(7) The Cultured Traveller - First Anniversary Edition, October-November 2015 Issue 7

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CONTENTS
HIGHLIGHTS
27
Seasonal traveller, Alex Benasuli, explored
the stimulating and
historic capital of one of the greatest empires the world has
ever known, to give us his insider tips about what to see and
do in the exhilarating Turkish metropolis of Istanbul.
44
In a bid to implement a uniform approach to airline safety,
since March 2016 the European Commission has drawn up a
twice-yearly updated official blacklist of airlines deemed
unsafe for flying. Read which airlines to board at your peril in
Boarding Pass.
59
Keen traveller and dedicated foodie, Gordon Hickey,
discovered that the Australian coastal city of Melbourne is a
veritable artistic melting pot and gastronomic heaven.
39
Editor, Nicholas Chrisostomou, road tested the duplex WOW
Suite at W Istanbul, which juxtapositions designer
accommodation within a historic building at the epicentre of
one of the world’s most happening cities, with five star service
and details by the dozen.
52
Intrepid travel diva, Claudia Avila-Batchelor, takes us on a
tour of the culturally & architecturally rich city of Lahore,
Pakistan’s enticing and bohemian second city.
46
INCREDIBLE ISTANBUL
THE AIRLINE BLACKLIST
AUSTRALIA’S ARTISTIC MELTING POT
CITY SWEETNESS
PAKISTAN’S BOHEMIAN SECOND CITY
HOI AN HEAVEN
Deputy Editor, Kalia Michaelides, visited a luxe Vietnamese
beach resort, and left feeling pampered and revitalised after
just a few days disconnected from the outside world.
05

14 11 68
27
08
EDITOR’S LETTER
The Cultured Traveller made its
début a year ago. Twelve months
down the line, TCT is now
published on two platforms, we
have thousands of subscribers
around the world, a team of
energetic and talented writers
contributes a constant stream of
fascinating stories and plans are
afoot to print the magazine. This
is all thanks to our readers, so a
hearty thanks for your support.
11
NEWSFLASH
Our summary of seasonal
happenings and global events
taking place around the world in
October and November 2015,
including the 59 th annual BFI
London Film Festival, the Alba
International White Truffle Fair in
the Piedmont region of northern
Italy, the Voodoo Music & Arts
Experience in New Orleans and
the Pushkar Camel Fair in
Rajastan.
14
REST YOUR HEAD
Hotels featured in this issue:
Malliouhana on Anguilla, Hôtel
Plaza Athénée in Paris, The
Norman in Tel Aviv, Baccarat
Hotel in New York, The Waldorf
Astoria Amsterdam, Casas Del
XVI in Dominican Republic,
Aman Tokyo, Chiltern Firehouse
in London, Hotel Sahrai in Fez,
Four Seasons at Walt Disney
World Orlando, Park Hyatt Sanya
Sunny Bay and the incredible
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
in Botswana.
72
27 CITY FOCUS
Like New York and Bangkok,
Istanbul beats with a unique,
frenetic pulse, supported by a
vibrant street culture of cafés,
restaurants, markets, antique
stores, art galleries and shopping
districts. Seasoned traveller, Alex
Benasuli, explored the
stimulating and historic capital
of two empires which spans one
& a half millennia, to give us his
insider tips about what to see
and do in the exhilarating
Turkish metropolis.
39
SUITE ENVY
W Istanbul effortlessly
juxtapositions contemporary
designer accommodation within
a historic building at the
epicentre of one of the world’s
most happening cities, with five
star service, style, fun and
attention to detail. We road test
the hotel’s duplex WOW Suite,
fashioned by renowned Turkish
designer, Mahmut Anlar.
44
BOARDING PASS
One would be forgiven for
believing - in light of the
multitude of high-profile airplane
incidents splashed across the
news lately - that getting on a
plane now is more risky than
before. But we can help ourselves
as air travellers, by paying
attention to the official blacklist
of airlines deemed unsafe for
flying, drawn up by the European
Commission since 2006.
06
44
52

CONTENTS
46
46 NO SHOES REQUIRED
Vietnam is all about the contrast
between the bustling chaos of
Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi -
where motorbikes rule the
streets - and the country's beach
retreats set on pristine stretches
of golden sands lapped by the
South China Sea. Deputy Editor,
Kalia Michaelides, visited a luxe
Vietnamese beach resort, and
left feeling pampered and
revitalised after just a short visit.
52
SPOTLIGHT
Whilst Islamabad is infinitely
more cosmopolitan and
developed, Pakistan’s second
largest city, is exciting and
enticing in a warm, bohemian
way. Courageous travel explorer,
Claudia Avila-Batchelor, takes us
on a tour of culturally &
architecturally rich Lahore.
59
TRAVELLER LOWDOWN
Australia’s second largest city is
often overlooked in favour of
glamorous Sydney. Keen
traveller and dedicated foodie,
Gordon Hickey, discovered that
Melbourne is an artistic melting
pot and gastronomic heaven.
64
TASTE & SIP
MANDARIN GRILL & BAR
Hong Kong boasts more than 60
Michelin-starred restaurants.
Mandarin Grill & Bar received its
first Michelin star in 2009 and has
remained one of the city’s premier
restaurants ever since. Kalia
Michaelides visited to find out why.
68
TASTE & SIP
COYA LONDON
Few could have predicted how
quickly the Peruvian trend would
take off around the world. Arjun
Waney’s London outpost of Coya,
is a rich and vibrant restaurant
which screams Latino glamour
and serves some of the best
Peruvian food in the British capital.
72
MUSIC & NIGHT LIFE
Read our exclusive interview
with Size Records boss,
superstar DJ and one third of
electronic supergroup Swedish
House Mafia, Steve Angello.
76
ROJA DOVE, PERFUMIER
Perfume fanatics around the
globe hang on celebrated British
perfumier Roja Dove’s every
fragrance-infused word. Stylish
Globetrotter interviews the
world famous “nose” exclusively
for The Cultured Traveller.
83
STYLISH GLOBETROTTER
“Today the Cultured Traveller can
ski all over the globe at any time
of the year through all seasons.
Most would agree, if we were
honest, that après-ski has
become just as important, if not
more, than the actual sport of
skiing. Whether dancing 'til dawn
in the celebrity-drenched clubs of
Courchevel, or risking life and limb
in Corbet's Couloir in Jackson's Hole,
being fashionably dressed is now a
prerequisite, especially if you want
to avoid mixing with the hoi polloi.”
Alistair D. Blair, Fashion Designer
39
59
76
64

Editor’s Letter
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015
There are few cities in the
world which sum up the
exhilarating experience of
travelling - combining
colour, history,
tremendous contrasts and
immense vitality with such
richness - as Istanbul. This
is why we chose the
Turkish megalopolis, with
its 15 million inhabitants,
for the cover story of The
Cultured Traveller's first
anniversary issue. Istanbul
is a city in a perpetual
state of change. You could
return after one year and
see that in the place of that serene palace you once
appreciated, the calm square you crossed by foot, or lush
garden you spent an afternoon relaxing in, now exists
something completely different, animated and cutting-edge.
The same goes for the world of travel. To travel is to
experience an ever changing and constantly developing arena
of new, exciting and fresh experiences - unearthed, created or
conjured up for an ever more demanding and adventurous
holidaymaking and travelling population.
Few industries are quite as swift to react to shifting
demand, or adapt to changing tastes and the latest trends, as
the hospitality industry. The Cultured Traveller can barely keep
up with the abundance of new hotels and resorts throwing
open their doors, different destinations becoming accessible
to tourists, countries making themselves more attractive to
holidaymakers, and the wealth of wild and wonderful
experiences on offer to the traveller of today. Who would have
thought that cage diving with great white sharks would have
become so popular, or that standing on a glass walkway,
suspended more than a kilometre above the Grand Canyon’s
floor, would have become a reality. Travelling and tourism are
assuming ever more varied (and in some cases addictive)
forms, making being the editor of any travel medium an
enlightening, stimulating and tremendously varied role, one for
which I wasn’t fully prepared when I dreamt up the concept for
The Cutltured Traveller around Easter time last year. The past
twelve months have flown by like a jet-propelled travel train of
discovery. It’s thanks to my team, a bevy of talented
contributors and you, our valued readers, that The Cultured
Traveller is thriving, and will continue to deliver our bimonthly
round-up of sophisticated, fanciful and unapologetically
decadent travel experiences for a second year.
#TCTisOne
Istanbul
Melbourne
Nicholas Chrisostomou
Lahore
08 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015

Contributors
Alex Benasuli
Resides: London Wrote: City Focus
Alex has been traveling the world his whole life.
Growing up in New York City, he would
accompany his family every summer on visits to
relatives in Spain, France and Germany. A
successful two-decade career in finance often
took him to Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Russia,
India, Indonesia and all over the Far East.
Today, as an avid yoga practitioner and
part-time teacher, Alex has a keen appreciation
for combining luxury highbrow urban travels with off the beaten track
alternative destinations and experiences.
Gordon Hickey
Resides: Dublin Wrote: Traveller Lowdown
Dublin native Gordon may have spent the past
decade working as a TV producer, but has spent
twenty years in front of the camera exploring the
world. Fascinated with maps and geography as a
child, he went on his first solo trip to Italy at the
tender age of 14 and hasn’t looked back since.
Eating his way around the globe and sampling
local street cuisine sees him at his happiest.
When he’s not globetrotting, you’ll probably find
Gordon busting his moves at one of Ireland’s music festivals.
Claudia Avila-Batchelor
Resides: Cabarete Wrote: Spotlight
Like Magical Realism, Claudia was born in
Colombia, and has become a boutique global music
industry and writing pioneer as a result of her
native culture's zest for dreaming in titan proportions.
Having worked and travelled all over the
world and lived in numerous places, Claudia's
hunger for exotic adventure combines well with her
creative zeal, inspiring her to produce fascinating
and diverse features for many publications.
Claudia’s debut novel, "A Twist in the Tail", was lauded by none other
than the inimitable Howard Marks, whose influence touches her daily.
Alistair D. Blair
Resides: London & Mumbai Wrote: Stylish Globetrotter
After graduating with a 1 st Class honours degree
in fashion design, Blair went straight to Christian
Dior Couture in Paris, followed by 2 years at
Givenchy and 5 years assisting Karl Lagerfeld
before launching his highly successful label -
Alistair Blair - specialising in luxury womenswear,
menswear & accessories, dressing amongst
others Whitney Houston and Diana, Princess of
Wales. Blair went on to work for Valentino
Couture, Ballantyne Cashmere & Complice.
Blair now has a London-based couture business A.D.B.C (Alistair
Duncan Blair Couture) catering exclusively to the discreet elite.
•BEIRUT•
752 GOURAUD ST. SAIFI VILLAGE
BEIRUT • LEBANON
T: +961 76 997 676
M: +961 76 997 676
www.giltbeirut.com
EDITOR Nicholas Chrisostomou
DEPUTY EDITOR Kalia Michaelides
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eleana Nicolaou
WEB DEVELOPER Oleg Gnatyk
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FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY
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A SPECTACULAR NIGHT DEDICATED TO 100 YEARS OF SINATRA
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West Bay Lagoon • PO Box 24010
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www.facebook.com/cocolattelondon/events

BFI LONDON FILM
FESTIVAL
GREAT BRITAIN
Be the first to watch the
world’s best new films at
16 venues across London at the 59 th
annual BFI London Film Festival,
which showcases original movies by
both world-renowned and emerging
filmmakers. This year’s 12-day festival
features 238 movies, and will open
with Suffragette, an intense drama
that traces the story of the foot
soldiers of the early feminist
movement, starring Meryl Streep,
Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham
Carter. Also being premiered will be
Black Mass starring Johnny Depp,
Benedict Cumberbatch and Joel
Edgerton in Scott Cooper’s chilling
crime drama. Closing the festival will
be Steve Jobs, directed by Danny
Boyle with Michael Fassbender in the
lead role as the reformer at the
epicentre of the digital revolution.
7 - 18 October 2015 www.bfi.org.uk/lff
ALBA INTERNATIONAL
WHITE TRUFFLE FAIR
ITALY
Have you ever tasted real
Italian food? Food so real
the aromas floor you, oozing intense
flavours that have been cultivated for
generations. Welcome to Alba, nestled
in the Piedmont region of northern Italy,
where in the late autumn harvest period
of the tartufo bianco, early October to
FRANKFURT
BOOK FAIR
GERMANY
An important feature in the
global literary world, the
Frankfurt Book Fair, now in it’s 67 th
year, collects together thousands of
publishers, authors, retailers,
illustrators, librarians, self-publishers
and multimedia suppliers from around
the globe, who converge on the German
powerhouse city to exchange
information, launch books and
negotiate the sale of international
publishing rights. New for 2015 The
Markets: Global Publishing Summit will
showcase seven strong and vibrant
publishing regions: China, Turkey, USA,
Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico &
Germany. Visitors to the fair will hear
from the influencers in each of these
markets, get insights from professionals
working there, and meet the relevant
experts who can help grow literary
businesses in these countries. The fair is
open to the general public for the last
two days only, Saturday 17 & Sunday
18 October.
14 - 18 October 2015 www.buchmesse.de
mid-November every year, the town
hosts the annual Alba International
White Truffle Fair, which welcomes
international chefs, gastronomy buffs,
oenophiles and travelling foodies to
taste the decadent, aromatic and wildly
exclusive white truffle. Here the little
unattractive mushrooms - sniffed out by
trained dogs and pigs - are cleaned,
meticulously preserved and shaved
sparingly over pasta, risotto, grilled
vegetables and just about everything else.
10 October - 15 November 2015
www.fieradeltartufo.org
WEXFORD FESTIVAL
OPERA
IRELAND
Since the first Festival of
Music and the Arts took
place in October 1951, Wexford Festival
Opera has grown into one of the world’s
leading opera festivals. For 64 years the
festival has breathed new life into
forgotten or neglected operatic
masterpieces, establishing a reputation
for high-quality productions that every
year brings thousands of opera lovers
flocking to Wexford from all over the
October/December 2015 The Cultured Traveller 11

world. All operas are performed at The
National Opera House, Ireland’s first
custom-built opera house, nestled into
the heart of the beautiful harbour town
of Wexford. This year’s festival includes
performances of Pietro Mascagni’s
Guglielmo Ratcliff and Frederick Delius’s
Koanga, as well as well-known operas
Hansel And Gretel and Tosca.
21 October - 1 November 2015
www.wexfordopera.com
SALON DU CHOCOLAT
FRANCE
Dubbed the world's largest
event dedicated to
chocolate innovations and cocoa
expressions, Salon Du Chocolat is
revered by chocolate lovers the world
over. Last year’s 20th anniversary
attracted more than 120,000 visitors, so
2015’s chocolate festival is being held
in the heart of Paris, at the Porte de
Versailles Exhibition Center, with even
more space to host international
chocolatiers. Here visitors will have a
unique opportunity to discover and
taste chocolates that are not found
anywhere else, courtesy of 220
chocolatiers, pastry makers and
confectioners, not to mention some of
the world’s greatest pastry chefs and
cocoa experts. New for 2015, Salon du
Chocolat will host the World Chocolate
Masters Final, a premium international
competition devoted solely to the art of
chocolate, organised by Cacao Barry.
28 October - 1 November 2015
www.salonduchocolat.fr
VOODOO MUSIC
AMERICA
The Voodoo Music & Arts
Experience started out small
and has, over time, exploded into a
mega-event spanning several days and
drawing huge music industry names.
Over the course of it’s 16-year history
this weekend festival, whose motto is
“worship the music”, has hosted
thousands of artists and more than one
million fans. Divided between four
unique performance areas, each of
which is enhanced by the use of
interactive art, Voodoo is held in New
Orleans’ City Park and showcases big
name international artists alongside
local talent. This year’s line up is
headlined by Black Sabbath lead singer,
Ozzy Osbourne, accompanied by
Geezer Butler, Tom Morello & Slash.
Also headlining are superstar DJs
Deadmau5 and Steve Angello
(interviewed in Music & Night Life on
page 72), Florence & The Machine, plus
the founder of disco and electronic
music trailblazer, Giorgio Moroder.
30 October - 1 November 2015
www.worshipthemusic.com
VILLAGE HALLOWEEN PARADE
AMERICA
For the 43 rd consecutive
year, New York’s
Greenwich Village will be taken over by
more than 50,000 costumed party
goers in ghoulish fancy dress, who
line-up at 6 th Avenue at Canal Street to
set off on a mammoth parade, together
with hundreds of puppets, bands of
varying musical styles, dancers, circus
performers and floats. Founded in
1974 by mask-maker and puppeteer
Ralph Lee, this massive public
participatory event attracts millions of
spectators and embodies a different
theme each year, this year’s being
“Shine a Light!”
31 October 2015 www.halloween-nyc.com
BRISBANE GOOD
FOOD SHOW
AUSTRALIA
The Queensland capital is a
big, modern city full of
entrepreneurial zeal, cosmopolitan
young people, bohemian nightclubs and
world-class restaurants, so it’s little
surprise that Brisbane hosts one of the
country’s top food and wine shows,
which celebrates regionally grown and
produced foods and wines, and
showcases artisan and locally grown
produce from within the state and
across Australia. During the show
visitors can catch a master class hosted
by leading chefs George Calombaris,
Adam Liaw, Paul West and Miguel
Maestre, drop into a Grazing Garden
where Brisbane’s best food trucks will
be serving up tasty bites and participate
in wine appreciation sessions
highlighting varieties from different
regions across the country.
30 October - 1 November 2015
www.goodfoodshow.com.au
12

DIWALI
INDIA
Commonly referred to as
The Festival Of Lights,
Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival
celebrating the victory of light over
darkness, hope over despair, and the
return of the Sixth Guru, Guru
Hargobind Ji, who was freed from
imprisonment and also managed to
release 52 political prisoners at the
same time from Gwalior fort by Mughal
Emperor Jahangir in 1619.
An important tradition in India,
participants clean their homes before
the festival and celebrate with friends
and family by sharing food and
exchanging gifts. Houses are festooned
with electric lights, and candles, lamps,
torches and fireworks are lit at night,
providing a spectacular display of light
that symbolises the awareness of inner
light and the triumph of good over evil.
11 November 2015
PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR
INDIA
Set in a valley in the Indian
state of Rajastan, the
sleepy lakeside settlement of Pushkar,
in the Northwest Ajmer in the state of
Rajasthan, comes to life every year for
a colourful camel fair. Close to 50,000
camels are paraded, coiffured, shaved,
raced and entered into beauty contests.
With silver bells and bangles around
their hoofs they are paraded past the
golden sand dunes to an excited crowd.
Aside from some 25,000 camels traded
during the course of the event, other
livestock are bought and sold as well as
textiles, art, saddles, jewellery and
finery for camels. The fair is also known
for the varied body tattoos it offers.
The religious festival of Kartik Purnima
falls on the last day of the fair and sees
thousands of devotees bathe in
Pushkar Lake.
18 - 25 November 2015
www.pushkar-camel-fair.com
HIGANTES FESTIVAL
PHILIPPINES
Arguably the arts capital of
the Philippines, Angono in
Rizal has continually attracted art lovers
from across the country as well as
globally. Originally scheduled to
coincide with the festival of Pope St.
Clement, the town comes alive every
year during Higantes, when towering
papier-mâché giants painted in vibrant
colours, some 5 or 6 metres tall, parade
through the streets much to the joy of
vivacious crowds. For tourists visiting
Angono, a detour to Blanco Family
museum will give an insight to the
origins of this fascinating festival,
including a huge collection of
papier-mâché giants by renowned
higante designer, Argana Tori.
22 - 23 November 2015
ofm@angono.gov.ph
PIRATES WEEK
CAYMAN ISLANDS
If you are looking for a fun
time and enjoy the revelry
of Caribbean swashbucklers, Pirates
Week is the best time to be in the
Caymans. For 11 days in November,
pirates run amok throughout the islands
in this family-friendly festival that brings
to life the famous Pirates of the
Caribbean, complete with a simulated
pirate invasion and fancy dressed
revellers at the end of every gangplank.
12 - 22 November 2015
www.piratesweekfestival.com
LOPBURI MONKEY BANQUET
THAILAND
About 150km north of Bangkok in central Thailand’s provincial capital of
Lopburi, around the same time as the Americans celebrate Thanksgiving,
the last Sunday of November is reserved for the Lopburi Monkey Banquet. The world’s
wildest dinner party, which takes place
at The Phra Prang Sam Yot temple, is
held in honor of these old world
macaques monkeys, who have become
integrated into local society. Despite
their pick-pocketing tendencies and
unpredictable attitudes, these fellow
primates have free reign of the town
and the ability to enter public buildings
and traverse roads like any other
citizen. Once a year watch three
thousand macaques tuck into a lavish
feast that includes two tons of fresh
produce, rice, ice cream and other tasty
monkey treats.
28 - 29 November 2015

14

Rest Your Head
Anguilla, Paris, Tel Aviv, New York, Amsterdam, Tokyo,
Santo Domingo, London, Fez, Orlando, Sanya, Moremi
MALLIOUHANA
ANGUILLA
The USD 80 million renovation of this charming 44-room
Caribbean classic, overlooking picture postcard-perfect Meads
Bay, gave the hotel a completely new lease of life and reignited
interest, amongst the international yachting and seaplane circuit,
in the beautiful sun drenched, coral and limestone atoll of
Anguilla in the Lesser Antilles islands.
On 1 st November 1984, English garment baron, Leon Roydon
and his landscape designer wife Annette, welcomed the first
guests to Malliouhana. Back then a 40-foot cruiser ferried guests
to hidden coves, a Parisian chef prepared classic French
cuisine, silver service was the policy, the wine list was 73 pages
of French vintages and it was unashamedly expensive to stay.
Malliouhana charmed the right people and became a favorite
Caribbean destination, but by two decades later it had fallen off
the jet set’s radar and in 2011 the hotel closed. 30 years after
the Roydon clan first opened Malliouhana, the hotel was reborn
under the parasol of Auberge Resorts, whose portfolio includes
a number of similar such seminal properties. Happily the
18-month facelift was respectful and sensitively executed,
updating rather than overhauling the complex of white Moorish
pavilions, which remain on the same privileged perch,
overlooking the turquoise waters of Meads Bay and Turtle Cove.
Starting at 720ft 2 all rooms are wonderfully large, and feel even
airier now that designer Todd-Avery Lenahan has cooled all the
accommodation with soft shades of mint blue, white and daffodil.
The Restaurant at Malliouhana - a legacy of Caribbean dining
known for its exquisite setting - continues the hotel's tradition of
fine dining. Offering a wide variety of fresh, sea-to-table
offerings inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, the restaurant is
under the expert guidance of executive chef, Jeremy Bearman,
a veteran of L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas.
www.malliouhana.aubergeresorts.com
15

HÔTEL PLAZA
ATHÉNÉE
PARIS
These days the top end of Paris' haughty
hotel scene is in steady supply of grande
dame makeovers and funky new
properties making their glitzy debuts. But
the 102-year old Plaza Athénée - a fixture
of Avenue Montaigne since 1913 -
occupies a very special place in Parisian
hospitality history. It was the hotel of
preference of Rudolph Valentino and later
Christian Dior, who loved the area so
much he located his boutique there. To
this very day it still has the cachet of an
imperial - verging on royal - hotel. So it
came as little surprise then, that the
French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius
(who also holds the tourism portfolio)
attended its reopening last summer. Plaza
Athénée’s upgrade came at a time of
continued rebirth in the City of Light's
luxury hotel sector, which is very much
"all go" and has been for a few years now.
And it shows no sign of abating. The Ritz
Paris on Place Vendôme - famed for its
Bar Hemingway - is now taking
reservations for Spring 2016, after what
will have been a three-year EUR200
million refurbishment. 18 th Century
architectural masterpiece, Hôtel de Crillon
in Place de la Concorde, is also
undergoing a major renovation and will
reopen in 2016 as a Rosewood property.
And The Peninsula Paris, close to the Arc
de Triomphe, opened its doors the same
month as the updated Plaza Athénée.
Thankfully the renovation of 25 Avenue
Montaigne managed to retain the soul of
the French hospitality beauty, and we're
not just talking about the red awnings and
scarlet geraniums which were returned to
the hotel's buffed Art Nouveau balconies.
For the restoration of the guestrooms and
suites, the hotel chose Marie-José
Pommereau, who had been responsible
for decorating the rooms for the past 14
years. She also presided over the creation
of the additional 14 rooms (including eight
suites) created by integrating three
buildings that surrounded the hotel,
including two luxury townhouses which
were absorbed into Plaza Athénée.
Rooms are still decorated in taffetas,
velvets and touches of gold embroidery,
but Pommereau added warm tones for the
walls - including peony, sun-infused yellow
and silver - as well as materials such as
damask and silks from top couture houses
to adorn the windows, armchairs and
beds. Italian-made Beltrami
300-thread-count satin cotton sheets and
Mako Egyptian cotton towels completed
the feel of super luxe expected of such a
distinguished hotel.
www.dorchestercollection.com
16

THE NORMAN
TEL AVIV
During the era of British rule in Palestine, Tel Aviv developed into a thriving urban centre, becoming Israel's foremost economic and
metropolitan nucleus. Today Tel Aviv is one of the country’s youngest and most vibrant cities, and to visit this seaside city is to experience a
modern, somewhat European lifestyle in a contemporary Middle Eastern metropolis. Well known for its vibrant nightlife, booming technology
industry and stunning coastal setting, Tel Aviv is fast becoming renowned for innovative contemporary design and thriving hospitality industry,
particularly when it comes to the city’s recent boom in boutique hotels.
Located in the heart of the White City (a UNESCO World Heritage site of stunning Bauhaus architecture), the Norman epitomises the
Tel Aviv of today - one where chef-driven restaurants and Modernist design are as sought-after as the next big beach party. Just a few
steps from the tree-lined Rothschild Boulevard - one of the city’s main tourist streets - the Norman is set within two historic, restored 1920s
Bauhaus buildings, that have been sensitively given a new lease of life and outfitted with state-of-the-art amenities. The Norman is a
lesson in restrained 1920s elegance. Interior designer, David d’Almada, has paid tribute to the style of the era, in sleek yet glamorous,
light-filled rooms, woven through with refined Mediterranean touches. With one building dedicated entirely to suites, 50 rooms and suites
have been thoughtfully curated with a mix of vintage furnishings and modern fixtures, interspersed with over 100 pieces of local Israeli
artwork hung throughout the hotel. This aesthetic extends to the pewter-topped Library Bar, with its lived-in décor and classic cocktails, and
the rooftop infinity pool, which offers panoramas of the city and views of the sea, perfectly highlighting Tel Aviv’s unique mix of natural
beauty and modern development. The Penthouse Duplex is the hotel’s shining pièce de résistance. With one floor that elegantly
showcases the best of the building’s original 20th century architecture, and another purpose built floor featuring a private terrace and hot
tub, the property’s premium rooftop suite aptly sums up the sumptuousness of The Norman.
www.thenorman.com
THE WALDORF ASTORIA AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam's luxury hotel scene has been raising its game of late. In the
past few years the city has seen the arrival of the fashionable
Conservatorium - with it's style-led ethos, minimalist rooms and Asian
restaurant - located between Museumplein and P.C. Hoofstraat,
Amsterdam’s best fashion street. Conservatorium's expansive,
glass-enclosed lobby-lounge is without doubt the best in town. Next to
debut was the funky Andaz (Hyatt's lifestyle brand) with its theatrical
interiors inspired by Alice in Wonderland, fashioned by Marcel Wanders,
the eccentric Dutch designer of all things outrageous and colourful.
Located in a former library on Prinsengracht - one of Amsterdam’s most
atmospheric canals - The Andaz is positioned in one of the city's most
enviable locations. Then just over a year ago Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam
threw open it's elegant doors, which was probably the most surprising of
hotel brands to descend upon the world famous party town, although
Amsterdam has regained some of its cultural kudos since the remodelled
Stedelijk reopened in 2012 and the new-look Rijksmuseum was revealed in
2013 (after a decade-long renovation).
Amsterdam's most sumptuous hotel is disguised as a grande dame,
tucked into six 17th and 18th-century townhouses (two of them were
formerly mayoral residences) on well-to-do Herengracht, the Gentlemen's
Canal. When it opened just over a year ago, the Waldorf Astoria very much
dropped in and snatched the crown, literally overnight, as the city's most
ritzy hotel, and most deservedly so. The hotel channels all the richness and
composition of a Dutch still life, from the majestic marble-clad entrance hall
to the regal hand- carved, Louis XIV–style staircase, the Peacock Alley
lounge, Vault Bar and the hotel's fine dining restaurant, Librije’s Zusje
Amsterdam, courtesy of famed three Michelin-starred duo Jonnie and
Thérèse Boer. The entire hotel is a beautifully executed exercise in
elegance, luxury and downright glamness, and it's encouraging to see the
notorious party town move into upper class hospitality circles at last.
www.hilton.com
AMSTERDAM
17

AMAN TOKYO
TOKYO
Every hotel which opens in Tokyo has got to stand out in one way or
another in order to succeed, and Aman's first foray into the city retreat
category, located close to the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station, doesn't
disappoint. In fact the hotel's exceptional features could make this Aman's
finest property yet. It is certainly the most sleek. Think hyper-modern,
minimalist penthouse in the sky, floating above the city of Tokyo, and you'll
be on the right track.
Located at the top of the 40-storey Otemachi Tower, which it shares with
Japan’s third largest bank, Mezuho, Aman Tokyo is an uncompromising
urban hotel. The soaring atrium, more than thirty storeys above the city’s
CBD, is almost 30 meters high and has been designed to resemble the
interior of a Japanese paper lantern. There's no greenery, balconies,
terraces or outside space to speak of, but to compensate tiny bonsai trees,
arty arrangements of twigs in gorgeous ceramics and ikebana displays,
form an inherent part of the overall design esthetic. This attention to detail,
coupled with the acres of deep grey rough-hewn stone, camphor and hinoki
woods, and beautiful, simply designed furniture of superlative quality, make
for reassuringly calming modernist spaces. In fact all the public spaces and
84 rooms of Aman Tokyo ooze quality, elegance and class, and radiate a
Zen-like quality that makes effective and clever use of earthy materials, and
at the same skillfully directs your gaze towards the spectacular vistas over
the city offered by the huge windows everywhere.
Bedroom walls are paneled in a light wood, their floors pale pine - a
combination no hotelier could ever risk except in Japan, where, in keeping
with Japanese sensibilities, you are required to remove your shoes on
entering. All accommodations are generous, light and peaceful - with
entry-level deluxe rooms a spacious 71m² and the smallest suite a very
generous 140m² - and the perfect place to retreat after a day in hectic
Tokyo. Don’t miss the pool with its stunning views of Mount Fuji, and the
beautiful traditional Japanese breakfast.
www.aman.com
SANTO DOMINGO
CASAS DEL XVI
Nestled in the heart of Santo Domingo’s Colonial City,
site of the first permanent European settlement in the
New World, Casas del XVI is the first hotel in the
Dominican Republic to comprise an exclusive collection
of three, lovingly renovated colonial houses dating back
to the 16th century. Converted into deluxe
accommodations overflowing with character, style and
history, these houses that once received 16th-century
aristocrats now serve as a plush boutique hotel,
welcoming guests into a divine home-like setting. Since
each home was conceived and built independently, in its
reincarnation each has its own individual design and floor
plan, is reminiscent of the island’s earliest European
settlers, and is overseen by a personal mayordomo (or
butler), attending to guests' every need and ensuring that
visits to this cosmopolitan city are enjoyed to the max.
Each of Casas del XVI's ten lavish guest rooms deftly
recaptures the essence of a bygone era, with antiques
and decor that combine Dominican, Spanish, African and
Indian cultural influences. Vintage maps of early
explorations and local artworks adorn walls, while Roman
roofs, lanterns, colorful tiles and vaulted brick archways
add to the charm and romanticism of the property. All
rooms skillfully blend the old and new, with mother-of-pearl
inlaid furnishings, flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations,
king or queen beds with fine linens and stylish, modern
bathrooms. There is even an English-speaking chauffeur
on hand to ferry guests around.
www.casasdelxvi.com
18

CHILTERN FIREHOUSE
Owned by André Balazs, the suave American hotelier with the Midas touch, of Hollywood's
Chateau Marmont and New York's Mercer Hotel fame, the media would have us believe
that Chiltern Firehouse - erected in 1890 to accommodate fire engines - is permanently
accessorised by Kate Moss. With paparazzi permanently residing outside, ready to pounce
on the personalities who swarm like moths to this decommissioned fire station in
Marylebone, it certainly seems like this is London’s premier celebrity magnet, having seen
everyone from Naomi Campbell and David Beckham to Bill Clinton and Bono pass through
its hallowed doors. Stars of stage, screen and even politics (Prime Minister David Cameron
and Mrs Cameron enjoyed dinner à deux at the Firehouse last month) seemed to spend the
best part of last year queuing round the block to eat at Nuno Mendes' famed downstairs
restaurant, and Lindsay Lohan practically moved into one of the suites upstairs. One could
hardly blame her. The Firehouse's 26-room hotel, which opened for business a year ago
just in time for London Fashion Week 2014 (naturally), boasts huge rooms with deep
double mattresses, bespoke pillows, Italian-made sheets, marble vanity tables, pewter
baths and access to a personal concierge. Whilst this hotel is a surprisingly good place to
sleep, one imagines that it would be even better for a romantic tryst or a private party, and
the Firehouse has been designed so both these pursuits can be done confidentially, with
three mirrored lifts and a staircase tucked away at the back of the building for alternative
routes past reception. Lily Allen, Simon Cowell, Bradley Cooper, Tony Blair and Orlando
Bloom have all been glimpsed sneaking out of the Firehouse's secret back door. Perhaps a
stay at Chiltern Firehouse is best summed-up by a card sitting by the phone on the bedside
table in every guest room, which simply says "Dial 0 for anything".
www.chilternfirehouse.com
LONDON
19

NEW YORK
BACCARAT HOTEL
Across the street from MOMA and
Manhattan’s museum mile (home to the Met,
Guggenheim and many more) at 28 West
53rd Street, a flamboyant & sparkling
corrugated crystal façade, of almost 40
metres wide, heralds your arrival at the
50-storey Baccarat Hotel & Residences
tower, the first foray into the hospitality
industry by France’s eponymous 251-year
old luxury crystal brand, the brainchild of
Barry Sternlicht, former CEO of Starwood
Hotels and creator of the W Hotel concept.
Hotelier Sternlicht is a talented and seasoned
operator, and when he launches a new hotel
brand you can be sure that it's been
hyper-carefully researched and painstakingly
thought through. Baccarat Hotel is no
exception and, thanks in large part to
husband-and-wife design team, Patrick Gilles
and Dorothée Boissier, of Paris-based firm
Gilles & Boissier, has managed - rather
skillfully - to juxtapose extreme French luxury
with premium hospitality functionality, top-end
services and fun detailing. An LED light show,
featuring over 2,000 of the company’s
Harcourt glasses, graces the hotel’s foyer,
forming a dazzling light installation that
pulsates morning through night. 250 blank,
bound volumes - one for every year the
lavish crystal maker has been around - sit in
chronological order, waiting for guests to fill
them with stories. And rather than a monster
Merc (which New Yorkers seem so fond of),
the hotel's 1970s Citroën DS house car,
cutely named "Louis XV", chauffeurs guests
anywhere within 15 blocks of the hotel on a
complimentary basis. This fun detailing
makes Baccarat a refreshing alternative to
some of the pretentious grande dames hotels
that previously reigned supreme in the area.
Throughout the property the public
spaces are spectacularly appointed with
grand chandeliers and crystal objects
accenting every space and sparkling in the
light. Hand-pleated silks cascade from
ceiling and fresh bouquets of perfectly
arranged blood red roses add welcome bolts
of colour to pastel lounges. The petite and
grand salons are particularly fabulously
bedecked with lavish treatments, such as
fur-upholstered seating, silver-leaf wood
paneling, and sparkling mica-covered
vaulted ceilings.
Rooms at the Baccarat feature
four-poster beds flanked by marble
nightstands, Baccarat crystal light fixtures,
white-marble bathroom floors and flat-screen
televisions concealed within smoked mirrors,
and start at USD1,000 per night.
www.baccarathotels.com
21

HOTEL SAHRAI
Marrakech was the Moroccan destination on everyone’s lips for more than a decade, with its luxurious hotels, nightclubs and easily
accessible mélange of the exotic, cultural and colourful. The artsy windswept 18th century UNESCO World Heritage town of Essaouira was
generally second on travellers' lists of must visit places in North Africa, especially for windsurfing fanatics. With few upscale places to stay,
Fez, just under 250 miles northeast of Marrakech, was often overlooked and little more than a hasty stopover, for one to be able to tick the
"been there done that" box and make a joke about the hat which shares the same name as the city. But times have changed, albeit slowly.
A sophisticated scene has taken root in Fez, much as it did in Marrakech twenty years ago. It started with expats and locals restoring riads
and raving about the medieval medina - still totally inaccessible to cars and still genuinely Moroccan. The gradual, NATURAL process of
development has continued, as hotels, restaurants and galleries have SLOWLY popped-up around the city. For those who fell in love with
Marrakech before it became an international party mecca, now is the moment to visit Fez.
The biggest hospitality news in the city for donkey's years was the opening of Hotel Sahrai. Built over the remains of an old palace
perched on a hillside between the medina and the French-built ville nouvelle, Hotel Sahrai is owned by Fez-born businessman, Anis
Sefrioui, an entrepreneur and architect’s son. Sefrioui used to run Riad Fès, which was converted into a hotel by his father and brought up
to Relais & Châteaux standards by young Sefrioui. From it's enviable vantage point, Sefrioui's opulent boutique hotel offers extraordinary
views of every period in Fez's history. Christophe Pillet designed the 50 modern guest rooms, a number of which overlook an L-shaped
infinity pool on the top of the building. Understandably the hotel’s rooftop bar became the hippest place in town quickly after opening. The
10 superior rooms, 26 deluxe rooms, 13 junior suites and 1 Sahrai Suite are comfortably chic, and feature contrasting taza stone faced
walls, copper lanterns, all-glass enclosed bathrooms, beds by Piero Lissoni and cute 60s retro touches.
www.hotelsahrai.com
FEZ
PARK HYATT SANYA SUNNY BAY RESORT
SANYA
Sanya is located in the very south of China, on the edge of the island of Hainan. Its long white sandy beaches, coral reefs and clear waters
have attracted a steadily increasing number of visitors, causing a rapid expansion of the tourist industry in the area, not all of which has
had a positive effect on either the resort or its surroundings. Known as “the Hawaii of China" (which isn't a terribly complimentary
description to bestow upon a resort), the long Sanya coastline boasts a number of luxe, big name resorts (including St. Regis, Banyan
Tree and Mandarin Oriental) which have opened tasteful properties with sprawling grounds and luxury facilities, as you'd expect of top end
hotel brands. Unfortunately these are offset by a number of high-rises that are not terribly attractive. The new Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay
Resort (a six word hotel name is way too long in our opinion!), five kilometers from over-popular Yalong Bay, bucks the typical Sanya trend,
by being designed to resemble a huge private seaside mansion. Hyatt is rather adept at executing Park beach resorts and this modernist
property is no exception. Designed by award-winning Belgian architect, Jean-Michael Gathy, who was responsible for the renowned infinity
pool at Marina Bay Sands and multiple Aman resorts, the interiors of Park Hyatt Sanya’s 207 elegant rooms are residential in style, and
offer guests a home away from home with panoramic beach and ocean views of the South China Sea. Guests can avail themselves of a
private bay, five resort swimming pools, eight food and beverage venues and activities for all ages with a focus on local culture and sea
and environmental education.
www.sanya.park.hyatt.com
22

ORLANDO
FOUR SEASONS RESORT ORLANDO AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Florida’s Walt Disney World is easily the largest and most popular theme park on the planet, pulling in an estimated 18+ million visitors last
year. The 43-square mile site, is more like a city than a tourist attraction, roughly twice the size of Manhattan and home to four distinct
amusement parks - the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot Center - plus waterparks, sports fields, endless
retail therapy, several golf courses, an extensive public transportation system of rail, water and roads bigger than most cities, wildlife
preserve, nightlife and entertainment districts, more than 100 restaurants of every type, plus literally dozens of hotels, resorts and
campgrounds. But what Walt Disney World had lacked to date - actually what the city of Orlando had lacked - was a true luxury hotel.
Granted there is Grand Floridian, a sprawling 867-room Victorian-style resort which has its own monorail stop for easy access to the Magic
Kingdom. But Grand Floridian is a bit like a Disney hotel on steroids, where, if you fancied a few days without Mickey and Minnie, it might
not be so easy to achieve here. And you could never confuse Grand Floridian with a classic, refined Four Seasons. In light of the
continuing worldwide expansion in the top end of the travel spectrum, both from local Americans and the quickly growing upper classes of
fast developing countries including China, Russia and India, it has become increasingly important to Disney to be able to cater for these
new, discerning and wealthy travellers. Four Seasons Resort Orlando caters for these people. People who want a less full-on Disney
experience.
Tucked away in the secluded millionaires’ enclave of Golden Oak, a private gated community in natural woodland with its own golf
course - the architecture of Four Seasons Resort Orlando is part Spanish revival part modern Italianate, echoing the ethos of a peaceful
retreat where guests can opt for as little of, or as much of Disney as they want. The hotel sits on a large lake and has its own 5-acre
private island full of facilities. Many rooms have views of the resort, lake and golf course set in lush woodlands. At night there’s a distant
glow of fireworks from the Magic Kingdom. Each of the hotel’s spacious 443 rooms is bedecked in soothing beige and white, with gauzy
blue drapes, private terrace and luxurious bathroom with a deep soaking tub and rain shower. The hotel’s accommodation pièce de
résistance is its Royal Suite on the top floor. A 306 m² mega pad which can be expanded to include 9 separate bedrooms occupying the
entire level, make this the biggest suite of any Four Seasons property in the world.
www.fourseasons.com
23

24

MOREMI
SANDIBE OKAVANGO SAFARI LODGE
Set in a cool forest canopy of wild palms and twisted fig
trees, this stunning safari lodge combines spectacular design
with exceptional wildlife adventures. Set on a private
concession in the magnificent Okavango Delta, Sandibe
boasts exclusive traversing rights over a vast stretch of land
adjacent to the wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve, and is
possibly the most architecturally beautiful timber cathedral to
nature you'll ever see. Celebrating its incredible location and
magnificent setting at every turn, Sandibe was rebuilt from
the ground up and reopened a year ago, with a dozen
cocoon-like suites that hover on stilts above a private
floodplain reserve. Each is made with rounded, handwoven
cedar, designed after the elaborate nests of the golden
weaverbird. Wood-burning fireplaces, private plunge pools,
and solar-powered air-conditioning make it easy to forget
that you’re in the middle of nowhere. Except of course when
you’re gently woken by the sound of birdsong, or sharing a
communal meal by campfire when an elephant saunters by.
Days are spent exploring a maze of papyrus and
searching the wide floodplains in the pursuit of wildlife. The
lodge’s outstanding design - open all around - creates a
dramatic sense of space and grandeur, where guests revel in
one of Africa’s most untouched landscapes, drinking in the
serene beauty of the unique natural spectacle that lies right
on their doorstep.
www.andbeyond.com

THE PLEASURE
OF LIVING AUTHENTIC
EXPERIENCES IS INCLUDED
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traveller for over 60 years. As you would expect, we will do everything to ensure your
business or leisure trip is successful and productive. We can also share our local
knowledge to help you enjoy truly authentic experiences in our many destinations
around the world.
For more details or to make a reservation, please
call 0800 1800 1800 or visit
intercontinental.com
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©2015 InterContinental ® Hotels Group. All rights reserved. Most hotels are independently owned and/or operated.

ISTANBUL
THE STIMULATING, EXCITING & HISTORIC CAPITAL
OF TWO EMPIRES SPANNING ONE & A HALF MILLENIA
WRITTEN BY ALEX BENASULI • STAY, SEE, TASTE, SIP & SPEND BY NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU
When summarising my favourite cities in the world
- taking into account everything from energy,
excitement and nightlife through to history,
sightseeing and natural setting - Istanbul
consistently ranks among the best. Like Lisbon and San
Francisco, Istanbul is built on many steep and rolling hills
and some of the views literally take your breath away. The
setting commands your attention. Like Rome, Istanbul was
the capital of one of the greatest empires the world has ever
known. The former palaces, grand mosques, byzantine
churches and aqueducts rival those of anywhere on the
planet. Like New York and Bangkok, the city beats with a
frenetic pulse, supported by a vibrant street culture of cafes,
restaurants, markets, antique stores and art galleries.
Ultimately, what makes Istanbul so special is its uniqueness,
and it’s this, which elevates the city into a class of its own.
I started visiting Istanbul more than twenty years ago and
have returned annually ever since. During these years my
There are only a handful of buildings in the world where you can learn about
two major empires spanning over 1500 years. Hagia Sophia is one of them.
SULTANAHMET CAMII BLUE MOSQUE
27

HAGIA SOPHIA
BOSPHORUS BRIDGE
DOLMABAHÇE PALACE
love affair for the city has only grown. First impressions do
matter. Istanbul is a visually enticing city. It stimulates and
excites. Making one’s way towards the city from Ataturk
Airport, the road begins to hug the Marmara Sea. Alongside
the sea is a promenade that stretches for kilometers.
Athletically clad runners and couples in love share the space
with traditional local families, women in headscarves and
their children playing. Turkey is a secular country with a
moderately Islamic government. Tensions do exist. However
for the most part, liberal and conservative societies
peacefully co-exist, nowhere more so than in Istanbul.
Luxury and middle class housing are charmingly
interspersed with crumbling ramparts from centuries past.
In spring the roadside is landscaped with endless tulips in
mesmerising patterns and colours. The Turks first cultivated
tulips as early as 1000 AD and the Netherlands owes its tulip
heritage to the Ottoman Empire. Attention to aesthetic detail
is one of the many legacies that the Ottoman Empire has left
on the city. This legacy, and the illustrious history of
Istanbul, soon becomes apparent as Sultan Ahmet and the
Golden Horn come into view when approaching the city
from the airport by car. On one side a cityscape of broad
mosques and towering minarets unfolds, on the other the
Galata Bridge and the mouth of the Bosphorus, the signature
image of Istanbul. Sultan Ahmet, also known as Fatih, is the
heart of the old town and the site of the city’s most
important heritage sites, Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque
and Topkapi Palace. Conveniently the three are located
within walking distance of each other. There really is no
excuse not to immerse yourself in the splendor of these
world-class sites except for all but the briefest of visits.
From 537 to 1453 Hagia Sophia was a Greek Orthodox
Cathedral and the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople. It
remained the largest cathedral in the world for nearly 1,000
years, a testament to Constantinople being the capital of the
Eastern Roman Empire. It is world renowned for its basilica
and the byzantine mosaics found within. When the
Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, they renamed
the city Istanbul and converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque.
There are only a handful of buildings in the world where
you can learn about two major empires spanning over 1500
years. Hagia Sophia is one of them.
SEE
ISTANBUL MODERN
Since the Istanbul Modern set up shop in 2004 in a converted 8,000m²
warehouse on the shores of the Bosphorus, in Beyoğlu district’s Tophane
neighbourhood, the area has become a thriving contemporary arts hub,
with galleries aplenty on Boğazkesen Caddesi, spilling into Karaköy. The
Istanbul Museum of Modern Art houses an impressive collection of
modern and contemporary art by Turkey's leading artists. As well as
permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, a photography gallery and
spaces for educational and social programs, the museum has a cinema,
design store and restaurant offering tasty nibbles and stunning river views.
www.istanbulmodern.org
CHORA MUSEUM
İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monuments, but few are
as drop-dead gorgeous as this mosaic and fresco-laden church. Located in
the western part of Sultan Ahmet tucked away from the sites, it may be a bit
of a schlep to get there but it’s well worth the trip. Chora has some of the
most intact and striking Byzantine mosaic interiors of anywhere in the city.
Pay for an audio tour or better still hire a private guide. Afterwards treat
28 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015

GALATA TOWER
TOPKAPI PALACE
The Topkapi Palace has the benefit of history with a view. It sits
on a promontory, facing where the Marmara Sea narrows
towards the Bosphorus. Yes, you are atop one of the planet’s
crossroads, straddling Europe and Asia, where East meets West,
connecting the Mediterranean to The Black Sea through one of
the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The palace was the
primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400
years until the mid 1850s. My favorite part of the complex is the
Harem, the sets of apartments in which the Sultan’s concubines
lived. The Harem has some of most exquisite tiling work in the
world, adorning the walls and ceiling of these private chambers.
yourself to lunch in the relaxing garden of Asitane Restaurant nearby,
which has been serving delicious Ottoman food since 1991. Before you head
back to your hotel, take a look at the nearby walls that ringed old
Constantinople and date back to the 5 th Century.
www.choramuseum.com asitanerestaurant.com
GALATA TOWER
You can get a bird's eye view of the old town from the balcony at the top of the
medieval stone Galata Tower in Beyoğlu, the modern part of old Istanbul that,
in pre-Republican days was home to the city's foreign residents. Built in 1348,
the 63-metre tower once formed part of a sub-city belonging to the Genoese,
that stretched right down to the Bosphorus, who called it “Tower Of Christ”.
+90 212 293 81 80
MISIR APARMANI
Up on Ístiklal Caddesi, Misir Aparmani, a beautiful 19 th -century apartment
block presiding over Beyoğlu, is home to half a dozen leading Turkish
galleries. One of these, Galerist, has hosted fashion designer Hüseyin
Çhalayan's photography projects and stylish, hyper-realistic paintings by
Taner Ceylan, amongst many others.
Misir Aparmani, 163/4 Istiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu +90 212 244 8230.
www.galerist.com.tr
Inspired by beauty and fortified by lunch at one of the many
fish or kebab restaurants in the windy lanes of Sultan
Ahmet, a short stroll down the hill to the Grand Bazar could
be in order but only if you like to browse, shop and enjoy the
sport of haggling. If culinary delights are more your thing,
the Spice Bazaar will surely beckon. Istanbul is the
commercial and financial capital of Turkey and this is a city
of traders and shopkeepers. Coming to these old markets
always reminds me that this is a city which is always open
for business. Turkey has had its fair share of political and
economic uncertainty over the decades but its trading
history has spanned centuries and continues unabated.
The hustle and bustle of daily life is knitted into the fabric of
Istanbul. Streets and sidewalks are clogged with top end
chauffeur-driven German automobiles, old Fiats,
commercial vehicles, pedestrians and pushcarts. It’s not
unheard of for trips of a few kilometers to take an hour.
Leaving Sultan Ahmet behind, crossing Galata Bridge, the
city gets denser, taller and busier. Galata Tower comes into
view, marking the Beyoglu neighborhood. In the past
Beyoglu (then known as Pera) was the district where foreign
merchants built their foreign mansions and lived in supreme
comfort. Today Beyoglu is the arts, entertainment and
nightlife center of Istanbul, where bohemian, traditional and
21 st century co-exist side by side.
When the kaleidoscope of urban intensity and wealth of
history becomes a little bit too much, it’s a good idea to
retreat to an outdoor, waterfront terrace on the Bosphorus.
To gaze onto the Asian side of Istanbul, the ship traffic and

TASTE
CECCONI'S
Quite probably the city's hottest restaurant, the Istanbul branch of Cecconi's
(there are outlets in London, Miami and Hollywood) is situated beside
Soho House Istanbul members club, although thankfully Cecconi's is open
to all. The private back garden - evocative of the Mediterranean and
surrounded by the walls of the old consulate building - is the place to dine.
Try and bag a table underneath the olive trees. Ex Cecconi's Hollywood
Chef Alessio Biangini's northern Italian fare is easily some of the best
international cuisine in the city. If you're starting with some traditional
Venetian cicchetti, the roast bone marrow (20 TL) and zucchini flowers with
ricotta (20 TL) are a must. Follow with burrata (38 TL) and spaghetti with
lobster for main (115 TL) and you'll leave a very happy bunny.
www.cecconisistanbul.com
SPAGO
The Cultured Traveller enjoyed exceptionally good music courtesy of the
Saturday night DJ at Austrian star chef Wolfgang Puck’s Istanbul outpost of
his famous LA eatery, Spago, located on the rooftop of The St. Regis
Istanbul. Whilst his contemporary cuisine ranges from simple steaks to
handmade tortellini and steamed sea bass Hong Kong-style, the setting
impresses as much as the cooking, with stunning views across Maçka Park
and the city. The restaurant’s glam, circular outdoor bar is almost always
busy with a smart, upwardly mobile set over the weekends. In time this is
sure to become one of the city's celebrity hotspots.
www.wolfgangpuck.com
PIZZA EAST
The outdoor seating section, of this Soho House Istanbul-owned pizza
boutique in the center of fashionable Akaretler, is the place to be seen in the
area. In addition to tasty pizzas you’ll find delicious antipasti, oven-baked
dishes and veggies galore, with the emphasis on using local ingredients.
Flavorsome foods are complimented by a good wine list, tasty house
cocktails and homemade lemonade, ginger beer and iced teas. To start we
recommend the squash blossom fritti (28 TL) followed by sea bass with
clams for main (45 TL). Finish off with a selection of cheeses, which must
include the Gorgonzola dolce (40 TL).
www.pizzaeast.com/istanbul
LA PETITE MAISON
The fame of La Petite Maison has spread far and wide from its original
location in Nice to its subsequent branches in London, Dubai and Beirut. In
summer 2014 the brand opened its newest restaurant within Park Hyatt
Istanbul at the majestic Maçka Palas in Nişantaşi, built in 1922 by Italian
architect Guilio Mongeri as a residential building for Italian diplomats. The
food at La Petite Maison never fails to impress and the Istanbul outpost is
no exception, combining the best fresh seasonal ingredients with the
culinary influences of the Côte d’Azur and neighbouring Liguria, to create
yet simple and delicious French Mediterranean and Niçoise cuisine.
www.lpmistanbul.com.tr
Like New York and Bangkok, Istanbul beats with a frenetic pulse, supported by a
vibrant street culture of cafes, restaurants, markets, antique stores and art galleries.

the verdant banks of the Bosphorus, dotted with
Ottoman era palaces and mansions, is one of my
greatest travel pleasures. Container ships and oil
tankers compete with small fishing boats and
luxury yachts to create constant visual stimulation.
A private water taxi around sunset to your
restaurant of choice along the Bosphorus is a
highlight of any trip to this amazing city.
A city of over 12 million does not reveal itself at
once. There are always layers of the onion to peel
away in this concentrated metropolis, new
neighborhoods to explore, different restaurants to
audition, smaller and less visited historical sites to
discover. And the city is seasonal. In summer the
action moves outdoors, to Ortakoy and wealthy
suburbs like Bebek and Ulus alongside and above
the Bosphorus. In late fall, winter, and early spring,
the city’s social and cultural elite frequent smart
32

and fashionable Nişantaşı, historical
Beyoglu and the gentrified, edgier
neighborhoods of Cihangir and Cukorova.
Nişantaşı is one of the city’s most
well-to-do areas and where you’ll find
glossy designer shops, art galleries and
fancy restaurants.
Having been the capital of two empires
straddling 1,500 years, Istanbul exudes
self-confidence and sophistication,
wearing its history as a beautiful badge of
honour. As the economic capital of Turkey
and the largest city in Europe, it is a city of
movers and shakers. These contrasts of old
and new, Europe and Asia, secular and
Muslim religions all add to the mix of
what makes Istanbul an exciting and
unique city.
SIP
A visit to Istanbul wouldn’t be complete without a sundowner at a rooftop bar. The skyline
of Istanbul spans everything from high-rises to historical mosques, elegant bridges, battered
old housing, Ottoman towers and flocks of seagulls. Watching the sun setting behind this rich
silhouette is a not-to-be-missed experience, so here’s a quartet of the city’s best places to
watch the night fall over Istanbul:
VOGUE
Perched atop the highest building in Akaretler, Vogue has been an Istanbulite favourite for
almost 20 years, not least because the venue boasts unparalleled sweeping vistas of the
Bosphorus. The talented kitchen can produce authentic French, Turkish and Japanese food to
perfection, so you might like to make Vogue an all night destination rather than just a drink.
www.voguerestaurant.com
FERAHFEZA
Ferahfeza opened in August 2013 without the pizzazz usually associated with new openings
in the hip Karaköy neighbourhood, but has been packed ever since, garnering rave reviews
for its mix of Mediterranean fare and flavourful local favourites, not to mention the super
friendly staff. But what sets Ferahfeza apart is its terrace, with views across the Karaköy pier
and the center of ancient Istanbul.
www.ferahfeza-ist.com
ZELDA ZONK
Chroniclers of Marilyn Monroe have long reported that she used the alias Zelda Zonk to
avoid the press, which hounded her to a degree rivaling even today's Hollywood paparazzi.
Apparently once she even booked a plane ticket from Los Angeles to New York under the
fake name. Zelda Zonk bar, on the top of Gradiva Hotel - with views of Haliç and the Golden
Horn on one side and the Galata Tower on the other - has become a firm favourite of city
dwellers for it’s eclectic kitchen, amazing views and DJs rocking the joint until the early
hours.
www.gradivahotels.com/zeldazonk.php
360
360 occupies a penthouse on the top floor of the historical 19 th -century Misir apartment
building, overlooking the old embassy row in Beyoğlu. It’s worth coming here for the
dramatic views stretching over Istanbul in all directions. But the food’s not that great and
overpriced, so rather than booking dinner, arrive early, smile nicely at the waiters, beg them
to give you window seats and sip your cocktail slowly. After a couple of beverages you can
find a decent bite to eat on Ístiklal Caddesi below.
www.360istanbul.com
SPEND
Istanbul’s position on an ancient trade route between east and west means that its inhabitants
are merchants and shoppers to their core. They love to trade, sell, haggle, barter and buy. From
light fittings, Ottoman antiques and fine carpets to belly-dancing costumes, jewellery and
cookware, Istanbul is a shopper’s paradise, but you do need to know where to look, and not
get distracted into buying stuff you may regret having spent your hard-earned cash on once
you’re back home! If it all gets a bit much in the Grand Bazaar, try to find Fes Café (Halicilar
Cad 32) and stop for a breather.
IZNIK-ART
Ismail Yigit is a traditional Turkish potter and tile-making master, who produces exquisite
ceramic art and ottoman pottery in his small workshop, always faithful to time old traditions.
View and purchase his gorgeous creations at a small gallery and store in the Grand Bazaar.
www.iznik-art.com
SOAPERY
This charming little shop inside the Grand Bazaar sells high quality perfume oils and
handmade soaps produced in Turkey using natural, plant-based essential oils.
www.soaperry.com
ABDULLA
Regional cloths, towels, peshtemals, bathrobes, bedding and other bath and home textile
products - all 100% Turkish yet reflecting the fusion between east and west - can be picked-up
in the contemporary Abdulla store, located in the Grand Bazaar. It’s difficult to leave Abdulla
without buying something for the home.
www.abdulla.com
ARSAH CARPETS
Away from the madness of the bazaar, in Eminönü near the Gulhane tram stop, Arsah Carpets
sells new, old and antique mid-priced carpets, kilims and more. Take note: buying a carpet is an
involved process which takes time, tea, patience, posturing, haggling and instinct. Spending
money in this way is not a quick or glamorous process, so don’t embark on a mission to buy a
carpet unless you are determined and willing to persevere!
www.arsahcarpets.wordpress.com

SOHO HOUSE ISTANBUL
The latest outpost of global members club phenomenon, Soho
House in Istanbul’s breathtaking Palazzo Corpi, overtly flaunts its
history in spades. In 1873, Ignazio Corpi, a powerful Genoese
shipping magnate with a penchant for Italian marble and
rosewood, commissioned a palatial residence bearing his family’s
name in what was then known as the European quarter of
Constantinople. He engaged Italian architect Giacomo Leoni, who
set about importing marble from Carrara for the flooring and
facings and Piemonte rosewood for the doors and window frames.
Famous artists of the day were invited to create the wall paintings
depicting Greek mythological scenes in the entrance hall and on the
ceilings of the Great Hall. The building took nine years in total to
complete. Following Iganzio’s death, his nephews leased the
building to the American Ambassador, John G.A. Leishman, and
from 1906 the Palazzo served as the US Embassy and residence
until 1937, and then as the Consulate General from 1937 until 2003.
The designation of Ankara as Turkey’s capital in 1923 resulted in
the transfer of embassy activities away from Istanbul, so in 2003 the
US State Department moved the Consul General to a more secure
facility on the European shore of the Bosphorus.
Following extensive and lengthy renovations, Soho House Istanbul
opened in spring 2015, unveiling indisputably one of the most
stunning members clubs in the world. The palazzo’s renovated
refinement pans from original frescoes to 1,000-crystal chandeliers.
Contemporary accoutrements include a private hammam and a
rooftop splash-pool (where you can watch the Golden Horn sunset
as you cool off) and an adjoining über-modern 87-room hotel of
varying sized accommodations, from “Tiny” rooms to mezzanine
rooms and suites. All include complimentary Wi-Fi, flat screen TVs,
mini bar, tea & coffee-making facilities, homemade biscuits and a
range of Cowshed products.
The House’s singular, vast 282m² apartment, at the top of the hotel -
which incorporates a 129m² private terrace with Jacuzzi and BBQ -
is available to hire for short or long-term lets. Offering a super
king-size bed, walk-in rainforest shower and oversized bath tub,
fully integrated kitchen and bar, spacious living room and dining
table for 10, Soho House Istanbul’s apartment is the perfect base to
lodge, live and entertain in supreme style.
www.sohohouseistanbul.com
34
00

GRAND HYATT ISTANBUL
Boasting arguably the best swimming pool in the city, plus tennis
courts, gorgeous secluded gardens, sprawling spa, large
well-equipped gym, yoga studio, Turkish bath and a selection of
bars and restaurants, Grand Hyatt Istanbul is a veritable resort
hotel in the heart of the bustling metropolis. Rarely does one find
such extensive facilities in a city centre property. Located near
Taksim Square and Istiklal Street - close enough to grab a map from
concierge and set off to explore on foot - this five-star hotel is
immersed in the downtown epicentre of modern Istanbul, just a
stone’s throw from the city’s thriving nightlife and shopping
districts yet a complete oasis of calm and class once through it’s
gracious doors and vast, soaring marble lobby. Ideal not only for
vacationers but also for business travelers, the hotel boasts a bevvy
of devoted planners, caterers and events professionals, and, being
in the centre of Congress Valley, is located in close proximity to
Istanbul’s major convention centers.
Grand Hyatt Istanbul boasts more than 360 deluxe rooms,
including 22 suites, 8 fully-furnished luxury apartments and a
240m² Presidential Suite with spectacular views of the Bosphorus.
Guests staying in Grand Club rooms have exclusive access to a
private lounge serving complimentary drinks all day plus cocktails,
wines and canapés every evening, pre dinner. What a civilised way
to start a night out in such an energetic and exuberant city.
Of the hotel’s many food and beverage offerings, two restaurants
are standout and worthy of a visit to Grand Hyatt Istanbul even if
you’re not staying at the property. Restaurant 34 is a multi-cuisine
destination, offering five different concepts in one location,
including a chef’s table where guests can feast on expertly prepared
foods arranged in front of their eyes, and a specialist charcuterie
and cheese room. Hori brings the spirit of traditional Japanese
restaurants to Istanbul with a unique menu and authentic Oriental
ambience, and enjoys its own traditional Tatami room as well as a
variety of private dining areas for special occasions. The Library
Bar evokes the style and class of a traditional English gentlemen’s
club and is the perfect setting for a glass of champagne or fine
cognac after dinner.
www.istanbul.grand.hyatt.com

THE ST. REGIS ISTANBUL
Whisking you back to the glamour of 1920s Turkey, the snazzy St
Regis Istanbul is the latest addition to the city's luxury hotel scene.
Occupying a prime corner site atop a hill overlooking Maçka Park
and the Bosphorus, this super deluxe property is situated in the
city's most chic neighbourhood, Nişantaşi, which is brimming with
top-end restaurants, contemporary art galleries and designer
boutiques, including Lanvin, Tom Ford, Versace, Alexander
McQueen and Zegna. When you step outside the hotel you literally
set foot in Istanbul's most glitzy shopping area, as you would if you
were staying at the Beverly Wilshire in LA - across from Rodeo
Drive - or Claridge's in London, 100 metres from Bond Street.
Jazz singer-songwriter, Jamie Cullum, performed at the hotel's
April 2015 opening party, setting the sophisticated tone for the
contemporary seven-storey building of 118 bedrooms and suites. St.
Regis is all about creating an über-luxurious and sophisticated yet
understated and comfortable hotel environment, and the Istanbul
property epitomises the brand perfectly, with a creative use of
natural materials and earth tones throughout - from bronze to
marble, leather and wood veneers. This is a simply stunning
property, inside and out, which coupled with the extensive
contemporary art and sculpture on display throughout the
building, makes The St. Regis Istanbul an art lovers destination,
itself worthy of a tour guide. A multi-million dollar Botero hanging
by the lifts gives guests an obvious clue that this hotel means
business when it comes to art and opulence.
All rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, benefit from 24-hour
butler service and either look out over Maçka Park with glimpses
of the Bosphorus, or Abdi Ipekçi shopping street. The decor of the
public areas continues seamlessly into the bedrooms with the same
autumnal colours, wood veneers and contemporary art
installations. Bathrooms are spacious, decadent and almost entirely
covered in grey-striped Marmara marble with incredible bronze
accenting. Even entry-level rooms have separate dressing rooms. If
you're facing the park and the Istanbul sun gets a little too strong,
press a button next to the bed and space-age metal shutters gently
unfold downwards into place, covering the windows and giving
shade to your luxury accommodation. This is just one of the
hundreds of details which makes St. Regis Istanbul the city's most
decadent and lavish hotel.
stregis.com/istanbul
36

W ISTANBUL
If you’re looking to inject some glitz and disco into your trip, make
W Istanbul your home for the weekend. Housed within a row of
gorgeous 1870s Ottoman houses - which have been painstakingly
restored and enhanced with ultramodern east-meets-west décor -
W Istanbul is situated in an exceptional location, within easy reach
of everywhere you may want to go, in the city's historic Akaretler
district on the European side. When W Istanbul opened just over
six years ago, it spearheaded the transformation of this
neighbourhood into a high-end arty shopping district, and it's now
filled with restaurants, cafés and art & design galleries. A few
minutes walk down the hill is the transportation hub of Beşiktaş,
where the avenue along the European shore meets Barbaros
Bulvarı, the main thoroughfare inland, westward towards
Istanbul's business district. This intersection is right next to the
dock serving countless ferries that constantly crisscross the
Bosphorus to Üsküdar on the Asian shore. Dolmabahçe Palace is 5
minutes walk from the hotel, and a little further on you can hop on
a tram directly (without changing lines) to Hagia Sophia, The Blue
Mosque and Topkapi Palace just a 10- minute ride away. A
5-minute taxi drive up the hill from the hotel and you'll find
yourself in upscale Nişantaşi and every designer boutique a
shopping addict could wish for.
Throughout the hotel the hip chain’s New York influence is loud
and proud, from the award-winning W Lounge - the hotel’s music,
drinking and eating heart, which regularly hosts international
big-name DJs - through to the 134 rooms and suites. Exposed
brickwork, large rugs, comfy chairs in all shapes and sizes and an
earthy colour scheme make W Istanbul a slick yet comfortable place
to hang out in the day, and a fashionable yet fun locale for a cocktail
in the evening. The hotel’s funky rooms range from Wonderful
through to Mega and Marvelous, plus an array of party-styled
suites, to which it would be criminal not to invite friends over. The
Extreme Wow Suite even has it's own DJ booth! Some rooms come
with private patio cabanas for secluded sunbathing or bijou private
gardens ideal for a romantic rendezvous. In winter book a Fabulous
room with a terrace and skylights. All sport mega-comfy pillow-top
beds, high-tech gadgetry and slick baths furnished with rain
showers and Bliss toiletries.
www.wistanbul.com.tr
37

WOW Suite
W Istanbul
39

Starwood's W Hotels were born slap bang in the
middle of the internet revolution, launching with the
W New York (49th St. and Lexington Ave.) which
opened its doors in December 1998. W’s founder,
Barry Sternlicht (CEO of Starwood Hotels 1995 -
2005), broke the mold when he launched the brand.
He was clever enough to realise, in the mid 90s, that
the cluster of hotels being touted in New York as
boutique and lifestyle (most of which belonged to Ian
Schrager), were the beginning of a whole new
aspirational designer hospitality sector. Literally
overnight, W changed the hotel industry forever, by
proving the demand for design-conscious guest
experiences among the mainstream traveling public.
Its success drove the development of more than a
dozen new properties opening in colourful
destinations - including Los Angeles, Chicago and
Seoul - in the chain's first few years of operation,
popularising the lifestyle hotel concept and creating a
hospitality status symbol. There are very few
examples of a hotel brand which has such high brand
awareness as W. Before long W joined an elite group
of brands that people trust and are wholly loyal to.
Whilst on a slightly smaller scale, W is very much in
the same league as Apple and Virgin, and like its
super-brand cousins, there have been changes in the
hospitality industry as a result of W. You only need to
look at the number of entrants into the lifestyle
hotels segment since W Hotels launched. Amongst
others, Hyatt now has Andaz and Marriott now has
The Edition. What makes W unique is that that none
of Starwood's competitors have been able to
replicate the W brand's huge worldwide success,
popularity and awareness. W still stands alone with
its contemporary, informal positioning in the luxury
hotel arena.
My first experience of a W was the Seoul-Walkerhill
outpost - the brand’s first foray into the Asia Pacific
market - which opened in 2002. Seoul-Walkerhill is an
incredible property, owed largely to the fact that it was
purpose designed and built from the ground up, at
huge expense, and glamorously launched with much
fanfare during a 2-day party to which some 2,500
guests were invited. W Seoul-Walkerhill fully embodies
the W DNA and optimally showcases the brand's legs.
Since then I have visited numerous W properties
around the world. Those I have enjoyed the most are
hotels where the brand's DNA has been more
thoughtfully and cleverly executed. One might say the
less brash and more sophisticated W hotels. Some I
have visited have been a bit too crazy for my seasoned
taste. The skillfulness of the execution of the W brand
obviously cascades through to a hotel's rooms and
suites. The rooms at most W hotels function
beautifully, whilst at some the design has overtaken
functionality. At one particular W I stayed at, the
bathroom sink was in the middle of the room as part of
a breakfast bar-type set-up, and the toilet and shower
were hidden behind wardrobe doors. Whilst space is
usually at a premium in city center locations, this level
of compromise was a step too far, even for me.
In creating W Istanbul, which opened in 2008,
Starwood appears to have harked back to its early
New York roots, when authentic characterful buildings
were transformed with slick decor, designer
furnishings, modern technology and moody colour
schemes, into utterly unique yet comfortable and
inviting edgy hotels. The early W hotels were warm
and welcoming as well as being cutting edge and
fashionable. This same ethos is evident in W Istanbul -
Europe’s first W - carved from a historical row of
40

handsome Akaretier houses, erected in 1875 under
the reign of Sultan Abdulaziz as living quarters for high
ranking officers of the Dolmabahce Palace. Back then
these houses were a symbol of the magnificence of
the 19th-century Ottoman Empire. Nowadays they
symbolize 21st-century designer hospitality. There’s
some poetry in this modern day use of such important
buildings, and none of this historical gravitas has been
lost by W Istanbul, I’m pleased to say. The hotel is
awash with images of iconic Istanbul landmarks -
hinting at the art and relics of the golden age.
Ottoman art, Asian treasures and exotic touches have
been combined with ultra-modern detailing, rich
textures, distinctive fabrics, laser-cut metalwork and
custom furnishings, to create a rich and lux place to
hangout, and a calm yet exciting stay experience.
My home for a long summer weekend in the city was
the hotel’s 105 m² WOW Suite, fashioned by renowned
Turkish designer, Mahmut Anlar. An airy duplex
complete with a separate mezzanine-level bedroom -
with electric skylights above the in-room spa bath,
huge walk-through shower, king size four-poster bed,
seven-metre high ceilings, two balconies overlooking
the street, full-size dining table, butler’s kitchen with
separate entrance, ear shatteringly loud Bang &
Olufsen sound system and sofas big and comfy
enough to lie flat on - the suite looked a lot less
inviting on paper than it did in the flesh. Once through
the door I quickly felt like I was at home, which is a
rarity for me when staying at a hotel, particularly in a
large suite. I literally moved-in within a couple of hours
and would have been blissfully happy to spend the
next few days pottering around, enjoying the suite’s
facilities, living on room service and listening to loud
music. Had it not been my virgin weekend in Istanbul
(and had a friend not been staying in a room down the
corridor), I would probably have done just that, such
was the coziness of the suite and the perfect balance it
struck between luxury, functionality, high-end design
and comfort. It felt like my own deluxe apartment
sanctuary away from the wild metropolis outside.
The service during my stay matched the feel of the
WOW Suite and was personal, friendly, sincere and
slick throughout, a testament to GM Christian Hoehn

“NOT JUST A THEATRE VENUE AND MUCH MORE THAN A CLUB”
Pop, Oriental, African, Indian, Latino, Russian, Rumba, Rock, RnB, Bel Canto,
Ethno, Jazz, Flamenco, Reggae, Fusion, Gipsy...
Jumeirah, Zabeel Saray, Dubai, UAE. +971 56 270 8670 / +971 4 447 6646
Starco Center, Omar Daouk Street, Downtown Beirut, Lebanon. + 961 1 371 236

and his energetic team who were keen to please at
every opportunity. This even extended to
WhatsApp’ing and calling me, when away from base
camp, to check that I had reached my destination. One
day when I was lunching outside the hotel, and lunch
turned to cocktails/dinner, a W Insider (basically a
young, streetwise turbo-charged concierge), guided by
me on the phone, picked an outfit from my suite,
bagged it up and taxi’d it to me 30 minutes across
town. The taxi wasn’t even added to my bill. There are
not many hotels, in this day and age, which could
execute such a manoeuvre without coming a cropper.
Istanbul may very well be the only W hotel which
effortlessly juxtapositions contemporary designer
accommodation within a historic building at the
epicentre of one of the world’s most happening cities,
with five star service, style, fun and attention to detail.
And we all know that the devil is in the details.
Nicholas Chrisostomou stayed in the WOW Suite in July 2015.
In October & November 2015 the nightly rate for the WOW
Suite is EUR 3,500 inclusive of breakfast excluding taxes.
www.wistanbul.com.tr
43

THE AIRLINE BLACKLIST
One would be forgiven for believing - in light of the
plethora of high-profile airplane incidents splashed across
the news of late - that getting on a plane nowadays is
more risky than before, especially with fully-laden aircraft
mysteriously going missing. In a world where a layman's
location can be pinpointed by a cell phone or basic
GPS-enabled device, a huge Boeing 777 vanishing without
trace does beg the question as to why an airline cannot be
tracked when it is over one of earth's many seas and
oceans. Until MH370 disappeared, I for one was under the
impression that someone somewhere was always aware
of the precise location of the plane I was sitting in. Now of
course I know different, as do millions of air travellers
around the world, and people are understandably
concerned. A poll conducted by CNN last year, found that
one in ten Americans believed that "space aliens, time
travellers or beings from another dimension" were
involved in the disappearance of MH370. Some even
believed that the debris found washed-up on the tiny
volcanic island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean was faked,
planted by the Malaysian government to give the
passengers' families some measure of closure, and allow
the airline more time to find the lost plane.
In December 2014 all 162 people aboard AirAsia Flight 8501
were killed when the plane stalled and plummeted into the
Java Sea, as it ran into stormy weather on its way from
Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, to Singapore. In
June 2015, a 50-year old military transport crashed into a
residential street in Medan, Indonesia, just minutes after
taking off, killing 140 people. In the immediate aftermath,
Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, said, "Following several
plane crashes, we should conduct a total audit and
modernise the old planes". Including the crash on 16
August 2015 of another Indonesian flight, Trigana Air
TGN257, when 54 people lost their lives, five fatal domestic
air passenger incidents were suffered by Asian carriers in a
12-month period. Given this statistic, we should obviously
be investigating more closely the airlines we plan to use
before buying a ticket, rather than booking the best fares
on-line and worrying about the carrier later. The consumers
mantra “buyer beware”, or Caveat Emptor, does not appear
to be instilled in air travellers quite as much as high street
shoppers. Since our lives are at stake when we get on a
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
IN BRIEF
CHANGI AIRPORT'S NEW JEWEL Named SkyTrax World's Best
Airport for the third consecutive year, Project Jewel is likely to cement Changi's
reputation as the best airport experience on the planet. It's futuristic new complex,
Jewel Changi Airport, is likely to revolutionise terminal design and raise the
international airport bar yet further.
The massive doughnut-like glass structure of 10 storeys - five above ground and
five beneath - will house retail, entertainment and leisure outlets, as well as
multi-level gardens, walking trails, playgrounds and the Jewel's own 130-room
hotel operated by YOTEL. At its centrepiece will be a 40-metre high "rain vortex"
waterfall, cascading from the roof of the glass dome through the centre of the
terminal, which at night will transform into a dramatic sound and light show.
Ground was broken in December 2014 and Jewel Changi Airport is scheduled for
completion in 2018. www.jewelchangiairport.com
AIRBUS OPENS ALABAMA FACTORY Toulouse-based aircraft
manufacturer, Airbus, has formally opened its new USD600 million narrow body
factory facility, at the Mobile Aeroplex in Alabama, USA, where the
industry-leading family of A319s, A320s and A321s will be made. A skilled team of
more than 250 Airbus manufacturing employees are already working at the plant
on the first American-made Airbus aircraft, an A321, which will be delivered to
JetBlue Airways in the second quarter of 2016.
Given that Airbus forecasts demand over the next two decades of some 4,700
single-aisle aircraft in North America alone (from all manufacturers), the airline
44

plane (I’ve never heard of someone dying while picking out
a suit), surely we should look more closely at an airline’s
track record before rushing into book a flight.
If you’re anything like me, I am so caught-up in the
excitement of making a flight booking, that rarely do I
double check the carrier’s credentials or safety history.
Granted I practically always use well known airlines. But
from time-to-time I find myself on the tarmac, about to
climb some slightly rickety steps onto a plane with
propellers, wondering why I was not aware that I’d be
putting my life in the hands of a turboprop rather than a
modern jetliner. What I didn’t know until recently, is that
there’s an official blacklist of airlines deemed unsafe for
flying, drawn up by the European Commission. It’s not a
short list, it has been in existence for almost a decade, and
was started in March 2006 in a bid to implement a
uniform approach to airline safety. The list is updated
twice a year and is based on deficiencies found during
checks at European airports, the use of antiquated aircraft
by airlines and shortcomings by non-EU airline regulators.
Airlines on the blacklist are banned from operating in
European airspace, because they were found to be unsafe
and/or they are not sufficiently overseen by the relevant
authorities. Most of Indonesia’s commercial airlines are on
the blacklist. 59 of Indonesia’s 63 airlines, to be precise,
are banned from flying in EU airspace. That’s every airline
in the country except Garuda Indonesia, Airfast Indonesia,
Ekspres Transportasi Antarbenua and Indonesia Air Asia.
No other country has so many carriers banned from
operating in Europe. Even the country’s largest budget
carrier, Lion Air, is on the list, making those bargain bucket
flights from Bali to Singapore a lot less attractive. Trigana
Air Service, which commenced operations in 1991, has
been involved in 20 serious safety incidents since 1992,
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES
nine of which resulted in the total loss of the aircraft.
Unsurprisingly Trigana is on the EU blacklist, along with all
airlines from twenty countries which are completely
banned within the EU. These include Afghanistan (little
surprise there), the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia,
Mozambique, Nepal, Sudan and Zambia. Until very
recently all but a couple of Filipino carriers were on the
blacklist, but the European Union has recently lifted its
ban on Philippines-based carriers, allowing them to return
to EU skies for the first time in five years.
Despite the 8 serious accidents and incidents involving
commercial aircraft so far this year, resulting in the loss of
247 lives, one thing remains unchanged. According to
statistics your airplane ride is probably going to be the
safest part of the journey when a flight is part of your
itinerary. The act of hurtling through the air at 500 mph
six miles above the ground is less likely to result in your
demise than almost any other type of travel.
Click here to see the list of carriers which are banned from
operating within the EU.
Nicholas Chrisostomou
estimates that by 2018 its Alabama facility will be churning out 40 - 50 planes per
year. www.airbus.com
VIPs LAND FIRST AT HEATHROW VIPs and high-value passengers
landing before the rest of us is on the horizon. Technological advances in air traffic
control may soon be able to tell controllers at London's Heathrow, who currently
handle around 6,000 flights every day, how many passengers need to make a
connecting flight, giving controllers discretion to allow certain airliners access to a
fast lane. A flight's landing status could even be influenced by, for example, how
many premium level frequent flyer members or high-paying customers are on
board, or a flight laden with important first class passengers. This could of course
spawn a whole host of premium landing services and, in time, perhaps even a new
class of air travel into the British capital.
were classified as overweight and a possible inflight safety issue.
According to a Times of India report, a large number of Air India employees
refused to undergo medical examinations, ordered by the company in 2013, to
establish their BMIs. Instead they asked the airline to pay for gym memberships
before conducting any lab tests. The airline insists the move to manage its
employees' physiques is not about appearances.
AIR INDIA GROUNDS FLABBY CREW India's national carrier,
which currently employs more than 3,000 cabin crew members, has asked 125 of
its flight attendants to lose a few pounds or prepare themselves for an airport job
on the ground. The decision follows fitness guidelines laid out by India's civil
aviation regulator. Last year the regulator mandated a body mass index (BMI) of 18
- 25 for male cabin crew and 18 - 22 for female cabin crew. Men with higher BMIs

46

No Shoes Required
Deputy Editor Kalia Michaelides is left feeling pampered and revitalised,
inside and out, by a short visit to a luxe Vietnamese beach resort
Vietnam is all about the contrast between the
bustling chaos of Ho Chi Minh City and
Hanoi, where motorbikes rule the streets, and
the country's beach retreats set on pristine
unspoilt stretches of golden sands lapped by
the South China Sea. Vietnam still feels like a place of
calmness and quiet exploration. Kind of an undiscovered
secret, with a range of refined beach resorts echoing this.
With many of the hospitality industry's most upscale brands
represented in this small socialist republic, and more than
2,000 miles of coastline stretching from north to south, there
are plenty of divine retreats to choose from.
Located on the banks of the graceful Hoai (also known as

Thu Bon) River - in Quang Nam province 30 kilometers south
of Da Nang - Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage town with
a captivating classic oriental aura, which despite weathering a
few centuries of history and change, still remains as magically
preserved as when it was born. Before its spice-trading
heyday, the town was a major port of the ancient Cham
Kingdom between the 7th - 10th centuries, its success largely
due to its accessible location. During the period of intense
Chinese trading, Hai Pho (Sea Town) as it was then called in
Vietnamese, was a divided town, with the Japanese settlement
of the 16th - 17th centuries located across the wooden
Japanese bridge. Many Chinese and Japanese married
Vietnamese women, built houses, erected temples and
assembly halls in their native styles. A number of these
beautiful specimens remain today. From the 17th - 19th
century, the town was a magnet for Southeast Asian
commerce, drawing European, Chinese and Japanese
merchants who sailed down the river to trade silks, medicines,
porcelain, oils and spices during spring fairs. Then it was
known to the French and Spanish as Faifo, an international
port city. Because the river silted up in the 19th century nearly
all of the traders moved on, but many of the town's Chinese
residents remained. Renamed Hoi An in 1954, the town that
we travellers see today, is essentially a grid of streets lined
with colourful, preserved timber frame buildings, running
parallel to the river. The town has a natural life, energy and
joie de vivre which is very different to the north of the
country, and continues to be occupied and function as a
trading port albeit on a smaller scale than it’s historic past.
Five minutes by taxi from Hoi An and just 20 minutes’
drive from Da Nang international airport, positioned on Ha
My Beach on Vietnam’s central coast, The Nam Hai
envelopes its residents with Asian-fusion luxury at every
turn. I say "residents" because one feels like so much more
than a common or garden guest when staying here. The
Nam Hai is an experience rather than a mere resort. A place
to retreat to when you just need to "be". The minute I set
foot on Nam Hai soil, I was transported into a serene
environment of understated luxury, which begun with a
warm welcome by cheery staff attired in calm tones, who
all seemed naturally resolute to make my stay as
pleasurable as possible. With no further ado, I was whisked
in a buggy through the meandering grounds to my nha
ruong (garden house in Vietnamese), which was to be my
retreat for the next few days. My excitement grew as we
drew closer to the house’s inconspicuous entrance, which,
once inside, revealed an elevated, spacious living room,
boasting stunning, unobstructed views towards the ocean
over a tranquil private pool, crowned with a dramatic
vaulted ceiling of rich, dark mahogany. The décor was
minimal and sophisticated in a contemporary Asian style.
Outdoors was just as splendid, with manicured lawns
dotted with palms giving way to a white sandy beach and
the blue sea beyond. The idyllic combination of the smell
of frangipani, the sound of the waves, the touch of grains
of hot sand between my toes and the taste of chilled
champagne lifted my spirits and soothed my mind. I was
most certainly on holiday now.
49

A personal butler, never more than the touch of a button
away, showed me to my place of slumber, which was a
beautifully calming stand-alone bedroom - in a separate
pavilion half a dozen paces from the living pavilion. At its
centrepiece was a huge bed on a stepped platform,
surrounded by curtains cascading to the floor. Just in front
was an oversized sunken bath laden with rose petals,
surrounded by sweetly scented candles and phalaenopsis.
The main bathroom was a luxe and airy affair underneath a
soaring ceiling, with one wall completely open to nature.
Breakfasts, lunches, dinners (and even nibbles in between),
were all taken in my delightfully calming seaside retreat,
such was the level of my contentment and wellbeing. The
only time I strayed from my tranquil base was to venture to
Nam Hai’s renowned spa, which I couldn’t resist visiting
twice during my three-night stay. Back home I wouldn’t
dream of getting on a two-wheeled contraption, but here I
peddled to the spa on a hotel bike. Just the once. Pages could
be written about the incredible spa at The Nam Hai, but that
would spoil the surprise should you ever be lucky enough to
visit yourself. Suffice to say that it was one of the most
enjoyable spa treatments ever. A truly harmonious
experience, which equalised my mind and body and left me
feeling pampered and revitalised, inside and out, an emotion
echoed throughout my stay at Nam Hai, one of the few
hotels to ever truly bewitch me.
www.ghmhotels.com
51

SPOTLIGHT
LAHORE
Claudia Avila-Batchelor takes us on a
tour of the culturally & architecturally
rich Pakistani city of Lahore
Lahore may not be on the top of your list for an Asian
travel escape but it should be. A string of conquerors,
most notably the Mughals, built the mosques,
fortifications, roads and palaces which, by the 18 th century,
had turned Lahore, once a trading town on a branch of the silk
route, into a stunning example of imperial prestige. With a
population of 10 million, Pakistan’s second largest city has a
very special atmosphere and is an intensely visual delight,
overflowing with a unique empirical legacy, coupled with an
artistic and musical history steeped in age-old traditions. With
two UNESCO world heritage sites - Lahore Fort and Shalimar
Gardens - plus more than 200 historical and archeological
hotspots, this is a spectacular metropolis to immerse yourself
in fascinating ancient and architectural experiences.
Some of Asia’s most important empires - including the
Sikhs, Mughals and Ghaznavids - ruled the city between the
11 th and 19 th centuries, influencing Lahore’s development
and sealing her sociological and political importance in Asia.
The city of Lahore was developed by the Mughal Emperor
Shah Jaha along the same lines as the city of Agra in India.
Some would say that the Mosque and Fort Of Agra are
copies of Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort. Add the
presence of the Punjabis under the British Raj during the
mid 19 th and early 20 th centuries, and you have a captivating
mélange of architectural, culinary and culturally diverse
opportunities to indulge in. Traces of the colonial period are
imprinted on many of the city’s prominent buildings,
including the railway station, museum and high court, to
name but a few. If the Mughals contributed to Lahore’s
architectural glory, the British contributed to the city’s
cultural and intellectual expansion. The influence of the
British can also be seen in the many palaces and gardens that
are scattered throughout the city. Shalimar Gardens and
Bagh-e-Jinnah (formerly Lawrence Garden) are particularly
beautiful spots to visit and absorb the energy of Lahore.
Whilst Islamabad is more cosmopolitan and developed,
Lahore is exciting and enticing in a bohemian way. The city
feels a lot more intimate and
tightly populated, with large tent
cities clinging to its outskirts.
Being less expensive than the
capital, more people gravitate
towards Lahore, from all over the
country, seeking work and
opportunities. As in any other
global metropolis there is a
constant coming and going of
people. This transience makes for
a more vivacious atmosphere,
with new eateries, galleries and
music venues opening at a fast
pace to satisfy the demands of
recently gentrified areas. Such as
the city’s notorious red-light
district, Heera Mandi (or the
Diamond Market), now fast
morphing into a hip restaurant
and shopping area.
52 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015

SLEEP
The Nishat
The deluxe Nishat hotel, part of the St. James Collection, is situated
in the heart of the city’s vibrant nightlife district. Offering up-to-date
amenities, a relaxed ambiance and contemporary-designed rooms,
all within walking distance of many of Lahore’s best restaurants and
shopping.
www.nishathotel.com
Lahore Country & Sports Club
For a more quiet and rural feel, away from the city’s hustle and
bustle, the Lahore Country & Sports Club has been a favourite of
seasoned travellers for many years. Its 100 acres of lush green
gardens cocoon guests into a sense of residing on a colonial-style
farm, and countless recreational sports are available on site,
including horse riding, fishing, badminton and tennis.
www.lahorecountryclub.com
LOHARI GATE WALLED CITY
The heart of Lahore lies within the fabled Walled City, a
bustling and densely packed architectural gem. With its
ancient mosques, fortifications, gardens and palaces, the
Walled City has long been one of Pakistan's historical jewels.
Most of the city’s 4 km encircling wall and 12 gates were
built during the Mughal era, but time, neglect and illegal
commercial activity have taken the shine off Lahore’s major
tourist attraction. Despite intense resistance from street
vendors, developers and local mafia, an ambitious project
launched in 2013 and funded by the Punjab Government
and World Bank, hopes to restore Lahore's oldest
neighbourhood to its former glory
(www.walledcitylahore.gop.pk). Whilst the battlements that
gave the Walled City its name - largely demolished by the
British following the rebellion against their rule in India in
1857 - will not be rebuilt, a short stretch which remains will
be restored. It will be interesting to see in years to come,
how the Walled City restoration project fares in a local
climate so resistant to change.
Perhaps because of the vast range of influencing rulers,
Lahore is referred to as the cultural heart of Pakistan and
the bookish powerhouse of the country, as most of the
publishers and literary intelligentsia are based here. Almost
all of the country’s art, music, film making, fashion,
culinary and other festivals are held in this city. Its close
proximity to the Indian city of Amritsar, a very important
seat of Sikh history and culture, has fuelled the blossoming
of hundreds of temples, mosques, shrines and other
religious places of worship, due to the large number of
Sikhs, Hindus, Muslim, Christians and other spiritual
people living side by side.
During the period of British rule, a teahouse was
established in 1940 by the Progressive Writer’s
Association, located at the bank of Mall Road towards
Neela Gumbad, Anarkali. The teahouse was originally
named “India Tea House”, and people from different
walks of life and schools of thought started sitting there.
Once a dreamland and a house of thinkers, writers and
revolutionists, today’s Pak Tea House is still an important
cultural and historical meeting place. The city’s intellectual
elite and young non-conformist thinkers continue to
gather here, and it’s a great place to visit, sit, talk to locals
and share a cuppa with some of Pakistan’s creative and
literary minds.
SHALIMAR GARDENS
PAK TEA HOUSE

GAWALMANDI FOOD STREET
54

TASTE & SIP
Cuckoo’s Den
Guests climb a narrow staircase to Cuckoo’s Den’s fourth-floor
rooftop, where food is served on two open terraces. Cuckoo’s
boasts authentic Lahori food, fantastic vistas, and - being flanked
on one side by the Badshahi Mosque and Lahore’s red light
district on the other - is a great place to people watch. This was
my second visit, after my first five years ago, and I left with the
belief that Cuckoo’s is still one of my favourite restaurants in the
world. Reservations essential.
https://m.facebook.com/cuckoosden
Red Lotus
Nestled within the Hospitality Inn hotel, Red Lotus without doubt
serves the best Chinese food in the city. Managed and staffed by
ex-pats, this is the real deal in a country one would not expect to
find such culinary excellence.
www.hospitalityinnlahore.com
Chameleon
One of Royal Palm club’s venues, Chameleon offers live music
and delicious Asian/Pakistani fusion cuisine together with wine,
beers and imported spirits. The art deco feel of the place
transports you back to the days of colonial sensuality as you walk
through the door. Foreigners and non-Muslims are able to
purchase alcohol here.
www.rpgcc.com
A proliferation of shopping malls opening in recent years
has made Lahore a very fashionable place to visit, and
whilst local cuisines very much dominate, alongside the
malls there has been an explosion of international
restaurants. Sadly these include the globalised franchises of
most US fast food chains. In order to combat this, there has
been a resurgence of traditional street food outlets housed in
Havelis - carefully restored residential dwellings. Examples
of the many different types of food outlets, new and
traditional shopping malls and bazaars, are concentrated
along the MM Alam Road in Gulberg, and the areas around
Gadaffi Stadium and Fortress Stadium.
For those wishing to absorb more local culture, exploring
the richly scented spice market within the Walled City is
multi-sensory bliss. From brightly coloured food enhancers
to downright bizarre medicinal cures (died corn-on-the-cob
hair for kidney ailments!), this is worth an hour or two of
your time and a photographic treat. Gawalmandi Food
Street is where you will come across locals munching late
into the night, since the multitude of restaurants and cafes
are open 24/7, except during Ramadan when food is

TAKING LUXURY TO NEW HEIGHTS
Perched on a plateau two thousand metres above sea level facing the plunging gorges and dramatic rock
formations of Oman’s Green Mountain, Alila Jabal Akhdar has been designed to sit in perfect harmony with
its breathtaking location. This unique destination is a sanctuary dedicated to the peace and splendour of the
mountain and the serenity it has to offer.
As temperatures drop the summer haze clears and immaculate blue sky days are followed by crystal clear
nights awash with the brightest stars. Take advantage of the perfect winter climate and make a luxuriously
spacious suite your home from which to explore the beautiful and fascinating interior regions of the Sultanate.
Or simply unwind in the elegant haven of Spa Alila and indulge in a culinary experience which embraces the
best of Omani and international cuisine.
For reservations email: jabalakhdar@alilahotels.com
Like us on www.facebook.com/alilajabalakhdar
www.alilahotels.com

GAWALMANDI FOOD STREET
LAHORE MUSEUM
churned out post sunset only. This is the heart of Pakistani
food culture, and the Persian and Kashmiri architecture add
a touch of old world panache to the setting. Huge open
barbecues waft mouth-watering aromas throughout the area
and it’s hard not to be tempted to try something. Be
adventurous! The restaurants all serve the same types of
food and are usually all packed, so there’s no need to seek
one out over the other. That said, some of the chefs make a
whole performance of chopping up meats over the grill,
singing and entertaining customers as they cook.
In spite of the country’s dry status, nightlife is very much on
a par with most other international cities of many millions,
albeit in a non-alcoholic way. Clubs playing the latest
national and international tunes, late night cafes and bars
attract a youthful and friendly crowd, with flavoured shisha
the social icebreaker rather than liquor. Much of the city’s
nightlife happens around Gulberg, Gadaffi Stadium and
Fortress Stadium.
With the region’s fast and radical growth and progress
continuing day by day, and the new and very modern aspects
of the city complimenting well its antiquity-based historical
structures, Pakistan’s second city is well worth a visit. If you
happen to be travelling in this part of Asia you will be
pleasantly surprised at the riches you will unearth in Lahore.
VISIT
Hira Mandi
Once a notorious no-go area, the traditional red light quarter of
Lahore is home to Iqbal Hussain, artist and owner of Cuckoo’s
Den. Hussain was largely responsible for initiating the wave of
gentrification in the area. The son of a courtesan, he painted
many of his neighbours in all their glory, the byproduct being that
his works attracted the attention of the Pakistani elite, followed by
the international crowd. As a result, the red light district has now
become a chic neighbourhood with top restaurants, live music,
art galleries and antique shops. Visually stunning and next to the
Badshahi Mosque, a trip here will leave your cultural and
epicurean taste buds truly satisfied.
Lahore Polo Club
Pakistanis are avid sports fans and after cricket polo is another of
their passion points. Played for millennia by kings, Mughuls,
emperors and commoners alike, a visit to Lahore could include
an afternoon chukka or two at this deluxe club, which is one of
the oldest in the world. The club’s main field is called the "Aibak
Ground" in remembrance of the 13th Century King of Delhi,
Sultan Qutabuddin Aibak, who died in 1210 when his horse fell
while playing polo in Lahore.
www.lahorepoloclub.com
DON’T MISS
Badshahi Mosque
Commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, this
staggeringly beautiful architectural wonder is not to be missed.
Constructed between 1671 and 1673, Badshadi Mosque is the
second largest in South Asia, the fifth largest in the world and
can hold up to 100,000 worshippers.
www.lahoretourism.net
Wazir Khan Mosque
Less than 2 kms from Badshahi, located in the eastern side of
Lahore’s Old City, Wazir Khan Mosque is a unique example of
Mughal architecture. Built during the reign of Mughal Emperor
Shah Jahan, construction began in 1634 and the mosque took 7
years to build. The mosque is almost entirely decorated with glazed
tile mosaics, which miraculously survived from the Mughal period.
www.lahoretourism.net
Lahore Museum
Designed by famed architect Sir Ganga Ram and established
since 1865, Lahore’s is the biggest museum in Pakistan. Its
grand entrance, framed by a white marble portico, provides the
accent to a picturesque Anglo-Mughal ensemble. Rudyard
Kipling's father, John Lockwood Kipling, was one of the
museum’s earliest and most famous curators. The 2 Gandhara
galleries and 3 Hindu Buddhist Jain galleries are a must see.
www.lahoremuseum.org
BAGHEJINNAH FORMERLY LAWRENCE GARDEN 57

TRAVELLER
LOWDOWN
Keen traveller and dedicated foodie, Gordon Hickey,
discovers that Australia’s second largest city is an
artistic melting pot and gastronomic heaven
When people mention Australia - Sydney,
the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef
immediately spring to mind. One place
that often gets over looked is Australia’s
second largest city and the capital of the
state of Victoria, Melbourne. Tucked away
in the southern most coast of the mainland, Melbourne is like the
more sophisticated sister to loud, brash and glam Sydney.
Regularly appearing near the top of lists ranking the world’s most
livable cities says a lot about Melbourne’s efficiency, cleanliness
and safety, and the city’s creative artsy energy is evident
everywhere, from street art and cool bars to funky boutiques and
buzzing cafés.
ONE OF MELBOURNE'S MANY HIDDEN LANEWAYS
On first arrival in Melbourne you quickly get a sense that the city
is bursting with life. Journeying into the city by taxi takes you on
elevated motorways, decorated with abstract art installations,
offering sweeping views of the city’s fantastic skyline. The center
is flat and easily navigable thanks to the grid system on which the
city was planned. The Yarra River flows through the middle of the
metropolis, dividing the city into two halves, north and south.
Yarra Trams operates Melbourne's iconic tramway network and the
city’s trains, trams and buses are an easy way to see all of the best
sights. All you need is a myki card which can be purchased at most
hotel concierge desks. Earlier this year a free tram zone was
introduced to Melbourne CBD which includes the area from the
iconic Queen Victoria Market, across to Victoria Harbour in
Docklands, up to Spring Street and over to Flinders Street Station
and Federation Square. Travelling on trams within the boundaries
of this area is completely free.
So where to start? If you’re a bit of a caffeine junkie like me, be
sure to take a stroll down to Flinders Court, a narrow alley close to
the yellow façade of Flinders Street Station. Begin a day of
October/December 2015 The Cultured Traveller 59

FLINDERS COURT
MELBOURNE STAR
exploring the bustling city by sipping on a coffee, for which
Melbourne is famed, and watching its inhabitants march by.
Melbourne boasts some of the best coffee shops in the world and
this street is packed full of hole-in-the-wall cafés that will serve
you a flat white or frothy cappuccino, accompanied by some of the
tastiest treats the Aussies have to offer. Once loaded with caffeine
you’ll need to burn off some energy and Flinders Street is the
perfect launch-pad. It’s one of the city’s narrow back alleys and
service roads, known locally as laneways. These colourful lanes,
decorated with street art, are a fantastic place to wander and get a
feel for Melbourne’s grity, creative side. Graffiti and one-off art
projects bring these urban art galleries to life with a veritable
kaleidoscope of vibrant colours. Hipsters hang out and drink coffee
as artists add their unique signatures to what have been council
approved dedicated art spaces for over 10 years. Eye-catching
murals cover walls and blend into one another in what is one of the
most striking collections of urban culture you’re likely to see
anywhere on the planet. Most impressive are Hosier Lane and
Rutledge Lane where nearly everything - from the pavement to the
windows - is covered in murals and other artistic expressions.
From Flinders, do some window-shopping or treat yourself to
something fancy from one of the many luxury brands that call
Collins Street home. Gucci, Armani and Prada all have glossy
stores on this beautiful tree-lined street. For travellers who prefer
high street to high end, Little Collins Street is just around the
corner, boasting all the world’s well-known brands. It’s easy to
wile away an afternoon by strolling about this part of town since
the area its relatively flat. Do stop for a bite in one of the many
funky restaurants here.
At almost 300 meters high, Eureka Tower
(www.eurekaskydeck.com.au) is the tallest building in Melbourne
and a visit to its 88 th floor viewing deck, the highest in the southern
hemisphere, is a must. From here you can gaze down on the city in
all its glory. Those who enjoy an extreme thrill must try the Edge
Experience. Everything seems normal on walking into a smoked
glass box, until the attendant closes the door, then the room in
which you are standing slowly starts to move and protrude out of
the building. Soon the smoked glass becomes clear glass, and the
only thing separating you and the pavement hundreds of metres
below, is a 4-inch pane of glass. Definitely not for the faint
hearted! If you need a stiff drink after this, there’s no shortage of
choices on the Southbank Promenade close by. Grab a pint of
Guinness in PJ O’Briens (+61 3 9686 5011) or the Hophaus (+61 3
9682 5900) is a cool and contemporary bar, serving modern
German dishes, boasting stunning views of the Yarra. Finish off
the night with a few rotations on the city’s giant 400m Ferris
wheel, the Melbourne Star, located in the Waterfront City district
(www.melbournestar.com).
Kick off day two of your Melbourne adventure in South Yarra, one
of city’s more affluent suburbs, where you’ll be spoiled for choice
when it comes to choosing where to brekkie. Toorak Road
especially is packed with cafés and eateries that serve fine fare.
From here browse the boutiques in Chapel Street then take a short
"Journeying into the city by taxi takes you on elevated motorways, decorated with
abstract art installations, offering sweeping views of the city’s fantastic skyline."
60
YARRA RIVER EDGE EXPERIENCE EUREKA TOWER

Pierre Koffman
Eileen Atkins
Mick Jagger
The Beatles
Nigel Havers
Dennis Potter
Sienna Miller
Peter Blake
Marco Pierre White
Sam Smith
Eartha Kit
Joe Orton Peter Cook
Imelda Staunton
Francis Bacon
Beryl Cook
Lucien Freud
Laurence Olivier
Janis Joplin
Coco
Frankie Howard
Chanel
Ella Fitzgerald
Diana
General de Gualle
Stephen Fry
Marianne Faithfull
Kenneth Halliwell
Dudley Moore
Danny La Rue
Elton Joh
Paloma Faith
Edward Heath
Cleo Laine
Judi Dench
Frank Sinatra
A SoHo Institution
Since 1927
Restaurant & Club Privé
Bar, Restaurant
& Club Privé
L’ ESCARGOT
Depuis 1927
•
48 Greek Street London W1D 4EF
Telephone 020 7494 1318 www.lescargotrestaurant.co.uk
Monday to Sunday:
All day until 1am

THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA
"
Most impressive are Hosier Lane
and Rutledge Lane where nearly
everything - from the pavement to
the windows - is covered in murals
and other artistic expressions."
62

taxi ride or hop on a tram to the laid-back bayside suburb of St
Kilda. This beachfront district is a hive of activity on a sunny day
and the perfect place to spend a few hours in the glorious
Australian sunshine on probably the city’s best beach. After
soaking up some rays, head back in to the city and immerse
yourself in some culture. The National Gallery of Victoria, on the
south shores of the Yarra, is one of Melbourne’s cultural hotspots
and features exhibits covering both Eastern and Western
hemispheres, ancient and modern, fine and decorative arts
(www.ngv.vic.gov.au). For a more tranquil moment, a stroll
through the sprawling Royal Botanic Gardens, which bloom year
round with wonderful flora, is a lovely place to recharge before a
busy evening (www.rbg.vic.gov.au). During the summer these
gardens are home to the city’s open-air Moonlight Cinema, which
screens new movies alongside cult classics
(www.moonlight.com.au/melbourne).
In Melbourne there are plenty of novel ways to fill an empty
stomach! If you want to eat while on-the-go, take your seat on a
Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, a fleet of converted tramcars which
circle the city while serving delicious food. Choose from a small
but well-balanced menu while sipping your way around the city’s
streets (www.tramrestaurant.com.au). If you would prefer a more
static dinner table, make a reservation at Attica, which was
included in the world’s top 30 restaurants in 2013. Dining at Attica
is a gastronomic delight (tasting menu AUD 220 + wines AUD
125) and a genuine Australian flavour runs through the menu,
which includes red kangaroo and wallaby dishes paired with the
finest wines from all corners of the country (www.attica.com.au).
If all that beautiful food and wine has left you feeling slightly
criminal, keep an eye out for a pop up bar and gin tasting in
Melboune Gaol. This historic venue is where notorious convict,
Ned Kelly, spent his last days before being hanged in the 1880s.
Now it’s one of the coolest venues in Melbourne
(www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au).
Finding luxury accommodation in Melbourne is not difficult. The
deluxe Langham in the city’s Southbank, is just 10 mins walk from
Collins Street’s designer shops, boasts rooms with views of the
Yarra and a rooftop pool which is the perfect location to get your
bearings and plan an exciting day while sipping on a cocktail
(www.langhamhotels.com). Overlooking St. Patrick’s Cathedral
and Fitzroy Gardens, the sophisticated Park Hyatt in the CBD
offers some of the most spacious rooms in the city, is tastefully
decorated and the hotel’s legendary afternoon tea is the city’s most
elegant and popular (www.melbourne.park.hyatt.com). For
somewhere a little funkier look no further than the Adelphi.
Claiming to be the world’s first “dessert hotel” this is a destination
unto itself for those with a sweet tooth. The hotel’s designer, Fady
Hachem, took inspiration from the world of confectionary when he
created this boutique property, a stone’s throw from Flinders
Station. The lobby is awash with delicious chocolate coloured
furnishings while the smell of fresh baking constantly lingers in
the air (www.adelphi.com.au).
After 48 hours in Melbourne (and a dessert or two at Adelphi) I’m
sure you’ll come to the same conclusion as I, that Melbourne is the
most exciting city down under for food. The gastronomic
excitement coupled with Melbourne’s enormous artistic appeal,
make Oz’s second city well worth visiting, but leave space for
plenty of eating!

64

TA
TE
& S SIP
MANDARIN
GRILL & BAR
HONG KONG
Food
Atmosphere

In a city loaded with top-notch restaurants, big name
chefs and eateries bestowed with countless accolades,
one is not short of choice when it comes to eating out.
Hong Kong boasts more than 60 Michelin-starred
restaurants and uses this as a USP to attract aspiring
foodies, discerning tourists and luxury travellers. But
does the abundance of fancy restaurants mean that
Hong Kong is a culinary mecca, or that top chefs feel they
simply must have a presence in this prestigious city and
gastronomic battlefield? Incognito Michelin inspectors
must surely be constantly appraising the city’s eateries,
to assess the quality of the food being served by
restaurants included in the guide. This relentless stress
cannot be good for Hong Kong’s executive chefs, who are
no doubt under continual pressure to produce amazing
food, concoct innovative dishes and introduce new
menus, whilst all the time trying to keep the customers
coming in. To survive in this environment - with so many
other award-winning restaurants in close proximity and
new establishments regularly opening and vying for your
stars - must be tough. Making it into the guide is one
TAS
TE
Located in Hong Kong’s iconic Mandarin Oriental Hotel
and designed by Sir Terence Conran - himself a
restaurateur - Mandarin Grill & Bar is an airy space of
calming neutral tones and clean simple lines, with an open
kitchen at its epicentre. Open for breakfast, lunch and
dinner, it is renowned as a location where movers,
shakers and corporate high fliers partake of power
lunches and close business deals. Hong Kong’s elite have
all paraded through its hallowed doors. However none
were in the restaurant the night I dined there, which made
for very poor people watching. Apart from a small
EXECUTIVE CHEF UWE OPOCENSKY
SALMON AND CAVIAR
thing, but for a restaurant to retain its position year after
year, whilst being scrutinised so intensely, has got to be
hard work.
Mandarin Grill & Bar received its first Michelin star in
2009. Six years down the line it has maintained its position
as one of the city’s top restaurants. Being positioned at
number 3 on TripAdvisor, in a city of more than 5,000
restaurants including at least 100 which are famous
throughout Asia, is no mean feat. Executive chef, Uwe
Opocensky, has held the reins since 2007 and succeeded
in elevating Mandarin Grill & Bar to the citywide glory it
basks in today. Opocensky worked with world famous
Swiss chef Anton Mosimann OBE, and was mentored by
legendary Spanish chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli fame.
During his time with Mosimann, Opocensky prepared
dinners at Downing Street, Buckingham Palace and for the
monarchs themselves when HM The Queen and HRH
Prince Philip celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
At Mandarin Grill & Bar, Opocensky produces progressive
gastronomy (as he calls it) in a capricious, artistic style.
wedding party and maybe half a dozen other diners, the
restaurant was disappointingly empty. There was not
even background music to soften the place up. Despite
the flat atmosphere and lack of ambience, service was
brisk and attentive from the get go, and I wanted for
nothing throughout the meal. Allowing Opocensky to
suggest a tasting menu proved to be the best decision I
could have possibly made. What followed was a
gastronomic journey which awakened and delighted
every facet of my palate.
A glass of Krug is always a welcome start to a dinner
experience. Sadly mine was served in a wine glass which
was rather shocking for a restaurant of this calibre.
Thankfully the amuse-bouche, of thinly sliced wagyu beef
and a rainbow of radishes, was delicious and a confident
start to the meal. Traditionally lobster sashimi is dropped
in iced water before serving. Instead Opocensky uses
chilled Krug, yuzu juice and a century old soy sauce,
cleverly serving the finished sashimi in part of a sliced
Krug bottle. The result was a delicate, tasty and visually
beautiful appetiser. The meal continued with “Red Prawn”,
66 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015

& SI P
a taco of nasturtium and sea urchin (both of which are
personal favourites) accompanied by 32 Nebra
amber-coloured beer. The combination was inspired and
sensational tasting. The next course of salmon and caviar
was of the same high standard, perfectly paired with a
2008 Pinot Blanc. In fact sommelier Kim Wong’s wine
selections were spot on throughout and the passion for
his craft palpable.
The restaurant’s Japanese tea ceremony, to cleanse the
palate, redefined the functionality of the course and was a
welcome addition in between dishes. My main course of
organic Welsh lamb was succulent and perfectly cooked,
served with interesting interpretations of garlic, mustard
seeds and onion purée, complimented by an excellent
2005 St. Émilion Grand Cru. The dessert finale of a Jamón
ibérico, hanging on a stand surrounded by boxes of
camembert, was dramatically wheeled-in. When
Opocensky “carved” its true identity was revealed - the
ham was chocolate ice cream and the cheese was
scrumptious cake. The cheescake laced with hints of
avocado worked very well indeed.
What was special about the meal was that each course
shined independently of the others, by way of their
unique composition, creativity, taste and abundance of
flavours. Not to mention the flair with which each of
Opocensky’s dishes was presented, every one a highly
inventive piece of culinary artistry. Mandarin Bar & Grill is
most definitely worthy of its Michelin star, it’s just a shame
that the dining room wasn’t full of hungry diners eager to
feast on Opocensky’s incredible cuisine.
BEEF - U.S., BRANDT, SHORT RIB, CUTLET, ARTICHOKE, GIROLLE
MANDARIN GRILL & BAR
Food:
Atmosphere:
Executive chef: Uwe Opocensky
Address: 1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road,
Central, Hong Kong
Telephone: +852 2825 4004
Email: mohkg-grill@mohg.com
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong
Cuisine: Modern European
Lunch: 12:00 - 14:30 (Mon - Fri)
Dinner: 18:30 - 22:30 (Mon - Sat) & 18:30 - 21:30 (Sun)
Lunch price: 2 courses HKD 618
Dinner price: “Tasting Tour” HKD 1,688 + wines HKD 850
Ideal meal: “Gourmet Menu” HKD 1,888 + wines HKD 1,288
Reservations: Essential
Wheelchair access: Yes
Children: No kids menu
Credit cards: All major
Parking: Valet, free for diners after 18:00
Reviewed by: Kalia Michaelides on 7 August 2015 for dinner
Ratings range from zero to five stars and reflect the reviewer’s feedback about the food and service, and separately the atmosphere in the dining room.

68

TA
TE
& S SIP
COYA
LONDON
Food
Atmosphere

TAS
TE
FFew could have predicted just how quickly the
Peruvian trend would take off in the British
capital. Dozens of high-end Peruvian joints have
sprung up in London over the past few years,
with more on the way. Peru’s most famous chef, Gastón
Acurio, will soon be opening a branch of his La Mar
cevichería in swanky Mayfair.
Part of Arjun Waney’s portfolio of glitzy modern Japanese
restaurants like Zuma and Roka, Coya opened close to
Hyde Park Corner in late 2012. The concept has been so
successful that Waney has since exported the brand to
Dubai and Miami.
end Michelin-starred eateries including Zaika, The Ivy and
Le Caprice. He also spent some time in Peru, travelling
and learning the ropes at Lima's famous Astrid y Gaston,
repeatedly voted one of the world’s 50 best restaurants.
Consequently Dwivedi’s menu at Coya impresses, his
food is carefully considered, lovingly prepared,
beautifully presented and bursting with flavour, and his
eclectic background comes through, especially in dishes
like quinoa salad cooked for six hours in palm sugar and
tamarind.
Housed in a grand Georgian building on Piccadilly, Coya
is a veritable Peruvian food adventure in GB - a place to
go for ceviche of sea bream or punchy tiraditos of
yellowtail. David D'Almada designed the interior, which
skillfully juxtaposes a rich Incan palette with modern
metallic finishes and nods to a colonial past. The result is
a rich, vibrant and dramatic restaurant which screams
Latino glamour. The densely wooded bar area made me
think of Machu Picchu. Behind a concealed door on the
ground floor is a plush members club and bijou terrace.
The décor in the club is divine with a naughty louche
edge. Downstairs the basement is open to the public and
comprises a Pisco bar (which stocks more than 40 types
of tequila), a ceviche counter (which doesn’t require a
reservation) and the slightly more formal restaurant of
100 covers. I say “slightly” because the whole place is
busy with cooking noises and the loud chatter of excited
diners. I was at home in the lively atmosphere but some
may not be. Coya is not the place for a quiet meal.
Besides being head chef for the Rolling Stones for a time,
Sanjay Dwivedi has a fine track record of cooking at top
The Cultured Traveller opted for the tasting menu, which
kicked-off with a beautifully presented platter of three
ceviches (sea bass, yellowfish tuna and wild sea bass), a
tiradito of kingfish and a remolacha beetroot salad,
served over crushed ice. All were divine in their own
right, bursting with flavour.
The next course consisted of three dishes from Coya’s
open charcoal grill. Anticucho de Pollo and Setas
(barbecued chicken skewers) seasoned with ají amarillo
and garlic, and Pulpo al Olivo (Josper octopus) served
with pureed Peruvian olives, potatoes and charred cherry
tomatoes. These dishes were tender, succulent, finely
seasoned and moreish. Accompanying our grilled
selection was Ensalada de Maiz (corn salad) containing
josper corn, crispy corn (chanca), red chillies and finely
chopped onions. I loved the contrasting textures and
flavours in this veggie delight.
My favourite dish of the night was Arroz Nikkei of lobster,
lime and chilli. This was wonderfully creamy with
generous chunks of lobster meat and intensely flavoured
bisque containing dashi, mirin and soy sauce, lifted by
chilli and lime.
70 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015

& SI P
The rice course was followed by Lubina Chilena - Chilean
seabass which had been marinated for 72 hours in white
miso, sake, pisco and ají amarillo. This was sweet,
delicate and delicious. The last course also consisted of
Solomillo de Res - spicy beef fillet, which cut like butter
and was quite simply delectable. Accompanying the
mains was a generous portion of sprouting purple
broccoli, griddled in chilli and garlic butter and sprinkled
with sesame seeds. The perfect accompaniment.
The little space I had left in my belly, after four courses of
intense Peruvian culinary entertainment, was quickly
filled by the irresistible scrummy finale, a sharing dessert
platter consisting of three puddings: Parfait de Arabica - a
coffee parfait coated in kiwicha over caramelised
bananas, chocolate and 23 year-old Zacapa rum;
Caramelo con Chocolate - basically a salted caramel
ganache; and Frambuesa Sorbete blood orange sorbet.
I couldn’t fault my meal at Coya. Every course had guts
and character, the service was impeccable throughout
and the atmosphere theatrical and fun. Visit Coya for a
decadent night with a Latin American twist. You’ll eat the
best Peruvian food in London, at the moment.
COYA
Food:
Atmosphere:
Executive chef: Sanjay Dwivedi
Address: 118 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 7NW, UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7042 7118
Email: info@coyarestaurant.com
Website: www.coyarestaurant.com
Cuisine: Peruvian
Lunch: 12:00 - 14:30
Dinner: 18:00 - 22:30 (Sunday - Wednesday)
18:00 - 23:00 (Thursday - Saturday)
Lunch price: Lubina Ecuatoriano (GBP 12), Arroz Nikkei (GBP 33)
Dinner price: Pez Limon (GBP 14), Solomillo de Res (GBP 32),
Chocolate Fundido (GBP 19)
Ideal meal: Five-course tasting menu (GBP 75) excluding wines
Reservations: Essential
Wheelchair access: No
Children: High chairs available. Kids menu for Sunday brunch.
Credit cards: All major
Parking: Monday - Saturday dinner valet GBP 20
Reviewed by: Nicholas Chrisostomou on 21 February 2015 for dinner.
Ratings range from zero to five stars and reflect the reviewer’s feedback about the food and service, and separately the atmosphere in the dining room.

72

music&
NIGHT
LIFE
STEVE
ANGELLO
NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU INTERVIEWS SIZE RECORDS BOSS,
SUPERSTAR DJ AND ONE THIRD OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC
SUPERGROUP SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA, STEVE ANGELLO

What prompted you to start DJ’ing and who was your
greatest musical inspiration as a teenager?
I grew up in a music loving family, discovered vinyl at a
very early age and loved the movement of a record. This
stuck with me and once I was old enough to go and buy
records by myself, I discovered a passion for DJ’ing.
Which is your favourite 70’s track?
Anything produced by Quincy Jones. Plus Stevie Wonder
and early electronic albums.
When and where was your first paid DJ’ing gig?
I was around 14 or 15. I had to lie about my age since the
minimum age requirement was 18. I'll never forget it.
Which DJs influenced you most
in your early career?
American record producer and half
of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, DJ
Premier, was the first to inspire me,
followed by Daft Punk. As an
electronic music kid Erick Morillo
was my biggest inspiration.
How was your 2004 remix of
Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams
received by Annie Lenox and Dave Stewart?
It actually started out as a bootleg that I played out all the
time. Then they heard it, loved it and wanted to release it.
How did Swedish House Mafia change your life?
It was an incredible journey. We did things no other
electronic group had ever done before, and achieved one
of, if not the biggest, electronic music tours in history. It
took us from arena to arena. It was incredible to be a
part of.
American record
producer and half of the
hip-hop duo Gang Starr,
DJ Premier, was the
first to inspire me,
followed by Daft Punk.
Which was the more important SHM hit for you,
One (Your Name), Miami 2 Ibiza, or another?
Definitely One, because that track created and changed
everything for us.
What has been your biggest professional
challenge to date and how did you handle it?
I would have to say time! I have two daughters I would
love to see grow up and it's been a challenge since day
one. Luckily, compared to many other professions, I'm
able to devote more time to them than most people
out at work.
What has been your most memorable career
highlight to date?
I would have to say the first time a
record connects with people.
Nothing has been more exciting
than people’s reaction to a first
record.
Name one downside to being
such a well-known and busy DJ
and musician.
Privacy and mystique. Although
my career has been my choice, I wish I could possibly
have done it a little differently. Robot head maybe?!
Your musical style has moved from mainstream
progressive house to EDM. Which style of music
are you playing now and which do you enjoy
creating the most?
I'll always keep changing styles and adding new
elements to my sets. It's a mood thing. I'll do whatever
makes me happy. I'm sure that most of my fans enjoy
the journey. Sometimes I'd like to take bigger steps.
PHOTOTOGRAPHED BY SANNA DAHLEN

What prompted you to start Size Records?
No one wanted to sign my records. There was a time in
music where every release was a huge monetary
investment for record labels and few would risk it.
Artwork. Mastering. Vinyl. Mailing promo records. The list
of costs went on. I would need to start by investing
between GBP 4,000 – 5,000 for each new track release.
This cost used to work as a filter. Nowadays it costs
nothing. But back then records wouldn't get lost in the
same way as they do today.
Tell us about the most exciting new artist recently
signed by Size.
Size is currently branching out a little and moving into
different genres. We have some
really special projects coming up
that I would love to talk about, but
it's a little too early for that right
now, sorry.
Of all the clubs and venues you’ve
played in, which has been your
favourite and why?
I loved all the arenas we played but
there are also some very special
clubs out there. One in particular is
Green Valley in Brazil where I played an extended 11-hour
set to 10,000 people in the jungle, while the sun came up.
This was definitely one of my most memorable DJ’ing
experiences.
You have collaborated with a number of world
famous artists including Pharrell and Tinie Tempah.
With whom would you still like to make music?
There are loads of creative and cool artists out there I would
love to work with, including Chris Martin, Lorde, Jay-Z, Kanye
West, Osca, and French electronic music band M83.
I'll always keep
changing styles and
adding new elements to
my sets. It's a mood
thing. I'll do whatever
makes me happy.
You are constantly on the move and touring the
world. With such a busy schedule how do you find
time to kick back and relax?
I don't. I tried the other day but I just couldn’t. I tend to
come up with stuff I have to do or ideas I want to try out.
I'm really into branding and marketing and things around
me inspires me all the time. I also own a creative agency
so those ideas can all become reality, therefore if is not
music it's something else.
You have obviously stayed in hundreds of hotels.
Which is your preferred hotel and why?
Ett Hem in Stockholm is, for me, the best hotel in the world!
Other places I call home are The Mercer in NY, Chiltern
Firehouse in London and The Dylan
in Amsterdam.
We know you have two young
daughters and are dedicated to
your family. How do you balance
the rock ‘n’ lifestyle of a world
famous DJ touring the globe and
traditional family life?
I don't have to do a balancing act
because my first priority is being a
dad. And anyway my lifestyle has changed a lot since I
stopped drinking. I no longer come home feeling like crap
after a DJ’ing gig.
Does your family have a favourite holiday destination
and please tell us what makes it so special?
The Maldives for their untouched beaches, fresh fish,
weather and calmness are very hard to beat.
What do you consider to be your greatest
achievements to date?
Being able to earn a living from making music.
How do you relax and where in the world?
I love the quiet, inspiring and dark melancholic feel of the
Swedish woods.
What one piece of advice would you give to a
budding DJ looking to start a career in music?
Have fun. Love what you do. No matter what anyone says
just follow your heart. If you like black like black even if
it's not on trend. Your vision always comes across if you
genuinely love what you do.
What’s next for Steve Angelo?
My album, Wild Youth. It's been my biggest chalk to date
but it’s done, finished and some of my best work. The first
track from the album, Children Of The Wild, is out already.
The album will be released soon. Watch this space
www.steveangello.com.
October/November 2015 The Cultured Traveller 75

76

GLOBETROTTER
Perfume fanatics around the globe hang on ROJA DOVE’s
every fragrance-infused word. Stylish Globetrotter interviews
“the nose” exclusively for The Cultured Traveller
Tell us about your twenty years at Guerlain and how
you came to learn the process of creating a scent?
I remember the first time I met Jean-Paul Guerlain. I
was both nervous and extremely excited. All I could
muster was, "How do you do sir?” I worked from a box
that contained some of Guerlain's most precious
materials. I would spend the day committing each
odour to memory, ten per day, and in the classical way
I started a book where I duly noted down my
observations about each ingredient. I was taught how
to truly understand an odour, through contrast and
comparison. I try to show these rudimentary rules to
students today, and see how they are too often blinded
by the intellectual idea of an odour, rather than what
their nose tells them they are smelling. It is the greatest
lesson, learning that just because you have used all the
ingredients you love that the scent will not smell
wonderful. You need to use other materials to
sublimate and to offer the unexpected. I am lucky
when I work that I’m able to use the finest quality
materials available, and so I strive to ensure that each
material has space to breathe and is truly able to sing.
What makes your scents unique in today’s saturated
fragrance market?
The Roja Parfums collection is unusual as it is, I
believe, the first time in the history of perfumery that
someone has set about making a balanced palette of
perfumes - something for every olfactory taste. It is the
expression of my fundamental belief that there is a
perfect perfume for everyone, but that every perfume
cannot be perfect for everyone. So the collection takes a
bespoke approach, adapted for a commercial range.
I hope I have created a palette of fragrances that are
relevant, made to last, stylish, and utterly
contemporary, containing the world’s rarest, exclusive
and complex raw materials. They are blended to
remind one of the luxury of the past, whilst
anticipating the expectations of the future. Above all I
have tried to embody my central “only the best will
do” philosophy in all my creations. These are the most
imaginative, creative and powerful perfumes I could
ever hope to create.
You have been quoted as saying “At some specific
long lost moment a fragrant molecule entered my
being and I was forever changed, my destiny was
forged, it’s path galvanised.” Please tell us about
this life-changing moment
I remember vividly my mother coming to kiss me
goodnight when I was about 6 years old. She was on
her way out to a cocktail party and dressed in a gold
lamé dress. The light from the hallway illuminated her
from behind, transforming her into an ethereal figure.
It is an image that will always stay with me. The
resonating smell of her face powder and perfume that
lingered in the room once she had kissed me goodnight
marked the beginning of my love for perfume.
You have been referred to as the world's only
Professeur de Parfum. What does this title mean to
you?
I don’t know where that title came from. For me, a
perfumer is a poet or storyteller, who creates the
tangible from the intangible - abstract images that
strike at our core. We create products that become part
of our clients' lives and loves - intrinsically interwoven
with their memories and those who know them. I aim
to create fragrances that cast a spell over our emotions
and secretly haunt our senses; fragrances that capture
our hearts; fragrances that hopefully will be loved and
remembered.
What is your advice, to men and women, when
choosing a fragrance to suit their characteristics?
LOOK EVERYWHERE. And I mean everywhere. Every
store chases exclusives and you’ll find smaller brands
tucked away in a kind of perfume commune away
from the major players - it’s always worth checking
them out for an undiscovered rarity that works for you.
GO IT ALONE. Never take a friend fragrance
shopping. You have your perfume agenda, your friend
has one that’s completely different. Something you love
on yourself, your friend may think doesn’t suit you at
all. The idea that fragrances smell different on each

individual is becoming a thing of the past, since the
more synthetics are used in the creation process the less
individual the fragrance will smell.
TRY LOTS. But how many can you try in one shopping
day? More than you imagine if you take time. If you
smell freshly sprayed fragrances your nose will tire
after the third one or so. This is due to the alcohol
content which works like an anaesthetic. It’s a bit like
drinking three gin and tonics and still expecting to
have razor sharp perception.
Smelling the perfume on paper on the ‘dry down’
(when the perfume has settled and the alcohol has
evaporated) means you can smell fragrances all day
without fatigue. Testing on paper is the only sane way
to try a fragrance. It’s free from glues or binders and is
as near to skin as is possible to recreate, the only thing
missing being the warmth of the skin, so breathe out
very hard on them to warm them up before you inhale.
Spray a few on blotter cards, turn them over to conceal
the brand, and then smell them away from the
perfumery department. Maybe take yourself to a smart
little bar and slowly sniff and deliberate alongside a
glass of well-chilled champagne. After all, this could
become a long-term love affair
and so needs to be approached
like a game of seduction -
slowly and with pleasure.
Smell them one at a time,
comparing each one to the
next, eliminating the one you
like least of the two you’re
comparing, then continue the
process until you have only
one or a maximum of two left,
then turn the card to see which
one has seduced you.
Always have unperfumed skin when going to buy a
new scent or the scents will fight against each other.
Now go back to the counter and spray one and only
one on your skin. And it shouldn’t be a small squirt on
your wrist. Spray it all over, then go away and sleep on
it. A quick sniff is like flirting - just like a lover, it’s only
when you spend the night together that you know if
the relationship is going to work out or not.
If you’re still in love in the morning then buy it.
Please tell us about the process of creating a new
scent.
My creative process is tied up in my respect for the
golden days of perfumery, when perfumers did not
create with either financial or ingredient restrictions, or
in response to a creative brief or a marketing campaign.
I always start with a name when creating a perfume,
and the composition of the scent comes from my mind’s
reaction to the thoughts and feelings the name invokes
for me. With Reckless for example, I was reading a book
in which a woman said: “Reckless maybe, foolish
never”. What a fabulous statement. I thought of a
woman who still has the passion to follow her heart,
78 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015
I hope I have created a
palette of fragrances that
are relevant, made to last,
stylish and utterly
contemporary, containing
the world’s rarest, exclusive
and complex raw materials.
but over the years she has learned never to allow
herself to get hurt. I imagine a woman who spends the
evening at the theatre or opera. You can see her in the
half-light. She’s wearing a beautiful evening dress with
a low décolleté, revealing a big diamond necklace. She’s
a woman who knows what she wants – and often takes
risks to get it. It’s a perfume for women, not girls.
It is said that you can identify 800 different scents
blindfolded. How exactly do you do this?
To become a perfumer you must be able to grasp the
biology behind the sense of smell, understand the
techniques available to you to extract the oils you work
with, memorise the raw materials and their odour
profiles, know-how to combine these materials to
create effects, study the great fragrances of the past,
and look to the future.
What is a perfume? If each natural odour is a myriad of
impressions then a fragrance composition is like a
multi-faceted diamond - each with its own distinctive
personality. The creative perfumers’ skill to fashion
each olfactory ‘diamond’ is the result of hard work and
a good memory (combined with imagination and,
hopefully, good taste). Whilst
such skill is certainly
something that has to be
learnt, one will only be great if
blessed with an inherent
aptitude for scent.
So how does a perfumer
commence work in such an
industry? There are no hard
and fast rules. Traditionally
the perfumer would be given
a number of materials to study
and commit to memory. To aid such memorisation a
perfumer usually initiates a perfume ‘diary’, to which
they continually refer throughout their career. In it they
will notate the thoughts and associations that each
odour evokes, so that when they smell the odour again
they can refer back to the book. To illustrate this point,
when I first smelt patchouli I recalled a fallen tree in
the wood behind my grandparents’ house - damp earth
and decay, wet soil and worm-casts. It was only later
that I discovered the beautifully bitter chocolate note
that underscores the finest quality oil it can produce.
Some oils are easy to remember whereas others
necessitate referring back to the associations that were
first made and notated in the book. If one takes into
account that there are some 3,000 different odours
available in perfumery, it is easy to comprehend why it
takes so long to train as a classical perfumer.
You’re one of the pioneers of using aoud in the West.
How did your first aoud-coded fragrance come
about?
The actual word “perfume”, from the Latin “per
fumum”, literally translated means “through smoke”.

The ancient practice of burning scent has been lost
throughout much of the world, but is still part of daily
rituals across the Gulf Region. The people of the Middle
East are both proud and secretive in their choice of
scent. The most legendary of all materials used in their
creation is Aoud (or Oud) and comes from a fragrant
resin harvested from the heart of the knotted Aquilaria
tree. When burnt, the original practice of “perfuming”
is kept alive, and the Aoud becomes known as
Bakhoor.
I was lucky enough to meet Mohammed Al Fahim,
whose family were the first to bring western scents to the
Middle East in their shops called Paris Gallery. I worked
with him for many years and it was during this time that
I was first introduced properly to Aoud's which were
generally not something we as perfumers in Europe
knew much about, as we seldom used them in our
creations. I learnt very quickly how much they vary in
quality, how they often blend them with a rose, Rose Taif
in particular, which is as rare, precious, and beautiful, as
our legendary rose from Grasse - Rose de Mai. My nose
was at once enchanted with the exotic scents of the
Middle East; they were both mesmerising and beguiling.
Still hypnotised by its magic, I launch an Aoud.
We’re told you’re a keen traveller. Where is your
favourite holiday destination in the world - perhaps
somewhere you return to often - and what makes it
so special?
Théoule sur Mer on the Côte d’Azur. I love the
antiques market opposite the Palais des Festivals and
the boulangerie Envie de Pains, where I always leave
with delicious pastries and a big smile on my face,
thanks to the boulangère, Dominique, who dyes her
hair the most astonishing colours. For dining, Cave de
Mes Terres has a great selection of locally sourced
wines and cheeses and Marco Polo restaurant is right
by the water and serves simple, yet wonderful, food
with views of the Esterel Massif mountain range
rising from the sea. Théoule sur Mer is also
wonderfully located for La Colombe d’Or restaurant
in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, where you eat amid the works
of Sonia Delaunay, Picasso and Alexander Calder.
What’s your favourite hotel in the world and why?
Whenever I stay at the Connaught, I am overwhelmed
with a sense of reassurance. From the doormen to the
décor, the whole experience makes me feel like
everything is right in the world. The newly reopened
Lanesborough is also a beautiful hotel and I have just
finished creating their perfumed amenities.
You’re well known for choosing only the most
luxurious ingredients for your fragrances. Which is
the most expensive component in a Roja Dova
fragrance and how and where is it sourced?
I only ever use the best raw materials available. What’s
more, I use them in enormous quantities. My Scandal

80

perfume contains an exclusive Tuberose that must be
picked when it’s in the bud. The moment the flower
opens, it’s no longer of any use to us. The flower itself
is worth its exact weight in gold. The only Jasmine I
use is from Grasse. If you know how small Grasse is,
then you’ll understand why the amount of Jasmine
available in the world is tiny. I pay around GBP 34,000
for a kilo of Jasmine - that’s more than twice the price
of gold. The Rose I use in my creations is Rose De Mai
which, must be picked before it is exposed to the sun,
as the quality of its oil starts to diminish as the sun
intensifies. It takes approximately 308,000 of these roses
to produce one kilo of oil.
Can you tell a person’s character by the scent he or
she wears?
People who like florals are a little like flowers
themselves. They are simple with a carefree
disposition. They tend to take things at a surface value,
and are uncomplicated and happy-go-lucky.
Scents which people refer to as musky are generally
known as Chyprés. People who prefer Chyprés tend to
be very understated, very
tailored in their tastes, and
don’t want anything flashy.
Think of the sort of woman
who wears plain black Armani
with a single striking piece of
jewellery. They are
uncompromising and know
what they like and don’t like.
People who like oriental scents
tend to be show-offs. They
must be noticed, have
luxurious sensual senses and
quite often fancy themselves as
a seducer or seductress.
What do you never leave home without when
embarking on a vacation?
I find luxury in comfort; I always travel with my own
pillow and my own blend of tea. My world is all about
what makes me comfortable, as there is no better
feeling.
Which is your favourite all-time fragrance in the
world, past or present, apart from one of your own?
I used a fragrance from Guerlain for about 30 years,
from before I worked with them, but one day I put it on
and didn’t recognize it. It had been modified. From that
day on, I created my own fragrance.
What is your opinion about the modern marketing of
perfumes endorsed by celebrities?
We live in a world driven by celebrity - for many it is
almost an obsession. Luckily I am very happy in my
skin, and so really do not care who is being paid to be
the 'face of'. If it makes a consumer happy, great. I
My Scandal perfume
contains an exclusive
Tuberose that must be
picked when it’s in the
bud. The moment the
flower opens, it’s no
longer of any use to us.
The flower itself is worth
its exact weight in gold.
believe there should be something for everyone.
If a house is paying to use a famous face and is
conducting huge marketing campaigns on TV, in
magazines and newspapers, the money to pay for it
will have had to come from somewhere - so of course
the formulae cannot be as good as from some smaller
brands who invest everything into the content of the
bottle.
Smell is the sense most closely linked to emotion
and memory. Are you an emotional romantic?
I am. It is often said that our eyes are the windows to
our soul. I believe them merely to be observers,
whereas, our nose absorbs the world’s life essences.
Since the dawn of civilisation, perfume has been with
us, evolving within the complex fabric of the human
psyche and culture. Scent is intangible. It can touch us,
move us, and inspire our very being. It can transform
us into seducers or seductresses, elevating and
transporting us to an ethereal realm of memories and
sensations. Sit with someone and breathe in their scent
and they give you one of the most beautiful of all gifts -
the gift of memory. You may
not have seen someone for
years but, with one breath of
their scent, the memories come
flooding back, dreams are
revived, love is rekindled.
Where do you go and what do
you do to switch-off?
I love to visit The Wolseley,
which is something of a
second home for me. It’s smart
but not stuffy and, hand on
heart, its avocado vinaigrette
is the best in the world.
What do you like to bring back from your travels?
I tend not to bring back any items - only memories.
What’s the most beautiful destination you’ve ever
visited?
Portofino. I have lived by the sea all my life, but the
water there shimmered like nothing I had ever seen
before.
Please reveal a personal travel tip.
I could not travel without my own goose-down pillow.
I use it both on the flight, as soon as they make up my
bed I take it out of my hand luggage, and in the hotel. I
cannot look, or more importantly feel, tired. My pillow
has allowed me to step straight of a long-haul flight to
Sydney, and present to fifty people whilst still bright
eyed. No-one could believe that I had just stepped of a
flight of more than twenty hours!
www.rojadove.com

MONCLER JACKET
Just over 60 years ago Moncler was
a small French company
producing sleeping bags. Fast
forward to 2015 and it has become
the world’s leading brand in
luxury ski wear for men, women
and children. This black leather &
nylon Allemand biker jacket, with
quilted back and sleeves, is great
for either serious off-piste skiing,
or racing through the harsh winter
landscape of city life.
EUR 1,390
WWW.STORE.MONCLER.COM
Today the Cultured Traveller can ski all
over the globe at any time of the year
through all seasons. Most would agree, if
we were honest, that après-ski has
become just as important, if not more,
than the actual sport of skiing. Whether
dancing 'til dawn in cashmere and satin
in the celebrity-drenched clubs of
Courchevel, or risking life and limb
cocooned in fur in Corbet's Couloir in
Jackson's Hole, being fashionably dressed
is now a prerequisite, especially if you
want to avoid mixing with the hoi polloi.
Alistair D. Blair, Fashion Designer
For Him
PICKETT GLOVES
As temperatures plunge, no matter
what you are doing outside, a pair of
great gloves are a necessity. This wrist
length pair from Pickett, in beautifully
soft deerskin, are lovingly hand made
in England and fully lined in rabbit fur.
GBP 185
WWW.PICKETT.CO.UK
HERMÈS SCARF
This 2-metre Open Aller Retour
scarf from Hermès - a name
synonymous with luxury - is a
necessary indulgence. Fashioned
from 70% cashmere and 30% silk,
it is very light, incredibly soft
and will keep your neck warm
while flying at 30,000 ft or
snowboarding at 3,000 ft.
GBP 365
WWW.UK.HERMES.COM
October/December 2015 The Cultured Traveller 83

NIKE GOGGLES
Nike has just launched its
first full range of sleek,
cutting-edge snow goggles.
The streamlined frame of
these Nike Khyber goggles,
is made of engineered
super-durable water
repellant mesh, which
enhances air-flow and repels
fog, allowing for the best
possible visibility while
skiing.
GBP 169
WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK
SOREL BOOTS
Sorel's winter boots have long been popular
in Canada for their high quality and
warmth. Their waxed canvas uppers and
recycled felt liners make these seam-sealed,
waterproof boots extra special, and effective
at keeping feet toasty and dry in extreme
winter conditions. This pair of black 1964
Premium T CVS boots with red accent
stitching, will work with pretty much
anything in your ski wardrobe.
GBP 100
WWW.SORELFOOTWEAR.CO.UK
TORY BURCH
BOOTS
These Anjelica boots, by classic
American luxury lifestyle
brand
Tory Burch, strike the perfect
balance between form, function
and fashion and have an
eclectic sensibility about them.
Featuring a round toe and
rabbit fur cuffs, these suede
boots will keep you warm and
comfy when the temperature
falls.
EUR 395 WWW.CUSP.COM
TOM FORD
SWEATER
This ivory merino wool &
cashmere blend sweater
from Tom Ford manages to
be both rustic and
sophisticated at the same
time, nodding classic
design with its heavy yarns,
plush ribbed trims and
thick cable-knit braids. It
could be worn under a
sleek ski-suit or with jeans
while sipping hot chocolate
on a sun-lit mountain
terrace.
GBP 1,290
WWW.MRPORTER.COM
FENDI SKI JACKET
This fabulous hooded
shearling and
stretch-shell ski
jacket from Fendi’s
Creature collection,
has zipped side
pockets embellished
with yellow and black
‘Bag Bug’ eyes and
trimmed with shearling
eyebrows. Tight cuffs, a
snap-fastening front and
peaked hood will keep
you warm and
protected from the
elements.
GBP 1,750
WWW.NET-A-PORTER.COM
84

DOLCE & GABBANA SKI MASK
This rock star ski mask by Stefano Gabbana and Dominico Dolce - masters of
Italian superstar chic - has a huge, single, gold-mirrored panorama lens, and
straps covered in dark brown mink fur. Supplied with an exclusive mink fur bag.
Style no DG6096. Colour 2945/F9. Price on application.
To order only. Exclusively at Dolce & Gabbana stores.
For Her
LORO PIANA HAT
Italian clothing company, Loro Piana,
specialises in high-end, luxury cashmere and
wool products. This knitted Courchevel hat of
super-soft baby cashmere, made exclusively
from the underfleece of Hircus goat kids, is
trimmed in shadow fox fur and will add a
touch of decadence to your après-ski outfit.
EUR 590
WWW.LOROPIANA.COM
BURBERRY
PONCHO
Burberry’s fully lined,
Bohemian poncho in butter
soft, black suede with fringed
edges is a sure-fire fashion
investment. Over black pants
and a black, turtleneck
sweater, or even a simple
black dress, this wonderfully
versatile piece is an addition
to your winter wardrobe,
which you will surely throw
on again and again.
GBP 2,495
WWW.BURBERRY.COM
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
SWEATER
The only sweater you’ll want this winter
comes from the house of Alexander
McQueen. Knitted entirely by hand
from army-green, navy and burgundy
skeins of wool, alpaca, mohair and silk.
The cut-out shoulders add a sexy &
modern twist to this covetable item.
GBP 2,595
WWW.NET-A-PORTER.COM

A
Abdulla
www.abdulla.com
Adelphi Hotel
www.adelphi.com.au
Airbus
www.airbus.com
Alba International White Truffle Fair
www.fieradeltartufo.org/2015/it/
Aman Tokyo
www.aman.com
Arsah Carpets
www.arsahcarpets.wordpress.com
Attica Restaurant
www.attica.com.au
B
Baccarat Hotel
www.baccarathotels.com
Badshahi Mosque
www.lahoretourism.net
BFI London Film Festival
www.bfi.org.uk/lff
Brisbane Good Food Show
www.goodfoodshow.com.au
C
Casas Del XVI
www.casasdelxvi.com
Cecconi's
www.cecconisistanbul.com/en
Chameleon
www.rpgcc.com
Chiltern Firehouse
www.chilternfirehouse.com
Chora Museum
www.choramuseum.com
Cuckoo’s Den
www.facebook.com/CuckoosDen
E
Eureka Tower
www.eurekaskydeck.com.au
F
Ferahfeza
www.ferahfeza-ist.com
Four Seasons Resort Orlando At Walt Disney World
www.fourseasons.com
Frankfurt Book Fair
www.buchmesse.de/de/
G
Grand Hyatt Istanbul
www.istanbul.grand.hyatt.com
H
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
www.dorchestercollection.com
Hotel Sahrai
www.hotelsahrai.com
I
Istanbul Modern
www.istanbulmodern.org
Iznik-Art
www.iznik-art.com
J
Jewel Changi Airport
www.jewelchangiairport.com
L
La Petite Maison
www.lpmistanbul.com.tr
Lahore Country & Sports Club
www.lahorecountryclub.com
Lahore Museum
www.lahoremuseum.org
Lahore Polo Club
www.lahorepoloclub.com
Langham
www.langhamhotels.com
M
Malliouhana
www.malliouhana.aubergeresorts.com
86 The Cultured Traveller October/December 2015

Mandarin Grill & Bar, Hong Kong
www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong
Melbourne Star
www.melbournestar.com
Misir Aparmani
www.galerist.com.tr
Moonlight Cinema
www.moonlight.com.au/melbourne
N
National Gallery of Victoria
www.ngv.vic.gov.au
O
Old Melboune Gaol
www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au
P
Park Hyatt Melbourne
www.melbourne.park.hyatt.com
Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort
www.sanya.park.hyatt.com
Pizza East
www.pizzaeast.com/istanbul/en
Pushkar Camel Fair
www.pushkar-camel-fair.com/
R
Red Lotus
www.hospitalityinnlahore.com/hil/index.php
Royal Botanic Gardens
www.rbg.vic.gov.au
S
Salon Du Chocolat
www.salonduchocolat.fr
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge
www.andbeyond.com
Soapery
www.soaperry.com
Soho House Istanbul
www.sohohouseistanbul.com/en
Spago
www.wolfgangpuck.com
Steve Angello
www.steveangello.com
T
The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant
www.tramrestaurant.com.au
The Nam Hai
www.ghmhotels.com
The Nishat
www.nishathotels.com
The Norman
www.thenorman.com
The St. Regis Istanbul
www.stregis.com/istanbul
The Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam
www3.hilton.com
The Walled City Of Lahore Authority
www.walledcitylahore.gop.pk
V
Village Halloween Parade
www.halloween-nyc.com
Vogue
www.voguerestaurant.com
Voodoo
www.worshipthemusic.com
W
W Istanbul
www.wistanbul.com.tr
Wazir Khan Mosque
www.lahoretourism.net
Wexford Festival Opera
www.wexfordopera.com
Z
Zelda Zonk
www.gradivahotels.com/portfolio/drink/