Around the World in Eight Days
By: Donna Carter
Legendary American filmmaker Billy Wilder once said he would rather sleep
in a bathroom than another hotel.
Wilder, who died in 2002, clearly suffered from too much travel and too
many stays in uninspiring, cookie-cutter hotels rather than properties around the world with unique and engaging qualities that make them special.
So, Wilder’s opinions aside, for those who possess an enduring passion for
travel, here is a global assortment of a few of those “special” retreats:
EMIRATES PALACE HOTEL, ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Perched on the edge of the Arabian Gulf with over a kilometre of private
beach, this property that spans the length of three football fields and cost
$3 billion to build is a mind-blowing manifestation of Arab oil riches and
unparalleled opulence.
Opened in 2005, it features 114 domes, acres of imported marble and
more than 1,000 crystal chandeliers the size of Volkswagens. All guests re-
ceive the royal treatment, which includes a private butler for each of the 394 rooms and suites. Simply press a call button and your personal butler arrives in a flash to fulfill whatever request is asked, no matter how small or complicated. This professional valet will unpack your suitcase, draw a bath complete with rose petals and press a suit on a moment’s notice.
Feasting like royalty is also part of the Palace experience, with 12 supe-
rior restaurants where five kilograms of pure edible gold per year are used to decorate desserts. At the end of the day, guests who are cognac connoisseurs gravitate to the hotel’s Havana Club where a selection of the world’s finest brands is accompanied by a first-rate supply of the best cigars on the planet.
Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven United Arab Emirates and the hotel
is a national landmark owned by the Abu Dhabi government. Sometimes
referred to as a “lavishly imagined Arabian fantasy” the Emirates Palace is 30 minutes from the Abu Dhabi airport and 90 minutes from the neighbouring Emirate of Dubai.
www.emiratespalace.com
FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL, MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA
An American hotel that recently joined the billion dollar club is Miami’s
legendary Fontainebleau.
Situated on oceanfront Collins Avenue in the heart of Millionaires’ Row,
this revered city landmark, originally built in 1954, recently re-opened after
a two-year closure for a $1 billion makeover.
The “old” Fontainebleau was once the playground of Elvis Presley and
Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. However, a new history has begun.
A whopping $10 million was spent on three days of over-the-top \
re-opening celebrations featuring singer Mariah Carey and American rapper P. Diddy who entertained a star-studded audience that included a slew of movie stars and sports celebrities.
The hotel, where women once dressed for dinner in furs and diamonds,
spans across 22 oceanfront acres with 1,504 upscale rooms and suites, 11
restaurants, a mammoth spa and private pool-side cabanas.
A vacation destination unto itself, the new Fontainebleau exudes modern
Miami-style glamour without losing it’s famous golden age charm.
Through the 1950s and 1960s, the Fontainebleau reigned as the top resort
hotel in Miami Beach, a prestige it is poised to recapture.
www.fontainebleau.com
TURNBERRY RESORT, AYRSHIRE, SCOTLAND
This imposing hotel sits high on a bluff overlooking southwest Scotland’s
Ayrshire coast with breathtaking views of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Arran. On a clear day the coast of Ireland is visible. The Turnberry is renowned in the global golf community for its two premier courses. Its Ailsa track hosted the prestigious British Open in July.
A prominent feature on the edge of this oceanfront course is the Turn-
berry Lighthouse which was once the site of Turnberry Castle, believed to be the 1274 birthplace of Scotland’s famous King Robert the Bruce.
While golf is a big focus for the century-old resort, it caters equally to
non-golfers as well.
The main hotel that just underwent major renovations is a majestic white-
washed edifice with a striking red tile roof. Each of its 219 rooms reflect a
gracious charm. There is also a collection of elegant two-bedroom cottages
and six- and eight-bedroom lodges that work well for families or groups of
friends. During the First World War the Turnberry was used as a training
station for the Royal Flying Corps and later as a military hospital. Today it is
firmly established as one of the finest resort hotels in the land of plaid.
www.turnberryresort.co.uk
SABI SABI EARTH LODGE, KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA
This is one of the truly awesome spots on earth, partly because of the lodge
itself and partly because of its location amidst one of the greatest wild king-
doms on the planet.
Sabi Sabi is an ultra-deluxe safari lodge within Kruger National Park that
features 13 fabulous suites contained in separate, earth-friendly lodges. The
lodges are each built into the side of an earth wall where they blend harmoniously with the African landscape.
All suites have private plunge pools overlooking a vast expanse of bushveld
and a large waterhole where rhinos and other animals often come to drink.
Suites also feature indoor/outdoor showers and personal butler service. The
open air main lodge is where guests gather for meals, spa treatments, and
cocktails. An underground wine cellar contains 6,000 rare vintages,
including some of South Africa’s finest.
As stunning as the lodge is, a stay here is really all about animal viewing.
Twice a day, morning and evening, professional Sabi Sabi game rangers and trackers take guests on safari in open-topped landrovers into Kruger National Park where lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, zebra and a host of other Dark Continent animals roam free. Without fail, guests get thrilling, up close and personal sightings of some of the earth’s most fascinating creatures.
Any time of year is a good time to visit Sabi Sabi. Spring and fall are the
rainy seasons when Kruger is filled with newborn animals. Fall and winter
are the dry seasons when animals visit waterholes more frequently.
www.sabisabi.com/lodges/earthlodge
LA MAMOUNIA, MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
This hotel is among the most luxurious palaces in the world. Since it opened
in 1923 it has hosted royalty, presidents and movie stars. During his retire-
ment, Winston Churchill spent winters there, stating it was, “the most lovely
spot in the whole world.”
Situated in the heart of Marrakech, with North Africa’s Atlas Mountain
in the background, La Mamounia is widely regarded as one of the most
desirable hotels on the planet, with its magnificent Moorish architecture
and 228 rooms featuring antique furnishings, fine oriental carpets and
traditional Moroccan decor.
Tourists that choose this discretely elegant hotel have all the pleasures
of Marrakech, a fascinating city of mosques, minarets, markets and palaces
together with the ever-present scent of Moroccan spices and the chants of
muessins calling Muslims to daily prayer.
A classic example of the great age of grand hotels, La Mamounia has been
closed for three years for substantial renovations and reopened to guests in
September, marking the end of a project designed to make the hotel even
more sumptuous and magical.
www.mamounia.com
IBEROSTAR GRAND PARAISO, MAYAN RIVIERA, MEXICO
When all-inclusive resorts first emerged about 40 years ago, they were all
about low-cost, no-surprise holidays. They remain popular today for these
very reasons.
The list is not long but among the one-price resorts elevated to the deluxe
level is Iberostar’s Grand Paraiso in the heart of the Mayan Riviera, about 30 minutes south of Cancun.
This five-star, adults-only oceanfront resort carved out of ancient Mayan
jungle sets a new standard for all-inclusives.
Surrounded by manicured gardens and swaying palm trees, the hotel
features a Greco-Roman design with plenty of marble, and Old World statu-
ary, huge chandeliers, fountains and grand staircases. If guests didn’t know
they were lodged in a Mexican resort, the place could easily be taken for a
spot on the Mediterranean’s renowned French Riviera.
Plenty of frills include four a la càrte restaurants, three pools, 312 luxuri-
ous suites with butler service, a world class spa and an 18-hole championship golf course.
www.iberostargrandpairiso.com.
ADARE MANOR, ADARE, COUNTY LIMERICK, IRELAND
This architectural masterpiece southwest of Limerick and 45 minutes from
the Shannon Airport is more castle than manor house.
Dating back to the 19th century and set on 840 acres of formal gardens,
this imposing property became a hotel in 1987 when it was purchased from
ancestors of the original owners by an Irish-American businessman.
Today, the world class resort ranks among Ireland’s premier hotels.
Located on the banks of the River Maigue, guests are greeted by a door-
man wearing a grey top hat and tails. The five-star manor has 62 graciously
furnished rooms. Beyond the castle itself there are more than 60 on-property villas and townhouses. In addition, Adare Manor has an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course.
Together with golf, fishing is a favourite activity among hotel guests given
that the Maigue is one of the best trout rivers in the country.
At day’s end, guests typically relax with a pre-dinner drink in the hotel’s
Drawing Room. After dining in one of Adare’s two haute cuisine restaurants,
a post-dinner tradition is a pint or an aperitif in the Tack Room Pub.
The Manor is nicely situated within the village of Adare, often referred to
as the prettiest in Ireland with its collection of 19th century thatched roof
cottages and a charming main street lined with shops, restaurants and pubs.
www.adaremanor.com
WHAREKAUHAU LODGE, WAIRARAPA, NEW ZEALAND
Located on the south coast of New Zealand’s North Island, this exclusive lodge sits on 5,500 scenic acres of private Kiwi farmland. Overlooking Palliser Bay, the main lodge replicates an Edwardian country mansion.
Guest accommodations are 12 posh cottages and two estate homes set on
rolling green pastures kept nicely trimmed by grazing sheep. In spring, more than 16,000 lambs dot the lodge’s hillsides and during autumn this working farm gets down to the business of sheep sheering.
At any one time the lodge’s maximum capacity is 36 guests, which means
there is always individualized attention and superior service. In addition to
an overall pleasing décor, the cottages feature fireplaces, heated marble floors and double spa baths.
Wharekauhau has also developed a reputation for fine cuisine and excel-
lent New Zealand wine. All dining occurs in the main lodge and depending on the number of guests in residence, meals are offered communal-style, allowing visitors from around the globe to mingle. Getting to Wharekaukau is quickest via private charter helicopter from Wellington (New Zealand’s capital) which takes about 10 minutes and lands on the front lawn of the lodge. The other alternative is a 90-minute drive from the capital, chauffeured or otherwise, over a twisting and winding road, albeit a scenic one. www.wharekauhau.co.nz
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