lackbook checking in 5. lackbook checking in 5. Spain’s party island rediscovers its roots this May with the grand relaunch of Hacienda Na Xamena, a landmark hotel set among the jagged cliffs of northwest Ibiza. Hotel mogul Pablo Carrington (Cap Rocat, Torralbenc) brings his Midas touch to the refurbished property with 77 whitewashed rooms, a botanic spa and a fleet of boats for exploring the craggy coast and finding all-night hot spots. hotel hacienda-ibiza.com 6. Nicknamed Paradise Bay, the varied sensory delights of Turkey’s Cennet Koyu beach are hardly a secret, but the recent unveiling of the 60ha Residences at Mandarin Oriental Bodrum, with its 102 room and suites – all complete with sundeck – and 2,700sq m spa, add fresh impetus the region’s rising cosmopolitan credibility. residences. mandarinoriental.com/ bodrum 5. Hacienda Na Xamena 6. Mandarin Oriental Bodrum greek revival villa to rent A trio of hotels are helping the Cyclades to have a moment this year. Debuting this month on sheltered Apandima Bay, Beach House (beachhouseantiparos. com) is the new hip locale on Antiparos. The seven suites are souped-up Cycladic style, with chocolate cement floors and local marble finishes. With a yoga pavilion, concept store, topnotch taverna and mellow beach bar, guests never even leave the beach. But for those keen on exploration, there are boats for hire and lots of hidden coves. If privacy is paramount, check out IOS Luxurios (luxurios.com), which offers three secluded estates on four stunning guestsonly beaches, plus a fleet of boats to cruise around the islands. The pick of the portfolio is Wind of Dreams, a seven-bedroom villa surrounded by a 445ha estate with its own beach bar and 300-year-old olive grove. The multicoloured interiors are surprisingly flamboyant, but the setting is pure zen. Decorated in teak, bamboo and straw, with opulent marble bathrooms, the look at Santa Marina Resort and Villas ( above, santa-marina.gr) is contemporary classic rather than traditional Greek. With its own private beach on sandy Ornos Bay, the resort reopened in May after a three-year refurb. Popular with yachties, the BayView restaurant has a new sushi bar to complement its signature seafood platters. Half of the guests are repeat visitors – now there’s even more incentive to return. NEW HEIGHTS With few airports and erratic ferry services, many of Greece’s islands are frustratingly hard to reach. That’s set to change when the first Greek seaplanes take off this year. Hellenic Seaplanes (hellenic-seaplanes.com) is developing more than 100 waterways that will cut travel times from hours to minutes. As well as scheduled flights, the Twin Otters can be chartered for sightseeing tours and resort transfers. Set atop its own hill on the Sicilian coast, Rocca delle Tre Contrade offers pristine views over sea and land – with Mount Etna providing a spectacular backdrop. Improbably, the grandeur of the renovated 19th-century villa more than matches the breathtaking scenery, with 11 spacious, airy bedrooms, each boasting stone-clad baths, and original features like lava-stone arches and terracotta floors distributed throughout, offset here and there by distinctive pieces of contemporary design. In the gardens, a 25m L-shaped infinity pool overlooks a private lemon grove, which itself sits alongside the property’s own fruit orchard and vegetable garden. trecontrade.com by Rachel Howard, John Mc namara and Claudia Whiteus Photos clockwise from top left: Xavier FERRAND, © mandarin Oriental, MORENO maggi (2), © hellenic Seaplanes, Matthew Shaw 32 CENTURION-Magazine.com CONTACT CENTURION SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS
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