Alsace Wine Country + Discoveries in Chile’S Lake District & Patagonia Region
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INSIDE: TOURING THE SCENIC ALSACE WINE COUNTRY + DISCOVERIES IN CHILE’S LAKE DISTRICT & PATAGONIA REGION SEPTEMBER 2019 SINCE 1979 Traveling the world in search of truly enchanting places The historic town of Riquewihr, surrounded by vineyards, Alsace, France ALSACE: DRIVING THE ROUTE DES VINS Superlative cuisine, hospitable wineries, hilltop castles, charming towns first visited Alsace on a bicycle, riding main purpose of my visit was to fill a hole Strasbourg with Alsace’s exquisite wine I across the Rhine River from Germany in our hotel map. country and my other favorite city in the during my student years. Alsace dazzled For years, we have recommended only region, Colmar. me then, and I felt just as impressed by two hotels in the region, both of which are I regretfully bypassed Strasbourg its fairy-tale landscape of hilly vineyards, in Strasbourg. Alsace’s largest city is fasci- entirely this time, starting my Alsatian half-timbered towns and crumbling nating to explore, but I wanted to find some grand cru tour in the pretty little town castles on my recent visit. The region’s hideaways along the picturesque Route des of Barr. Although Barr has a colorful, unique cuisine combines French and Vins, which serpentines its way through flower-filled center of cobbled lanes, it sees German influences to great effect, and its vineyards and wine villages among the far fewer tourists than its flashier, more PETR SVARC / GETTY IMAGES wines — Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot foothills of the Vosges Mountains. That popular neighbor to the north, Obernai, Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir, among way, Hideaway Report members could which still retains its defensive walls. others — are justly acclaimed. But the construct a driving itinerary linking Barr also stands at the northern end of Hideaway Report editors travel anonymously and pay full rate for all lodging, meals and related expenses. Since the launch of the Hideaway Report in 1979, featured hotels and restaurants have been selected on a completely independent basis. For comments and inquiries, please email [email protected]. The Hague United Kingdom Left and above: Spa pool, our room, and exterior, 5 Terres Hôtel & Spa, Barr. Above: Château de Saint-Ulrich Netherlands building’s courtyard. A modern but cozy Le Chambard has a wonderful, welcoming library-lounge divides it from the restau- staff; a Michelin two-star restaurant; and rant, Table du 5, a bright space of arched a homey winstub (wine tavern), as well windows, exposed stone walls and massive as a full-service spa and a convenient Belgiuwood beams.m Brussels Alas, it was closed during our location on the edge of the town center. stay for the staff’s yearly vacation, but we It could be a lovely inn, if only the décor REPORT EDITOR HIDEAWAY PHOTOS: did enjoy the carefully sourced breakfast exhibited a modicum of taste. buffet (a menu listed the local producer of Our Superior Deluxe Room had an Alsace’s main line of grand cru vineyards, every item). A striking spa occupies the awkward layout, with a narrow sitting making it an ideal starting point for a wine vaulted stone cellar, comprising a sauna, room that pressed the sofa uncomfortably tour. In 2016, Barr acquired a stylish new steam room, lounge, pool and two treat- close to the desk and wall-mounted televi- hotel, the 27-room 5 Terres Hôtel & Spa. ment rooms. I had a restorative salt scrub sion. I could have forgiven that misstep It occupies a late-17th-century building followed by a hydrating massage, but my if it wasn’t for the clashing colors: thick across from the town hall, giving the hotel plans to relax by the pool were thwarted. carpet in a green-gold hue last fashionable pleasant views, as long as one ignores the Other guests sat in every single lounge in the 1970s, brothel-ready plum damask many cars parked in the square. chair and even on the one bench, at least wallpaper and beige-painted wood trim. We received a cheerful greeting from where it wasn’t covered with used towels. The very comfortable king bed had a deco- Luxembourg a bright young woman behind the front I found certain other aspects of the rative gold coverlet and pillows that didn’t Germany desk, and she gamely rolled our largest hotel less than endearing, including the quiteLuxe matchmbourg either the trim or the carpet. suitcase from the car up to our room, an lack of turndown service, the absence of And the bath looked grandmotherly, with attractiveParis Junior Suite. It had new wood any sort of shelf in the shower and the a pink-marble dual vanity and beige tile TEAU PHOTOS: HIDEAWAY REPORT EDITOR floors and original wood beams along the shortage of parking. The hotel has just accented by an occasional spray of flowers. Â ceiling. The firm but comfortable king bed three spaces adjacent to the building on stood against a half-timbered accent wall, the street. If those are filled, guests can a lattice of logs filled in with rock, brick try for a slot in the square or, as a last FRANCE 0 40 MI and chunks of carved stone salvaged from resort, around the corner in another lot. an older structure now lost to time. That I always felt a little anxious returning 0 40 KM ROOM, AND SPA CH wall aside, the room felt contemporary, in the afternoon, not knowing if I might with armchairs upholstered in eggplant have to make some semilegal maneuvers STRASBOURG velvet, a simple blond-wood work desk and in the narrow streets in order to secure OBERNAI BARR a floor lamp covered in gold leaf. I also parking. Those qualms aside, I enjoyed HINE R. ANDLAU R liked the bath, which had two vanities our stay at 5 Terres, and I appreciated its RIBEAUVILLÉ set in a wood counter and a large walk-in design sensibility, which respected the KAYSERSBERG GERMANY Franceshower stall (but no tub). building’s heritage. COLMAR The rest of the hotel has a similarly I can’t say as much about the design ALSACE appealing mix of contemporary décor and of Le Chambard, a 32-room gourmet period architectural elements. Copper- retreat in Kaysersberg, a touristy but glass pendant lamps hang like Christ- still-charming town abutting some of mas ornaments in the airy wine bar, a Alsace’s best vineyards, overlooked by conservatory-like space that once was the the romantic ruins of a little castle. SWITZERLAND 2 HIDEAWAY REPORT SEPTEMBER 2019 Bern Switzerland Italy Monaco Andorra Andorra la Vella Spain Italy Matters did not improve outside our an entire Guglhupf (yeasted bundt cake minor damage. Its old center remains a room. The hall leading to it was clad in studded with raisins). “Would you like delightful place in which to stroll, full of zebra-print fabric embellished with silver eggs, bacon, sausage, ham?” she asked. appealing boutiques and cozy restaurants wire. A mostly attractive lounge down- I requested that she at least remove the in pastel half-timbered houses. A canal stairs had an original stone hearth, wood Guglhupf and give it to someone else. runs through the picturesque Petite Venise beams and antique-style furniture uphol- “But you can take it with you and save it quarter, and one of Alsace’s cultural jew- stered with modern color-block fabrics. for later,” she suggested, as she poured els, the Unterlinden Museum, recently But why was there a vintage plastic donkey fresh juice and coffee. “Now, what sort of completed a splendid addition, allowing children’s ride in the corner? The Marius homemade jam would you like?” it to display more modern and contempo- Bar off the lobby also took decorative risks, A Guglhupf to go was the last thing I rary art. Whenever I return to Colmar, I with its collection of antlers and taxider- needed after the previous night’s dinner inevitably strategize about moving there. mied heads mounted on the wall (the owner at La Table d’Olivier Nasti, Le Chambard’s The city long lacked a hideaway of loves hunting), overlooking seating groups acclaimed restaurant, which had a more distinction, but that changed with the with black-and-white cowhide upholstery. restrained décor than the rest of the hotel. renovation of the landmark La Maison des The spa was striking, done in red, black We ordered L’Histoire, the shortest tasting Têtes, the “House of Heads.” Marilyn and and slate, but the indoor pool was faced menu, with seven courses that riffed on Eric Girardin bought the property in 2015 in a cheap-looking rubbery plastic. It traditional Alsatian recipes. I especially and carried out a renovation the following fronted a small garden, flanked by flower- liked a delicate composition of local year, refreshing the 21 guest rooms and PHOTOS: HIDEAWAY REPORT EDITOR HIDEAWAY PHOTOS: filled guest room balconies and a stone mountain char with crayfish, snails and turning what had been a storeroom into tower, with views of the old town beyond. parsley jus, which paired beautifully with a sleek dining room (Restaurant Girardin The traditional décor of the winstub some lush and minerally Riesling from received a Michelin star in 2017). The came as quite a relief. Breakfasts there the grand cru Pfersigberg vineyard. And early-17th-century façade — embellished were lavish. A buffet offered cheese and the loin of summer roe deer — reportedly with some 106 carved stone heads, an charcuterie, but most items came straight hunted by the chef himself — arrived rosy ornate two-story oriel and a bronze statue to the table. The first morning, I watched, and tender, accompanied by wild cranber- of a cooper by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi amazed, as our waitress delivered a selec- ries, chanterelles, fir tree bud gelée and a — remained, of course, unchanged.