day, we decided to be there is another option. The Inca Trail is a 26-mile-long footpath that begins in the more adventurous and signed up for a Sacred Valley and ends at the famous Sun Gate of Machu Picchu. (This is the way 10-mile full-day hike. This began in a the Incas intended people to see the site for the first time.) Due to steep slopes and remote Andean village at an elevation of elevations of up to 13,800 feet, the trail takes four, sometimes five days. Here, too, 13,000 feet. For the first two hours, we new regulations have recently been introduced. A maximum of 500 people are now descended a winding path that provided allowed on the trail each day, of which only 200 are trekkers, the rest being guides arresting views of Veronica’s glaciers and and porters. As a result, the June-to-October high season books out very quickly. snowfields. Soon, we came to a plateau (The trail is closed every February for cleaning.) Even if you don’t want to hike the from where we could gaze down at the entire trail, it is possible to accomplish the final section in a single day. This involves extraordinary circular Inca terraces at alighting from the PeruRail train to Aguas Calientes with your guide at a point known Moray. After an excellent picnic lunch as kilometer 104 and then walking for around six hours, depending on your level of — smoked trout, rare roast beef, quinoa fitness. (You will still need a permit.) An early-morning start brings you to the Sun salad with lima beans — we continued Gate, with its panoramic view of the ruins, in the late afternoon, just as the majority to descend, through the sleepy Spanish of tourists depart for the day. H colonial town of Maras and the nearby Inca salt evaporation ponds, until finally, seven Machu Picchu, and the Urubamba River, 1,480 feet below / © KAYANN/ADOBE STOCK hours after we had set out, we reached the banks of the Urubamba River. Although somewhat footsore and badly in need of a whirlpool tub, we felt invigorated rather than exhausted. Although many of the activities at explora Valle Sagrado are suitable for any moderately athletic person, some of the more spectacular ones are quite demanding. For example, it is possible to make a daylong trek to one of the glaciers that descend from Veronica, but steep slopes at an elevation of 16,000 feet require a heightened level of physical fitness. Overall, this property is ideally suited to a family vacation: for parents who are in good shape and their adventurous teenage children. Although stylish and comfortable, it is not a place that is luxurious in the conventional sense. H

OCTOBER 2017 HIDEAWAY REPORT 7 ’S BOOMING CULTURAL CENTER Panorama Suites emphasize the archi- tecture of the building, with a curtain of windows reaching from the floor to the NEWLY VIBRANT HAMBURG double-height ceiling. Since these were fully booked, we reserved a junior suite- like Elbphilharmonie Suite, one category below. It lacked the high ceilings, but we still enjoyed views of the Speicherstadt canals and spires of the old center. The simple color scheme of gray, cream and white made the panorama the focus, as it should be. I liked the comfort- able king bed, and the minimalist white furnishings looked appealingly sleek, though the faux-leather upholstery didn’t feel luxurious to the touch, nor did the faux- blond wood laminate of the writing desk. I did appreciate the Bose CD player and the espresso machine. The white-mosaic-tile bath came with a soaking tub oriented to face the window (curtains could be drawn for privacy). Service proved far better than I anticipated, starting with the friendly Owners Suite at The Westin Hamburg / © MATTEO BARRO and proactive front desk. Since our suite mericans have long been drawn to the resist trying out one of the two hotels in wasn’t ready on arrival, we were about to charms of Munich and, more recently, the neighborhood. Ordinarily I find Westins leave the hotel, but we were spotted. The Athe energy of Berlin. But right now, eminently resistible, but the 244 rooms of woman who had checked us in gave us our arguably, the most exciting metropolis in the new Westin Hamburg occupy much key and a quick tour of our suite, and the Germany is Hamburg. of the Elbphilharmonie building, afford- bellman arrived with our luggage soon The city’s old port district, a quarter ing some of the best views in the city from thereafter. After sightseeing, we returned of canals lined with historic brick ware- within its best contemporary architecture. to our room to discover a complimentary houses, is now home to its most impressive The white eighth-floor lobby has a bottle of chilled sparkling Riesling and a new landmark: the Elbphilharmonie. The minimalist, vaguely futuristic feel, with the pretty plate of macarons. exuberance of this concert hall’s architec- curves of the illuminated concave columns We had a toast before heading down ture — a great glass exclamation point, with and swooping ceiling contrasted by blocky to the extensive spa on the sixth floor, with a curvaceous roofline hearkening to the black armchairs. Hotel guests can access saunas at different temperatures, steam waves of the Elbe River and the sea beyond the surrounding public panoramic terrace rooms, relaxation lounges, balconies over- — would seem to be at odds with Hamburg’s with their keycards (others must wait in looking the Elbe and a small but thought- traditionally reserved demeanor. Indeed, line for tickets downstairs). Fine harbor fully designed swimming pool. Aside from many locals feel ambivalent about the views can also be had from the café and the durable, rather than plush, furnishings Elbphilharmonie, considering its monu- bar. I was expecting even more memorable in our suite and the lack of views from the mental budget overruns. But now that it’s panoramas from the club lounge on the club lounge, The Westin Hamburg was a finished at last, it looks perfectly at home, 19th floor, but it faces the top of a glassy, pleasant surprise indeed. the most important piece of a revival that sculptural air shaft. I later learned that I wish I could say the same about the has placed Hamburg among the cultural the lounge had been an afterthought, Palais Esplanade, a nine-room boutique centers in Europe. shoehorned into the hotel. hotel in a historic building on the northern Even without the Elbphilharmonie, Still, it had a fine breakfast buffet, edge of Neustadt (New Town). Alas, this Hamburg is a compelling city. It does not and in the late afternoon, the canapés property does not function as an indepen- rely heavily on tourism for its income and and pastries were all too tempting. Just as dent hotel. It is tethered to the Baseler Hof, thus retains a strong sense of authenticity. important, the lounge was always quiet, in a much larger establishment two buildings Because it was so severely damaged during contrast to The Saffron Restaurant on the down the street. When we arrived there — World War II, parts of the center are less seventh floor, at the top of the old brick it’s not possible to check in at the Palais than charming. Nevertheless, beautiful warehouse that forms the pedestal for the — no bellman met our taxi, and I carried quarters remain. Of these, the most stylish Elbphilharmonie above. our bags inside myself. The lobby smelled is the old port, Speicherstadt, its historic I recommend booking a suite, all of vaguely of cigarette smoke, with half of it warehouses now home to restaurants, which have access to the club lounge, and occupied by tired leather seating groups boutiques, cafés and museums. I couldn’t avoiding rooms entirely. In particular, and half by a charmless bar. Our accom-

8 HIDEAWAY REPORT OCTOBER 2017 The Elbphilharmonie / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER modations at the Palais weren’t ready, and I appreciated the spacious floor plan. But I contemplated making a run for it. My despite the warm tones of the olive-green wife, feeling tired, convinced me to give carpeting and the accent wall paneled the place a chance. in more caramel-hued wood, the décor In fact, our suite was not unattractive. felt somehow soulless, thanks, in part, Accessed via hallways almost entirely clad to an anonymous beige love seat, a bland in framed etchings and sketches, the C. G. modern writing desk and innocuous framed Haase Suite had original wood-plank floors, sketches. The turquoise-and-brown arm- brass chandeliers and antique furnishings, chair and ottoman were a welcome contrast, including a Biedermeier sofa. But the sheets but the upholstery again was designed for on the bed had far too low a thread count, durability as much as anything else. there was no air-conditioning (opening a Views were lacking from both our window allowed in street noise) and the room and the club-floor lounge, which bath, tiled in brown and olive green, did overlooked the tops of nearby buildings not meet my standards. My search for a and courtyards. A sweep of large mullioned Hamburg hideaway continues. windows illuminated the crescent-shaped THE ELBPHILHARMONIE I’ve long recommended the Park Hyatt lounge. At its center rose three pyramidal t seems only fitting that the birthplace of Hamburg. This 252-room property has wood bookcases, with food presentations Brahms and Mendelssohn should have one an ideal Altstadt (Old Town) location on changing throughout the day. Those with- I of the world’s great concert halls. According to the city’s most popular shopping street, out club-floor access can enjoy afternoon architects Pierre de Meuron, Jacques Herzog above the upscale Levantehaus arcade. tea or coffee and cake in the librarylike and Ascan Mergenthaler, who designed London’s Built in 1912, the low-rise brick building was Park Lounge, just off the lobby. Even so, I Tate Modern and Beijing’s National Stadium (the destroyed during World War II and rebuilt recommend reserving a room on the club “Bird’s Nest”), the Elbphilharmonie’s design in 1950, largely following the original plans. floor, if only to enjoy a tranquil breakfast, draws its inspiration from the ancient theater The décor of the hotel’s second-floor lobby served by attentive staffers who remember at Delphi, sports stadiums and tents. To me, it reflects this history, incorporating a mix of your preferences. looks like a cross between a sea creature and styles, with midcentury-modern wood wall The grand 156-room Fairmont Hotel a skyscraper, growing from its brick pedestal paneling and art deco-revival furnishings. Vier Jahreszeiten doesn’t have a swim- overlooking Hamburg’s harbor. As the Sydney Here, too, I reserved a room with ming pool or a club floor, as The Westin Opera House did, the Elbphilharmonie has access to the club lounge, a junior suite-like and the Park Hyatt do, but it ranks as my quickly become the symbol of its city, but Club Deluxe. To the right of its limestone- favorite Hamburg hotel. It apparently still locals have mixed feelings. The gala opening floored entry hall was an ample storage has a fusty reputation. Our taxi driver concert took place in January of this year, but the Elbphilharmonie was originally scheduled area paneled in caramel-toned wood, remarked, “Ah, the Vier Jahreszeiten! They to open in 2010. Lawsuits stopped the work for followed by the limestone-clad bath. A keep corpses from the time of the kaisers years, and eventually the building cost more wall of glass separated the single vanity in the cellar.” And indeed, the lobby and than four times the original budget estimate. from the soaking tub and separate rainfall the nearby Wohnhalle lounge have a regal Even the Elbphilharmonie representative I shower (which produced far more water prewar atmosphere, with marble floors spoke with complained. “I was angry,” he said, than the drain could manage). in white, gray and black and elaborate “because the taxpayer contribution became five I loved sinking into the deliciously wood wainscoting extending all the way times more! The atmosphere in Hamburg is not comfortable king-size bed each night, and up to the ornately stuccoed ceilings. But exactly against the Elbphilharmonie, but not for it either.” Those of us who didn’t have to pay for the View along the Zollkanal in Speicherstadt / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER Elbphilharmonie can simply enjoy the building’s beautiful and innovative design. The curvaceous Grand Hall places the musicians at the center, with seats for 2,100 concertgoers surrounding them on all sides. Some 10,000 gypsum-fiber honeycomb-like panels ensure that the sound is equally good from every seat (though I admit I haven’t tried them all). Both the Grand Hall and the Recital Hall have concrete outer shells separated from the rest of the building by massive steel springs, in order to prevent any outside sounds from penetrating the rooms. Already the 2018 season is mostly sold-out, but if you plan ahead and engage the help of a talented concierge, I wouldn’t be surprised if you could find some tickets. If not, I recommend taking one of the English-speaking guided tours of the building. elbphilharmonie.de

OCTOBER 2017 HIDEAWAY REPORT 9 Onion soup at Jacob’s Restaruant / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER Our room, and spa lounge at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER

GOURMET RETREAT ON THE ELBE

20-minute drive from the city center along the Elbchaussee — Hamburg’s most elegant avenue A — brings you to Hotel Louis C. Jacob, with 85 accommodations and a sensational Michelin two-star restaurant. Amazingly, the restaurant’s Linden terrace looks almost exactly the same as when Max Liebermann, Germany’s most important Impressionist, painted it in 1902. (You can see the painting in the Hamburger Kunsthalle.) I won’t soon forget our dinner in the palatial Jacob’s Restaurant, at a table facing the Linden terrace and the Elbe. I loved the delicate salmon topped with sour cream and onion jam in a dill-apple sauce, as well as the contrastingly rich onion soup surrounding a savory crouton garnished with caramelized onion and Gruyère espuma. But my favorite was the artichoke barigoule in artichoke bisque, look closer and you’ll see that the area accompanied by sheep’s milk ricotta dumplings. I ordered two wines from Baden: rugs are chic, modern interpretations of a refined 2015 Franz Keller Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and an earthy 2007 traditional Oriental carpets and that the Stigler Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs (Pinot Noir). jewel-toned velvet damask upholsteries Unfortunately, our gardenview Junior Suite dazzled far less than dinner. The of the chairs and sofas have strikingly upholstery on the sofa had seen better days, and I didn’t care for the brown-green contemporary patterns. The cellar, I should slipcovers on the armchairs. The bath had all the right features, but it still managed add, is far from sepulchral. It now houses to look unstylish. And the air-conditioning was completely ineffective. NIKKEI NINE, a Peruvian-Japanese-fusion Fortunately, there is no need to stay at the Louis C. Jacob to enjoy dinner restaurant with trendy, over-the-top décor there. Be sure to leave time for an aperitif on the Linden terrace. A citrusy and and a DJ spinning on Thursday through herbaceous “Hanseatic Martini,” with gin, kümmel, granny smith apple and lime, is Saturday evenings. a delightful way to start the evening. Elbchaussee 401-403. Tel. (49) 40-8225-50. H I couldn’t quite bring myself to sit down to a Peruvian-Japanese dinner in Hamburg. More tempting was the hotel’s sumptuous Michelin two-star Restaurant HOTELS AT A GLANCE Haerlin, and I unequivocally recommend indulging in high tea or coffee and cake in THE WESTIN HAMBURG A91 the Wohnhalle, alongside local aristocratic LIKE The magnificent views of the harbor and city; the large and well-appointed spa; the friendly staff; the convivial bar; the quiet club lounge; the complimentary wine and macarons. DISLIKE The concierge did not respond quickly ladies who lunch. (The Jahreszeiten Grill, an to emailed requests; the lack of a view from the club lounge. GOOD TO KNOW Your taxi driver may not know of the art deco steakhouse, was under renovation driveway leading into the hotel; it’s just to the left of the hotel’s nameplate. Elbphilharmonie Suite, $540; Panorama during our visit.) Suite, $800. Platz der Deutschen Einheit 2. Tel. (49) 40-8000-100. westinhamburg.com Also, be sure to take advantage of the stylish and airy spa on the fifth floor, full of PARK HYATT HAMBURG A91 natural light. Neither of us had a treatment, LIKE Our spacious room; the helpful concierge desk; the large lap pool; the stylish fitness room; the exclusive club lounge; the central Old Town location. DISLIKE The lack of views; the uninspiring décor; the boring cocktail menu but we did enjoy the sauna and steam room at the bar. GOOD TO KNOW Should weather be inclement, guests can access the excellent Austrian restaurant in each of our respective locker rooms, Tschebull and the ornate Roncalli Grand Café without going outside. Club Deluxe King, $620; Park Suite King, $700. as well as the coed sauna lined with salt Bugenhagenstrasse 8. Tel. (49) 40-3332-1234. hamburg.park.hyatt.com rocks and the Nordic-inspired relaxation lounge, with plush gray linen loungers FAIRMONT HOTEL VIER JAHRESZEITEN A94 arrayed around a woodburning cylindri- LIKE The grandly historic public areas that also feel chic; the several fine restaurants; the airy spa and fitness center; our room’s luxuriously lustrous décor; our terrace with a captivating view of the Binnenalster; the cute children’s cal fireplace. The bright fitness room also buffet at breakfast. DISLIKE Our room’s small size; the temporary loss of our reservation. GOOD TO KNOW The looked inviting, with a masculine décor hotel has three environments for cocktails after dinner: the formal Condi Lounge, the nightclub-like NIKKEI NINE and that included black industrial-style light the tiny and clubby Jahreszeiten Bar, where smoking is allowed. Deluxe Double Room Lakeview, $500; Suite Lakeview, fixtures and a lounge area with leather $1,000. Neuer Jungfernstieg 9-14. Tel. (49) 40-3494-0. fairmont.com sofas and a vintage refrigerator. Our Deluxe Double Room Lakeview WEISSENHAUS GRAND VILLAGE RESORT A96 with Balcony was conveniently just down LIKE The historical elements of our stylish room; the always cheerful and helpful staff; the excellent restaurants; the charming beach; the generally gracious atmosphere. DISLIKE Our room’s smallish bath; the lack of sea views from the hall from the spa. Fortunately, the almost all accommodations. GOOD TO KNOW The resort is a justly popular choice for families, but the children were notoriously fickle Hamburg weather never intrusive; the spa, for example, has adults-only hours. Deluxe Room with Terrace, $800; Suite, $1,050. Parkallee 1, allowed us to enjoy sitting in the cushioned Weissenhaus. Tel. (49) 43-829-2620. weissenhaus.de wicker furniture on the terrace, watching

preceding a rating, denotes an officially recommended hotel that will be added to The Andrew Harper Collection. the pleasure craft on the Binnenalster. A Visit AndrewHarper.com for information. Palais Esplanade (85) was not up to the required standard. Inside, the room was pretty but smaller

10 HIDEAWAY REPORT OCTOBER 2017 Our room, and spa lounge at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER GERMANY’S CAPTIVATING BALTIC COASTLINE

hen I told friends and family that we planned to relax for a spell on some of Germany’s beaches, the responses ranged from “Why?” to “Germany has a Wcoast?” It seemed that the area of Germany just below Denmark, with shores along both the North and Baltic seas, was terra incognita. But in medieval times, this was the heart of the Hanseatic League. And in the 19th century, northern European nobility relaxed at resort towns such as Heiligendamm and Travemünde, building grand villas, hotels and casinos. It did not take long for me to fall in love with this relatively unknown stretch of Germany. Lübeck remains one of Europe’s most alluring medieval cities. Old farms create a beautiful patchwork in the unspoiled countryside, and the beaches look transplanted from the 19th century. The most easily accessible stretches of sand are dotted with that charming German invention, the Strandkorb (“beach basket”), than advertised. I have trouble believing hooded chairs for two originally made from wicker, with cushions, pullout ottomans that it measured the full 35 square meters and folding shelves to hold drinks, among other features. And the fresh seafood, (377 square feet), and reports of a walk-in notably the turbot and the tiny sweet shrimp, is an unfailing delight. closet were wildly exaggerated. Better I’d booked a stay at the 62-room Weissenhaus Grand Village Resort, near the to reserve a larger Deluxe Double Room Baltic coast of Schleswig-Holstein. Weissenhaus has served as a summer retreat since Lakeview with Balcony and Podest (plat- the 18th century. A Hamburg entrepreneur bought the property in 2005, and a vast sum form) or a Junior Suite Lakeview. was spent to restore and rebuild the historic estate. It reopened as a resort in 2014. Still, our room felt like a jewel box. We booked one of the nine Deluxe Rooms with Terrace, which are located in the Just past the entry hall hung a gold-framed former gatehouse, dairy and bakery. A smartly dressed man took us in a golf cart with mirror, next to which stood small contem- our bags to our room. When he opened the door to the living room, I was surprised porary taupe armchairs with purple velvet to discover an igloo-shaped brick structure behind glass. This was the bakery’s old cushions. On the bed, bounded by a lustrous oven. The rest of the living room was comfortably contemporary. In the bedroom the padded plum headboard, were more accent queen bed faced the bath, clad in light-gray subway tiles, with a large walk-in shower pillows in velvet and raw silk. The raw-silk and a single vanity. The wide patio, bordered by a hedge for privacy, came with two curtains and crystal chandelier added loungers. Later we walked down the allée leading from our room to the beach, where additional shimmer, but a walnut-hued we had a complimentary Strandkorb reserved for the entirety of our stay. work desk and nightstands kept things The château contains more guest rooms, glamorous lounges and a convenient grounded. The striking black-and-white- tunnel to the Schlosstherme, the resort’s extraordinary spa complex, comprising two tile bath — stocked with toiletries by Le historic brick buildings connected by an atrium. Loungers surround the swimming Labo — managed to squeeze in a separate pool, both on the ground floor and in a gallery above. Automatic glass doors divide tub and shower but only one antique-style the pool into indoor and outdoor sections. A clothing-optional section of the spa porcelain sink. contains a steam room, two saunas and a chalet-inspired snow room for cooling off. Most important, service never failed to Our dinner at the Michelin-starred Courtier was another highlight. We dined on be highly professional, warm and helpful, the rear terrace of the château on a flawless summer evening, overlooking a broad even in the face of minor confusion, such lawn and a sliver of the distant Baltic visible between the trees. My favorite dishes as how to mail the postcards I presented, of the gorgeously presented meal included fillet of crunchy-skinned wild dorade in a and major confusion, such as the inability bouillabaisse bisque with shrimp, mussels and foraged sea vegetables; Black Forest to find our room reservation. In both cases, beef in a rich marc-based reduction with artichokes and sunchoke purée; and a the staff were thoughtful and proactive, dessert of chocolate crème, apricot sorbet and mousse, and toasted-almond foam. and they quickly solved the issues without When it came time to leave, I no longer wondered why people come to the coast of a word from me. Germany. I only wondered how soon it would be before I could find an excuse to return. H For now, the Fairmont ranks as Hamburg’s class act, a hotel sure to please Indoor-outdoor pool, and our bedroom at Weissenhaus Grand Village Resort / PHOTOS BY ANDREW HARPER lovers of tradition as well as contemporary style, with superlative views of the Binn- enalster from an ideal Neustadt location near the city’s best shopping. The new 131-room Fontenay hotel, opening this month on the shore of the Aussenalster, may set a new standard. I’m very pleased at the prospect of returning to Hamburg sometime soon and finding out for myself. H

OCTOBER 2017 HIDEAWAY REPORT 11 LAST LOOK LAST WORD HOT STUFF

or those who live in the northern half of the F United States, there is a moment when it is impossible not to notice that the reds and golds of fall have finally begun to fade. It is then that thoughts turn to lands where a cotton shirt will suffice. Inevitably, an annual question arises: “So where are the new places to go for winter sunshine?” In recent years, Americans have undoubtedly become more adventurous. Not long ago, devoting space to places like the seemed a tad self-indulgent. No longer. Recently, I have responded to inquiries about the Cheval Blanc Randheli resort (which debuted in Inca salt evaporation ponds, Maras, Sacred Valley, Peru / PHOTO BY ANDREW HARPER 2013), as well as the new Four Seasons Voavah private island. And elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar has suddenly appeared on NEW AND NOTEWORTHY my radar, chiefly because of the newMiavana island resort. Few places dispel a January chill more effectively than Cape Town, where the new Blackberry Mountain Debut Silo Hotel is ripe for an incognito visit. Afterward, For many years, Blackberry Farm in Tennessee has been a fixture at the top of our I will probably head to Rwanda, where the new Reader Survey. Owned by the Beall family since 1976, the resort is about to acquire a Bisate Lodge has apparently taken gorilla sibling, a 15-minute drive away. Blackberry Mountain will be set on a 5,200-acre estate, viewing to the next level and One&Only Nyungwe and it will open with six traditional cabins, plus 13 cottages and multibedroom homes. House will recently have opened. Elsewhere in An array of outdoor sports and adventures will be complemented by a yoga studio, spin East Africa, the focus of attention seems to be studio and gymnasium, plus a spa with an infinity-edge pool. TheFiretower , constructed shifting to ’s Selous Game Reserve and at the base of the historic Millstone Gap Lookout Tower, will offer 360-degree views of Ruaha National Park, so maybe I will swing by the the Smoky Mountains, while Three Sisters in the lodge will specialize in wild, foraged new Roho ya Selous tented camp. was ingredients. Reservations are being accepted for stays in late 2018. the first country in Asia where Harper members routinely went on winter vacations, but lately Cambodia has seemed increasingly appealing, The Louvre Comes to the Persian Gulf a trend that looks set to continue with the debut After innumerable delays, the Musée du Louvre Abu Dhabi will finally open on of Six Senses Krabey Island, which is scheduled November 11. The intergovernmental project is intended to be a universal museum, to open in 2018. And in recent years, with artifacts reflecting the entire scope of human civilization. The structure itself was has proved consistently popular with Hideaway designed by famed French architect Jean Nouvel and features a series of promenades Report readers, so a trip to the new Awasi beneath a 590-foot dome. The objects on display come from multiple French museums Iguazú, a lodge of just 14 villas overlooking the and include “La Belle Ferronière” by Leonardo da Vinci, a self-portrait by Van Gogh, a world’s most spectacular series of waterfalls, globe by the 17th-century Venetian cartographer Vincenzo Coronelli and a pair of gui would seem to be a mandatory assignment. vessels (ancient Chinese ritual bowls) from the Musée Guimet.

This month sees the publication of updates to Ecuador Eco-Lodge Upgrade The Harper Collection guides to & Surrounded by cloud forest, in a private enclave to the northwest of Quito, Mashpi and Northern Europe & , which contain Lodge is a remarkable eco-resort. I had the pleasure of staying at the property in hotel recommendations, regional notebooks, 2016, and in addition to the stylish accommodations and unexpectedly delicious food, touring maps and restaurants. Books are shipped to premier members and are also for sale at I enjoyed memorable hiking and exceptional birding. I recently learned that the lodge andrewharper.com/store/harper-collection. has undergone a comprehensive upgrade, revamping its interior design and adding an Expedition Room for naturalist briefings. Two accommodations for families have also been added, as well as an outdoor wellness area, set amid lush foliage adjacent to the lodge, which offers a yoga deck and a hot tub. Mashpi continues to foster scientific research, and a new laboratory is now open to guests.

The Hideaway Report (ISSN 0884-7622) is published monthly by Andrew Harper at 4214 Medical Parkway, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78756. Periodicals Postage is paid at Austin, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Andrew Harper, P.O. Box 684368, Austin, TX 78768. Tel. (866) 831-4314 or (512) 904-7342. Fax (512) 904-7350. MEMBER: If the Post Office alerts us that your periodical publication is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. Copyright 2017 Andrew Harper, LLC. CST #2110806-40; IST #1096; WST #603248672. All rights reserved. Quotation, reproduction or transmission by any means is prohibited without written permission from the publisher.