EJ Latitudes 1/08.qxd - Frontiers Elegant Journeys

■ Four Seasons Firenze opens its doors — In
the hush of Florence’s largest private garden
(11 acres with winding paths and a 91-foot
swimming pool) lies an art-filled
Renaissance palazzo that was one of the
most highly anticipated hotel openings in
2008. This enchanted urban sanctuary has
117 sun-filled guest rooms and suites — no
two alike and many featuring exquisite
architectural details such as vaulted ceilings,
frescoed walls, original ceramic floors, silk
wall coverings, antique porcelain and much
more. Years of painstaking renovation
delayed the opening time and again, but the
end result was definitely worth the wait and now must be savored. We did a hard-hat tour in March,
months before completion. The property is so expansive that it took two hours, but we were very
impressed and they’ve opened to rave reviews. The location is a tiny bit awkward (about a 30-minute
brisk walk to the Duomo), but I’m positive Four Seasons will have sorted that out with complimentary
shuttle service and this neighborhood is certain to be the up-and-coming area in Florence for top boutiques
and restaurants.
blue (dressed with the most sumptuous of silk curtains and
handmade fringes) and a truly fairytale bathroom marry the
traditional with the contemporary. Whatever your style there is
something at The Goring for any Anglophile. The hallmark of
their redecoration can be summed up in two words — quintessentially
English!
■ London’s Goring Hotel gets a facelift — A range of top British
designers have been commissioned to refurbish the interiors at
The Goring in London. These have included David Linley,
Russell Sage (Gainsborough Silks), Tim Gosling and Nina
Campbell. Each brings their own distinctive style to their rooms.
Linley’s Dining Room has been a terrific success with a romantic,
fresh style. Set against a background of 12 different creams,
the exquisite woodwork and pale silks of the chairs redefine
English elegance. Tim Gosling has brought a contemporary style
to the three balcony rooms (#38 is a particular gem) but his
refurbishment of the Lounge, Bar (one of the most convivial in
London) and Terrace has been wonderfully inspired by the
Empire period when England was famously beating Napoleon.
On a recent stay, we liked our lunch in the sunny yellow bar so
much, we went back the same evening for dinner!
Russell Sage’s rooms celebrate the great silks of a bygone age.
Nina Campbell, regarded as perhaps the greatest English interior
designer of our time, has designed several suites for the
hotel. Her cool signature shades of dove grey and duck-egg
■ Sicily with a twist — Sicily is a favorite Frontiers destination —
truly a crossroads of civilization — and touched by the
Phoenecians, Greeks, Romans, Moors, and Normans. In addition
to its rich historical tapestry that is well worth discovering,
we’ve recently been introduced to a cooking school in between
Palermo and Agrigento that is run by an Italian family who’ve
been clients of Frontiers for years. The school is run by Anna
Tasca Lanza from the family
homestead, Tasca d’Almerita,
where they also produce excellent
wine. Because of their philosophy
that eating in Sicily is a
ritual, the courses are based on
traditional Sicilian cooking, that
of the monsu (the cooks of the
great aristocratic families), as
well as more simple fare.
Always emphasizing the freshest
local ingredients, one can
enroll for a “lesson and lunch”
starting at €150 up to a 5-day
more intensive course at
€2500. Combining demonstration
and practical training, the
only prerequisites are curiosity
and enthusiasm.
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