BLACKBOOK THE AGENDA of
BLACKBOOK THE AGENDA of machines that carried the spice sacks of yore – the accommodations are distinctly, modern with Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth speakers and complimentary high-speed wifi among their amenities. Chef Willin Low, of Wild Rocket fame, brings his brand of modern Singaporean food to the tables of Pó, while the hotel’s cocktail list reflects the old days with spicy and strong spirits to the fore. A rooftop infinity pool adds to the attractions of this delightful bijou property that manages to stand out even among the citystate’s towering skyscrapers. thewarehousehotel.com PARADISE FOUND Hotel Eden CAPE CRUSADER The Silo Rome celebrates the return of its favourite grande dame this season with the unveiling of the refreshed fin-de-siècle jewel, the one-time stomping ground of visiting European royals and silver-screen stars alike. A two-year facelift has seen a respectful update of its 98 supremely elegant rooms and suites, and a revamped lobby gives a nod to the past with gilded ceilings and frescoes by Gio Bressana. Chef Fabio Ciervo’s dining concept tends towards healthy, Medfocused cuisine, served in the contemporary-chic surrounds of the topstorey La Terrazza and the casual atmosphere of Il Giardino Ristorante & Bar, which offers panoramic city views. The spa’s holistic wellness therapies using Sonya Dakar and Santa Maria Novella products are also new arrivals, and posit the perfect way to unwind after a long day exploring the Eternal City. dorchestercollection.com Though built in the erstwhile elevator of a historic grain silo, this ambitious new hostelry in Cape Town’s burgeoning V&A Waterfront district is anything but dated. Its exterior was sensitively updated with eye-catching pillowed glass windows by London’s Heatherwick Studio, while its 28 rooms and suites boast a colourful contemporary vibe, and a smattering of intriguing curios – from dripping crystal chandeliers and marble busts OUT THERE Jackalope to vintage-look desks – create a warm, lived-in atmosphere. Completing the charm offensive are an indulgent spa and trio of gastro outlets: Granary Café for coffee and petits gâteaux, as well as a weekly Sunday roast; the Willaston Bar for international vintages and substantial snacks; and the Rooftop bar for cocktails, oysters and sunset views of Table Mountain you won’t forget in a hurry. theroyalportfolio.com Set among the rolling hills of Australia’s Mornington Peninsula, this newly unveiled retreat is as odd as the mythical creature that gives it its name (a jackrabbit with antelope horns). Positioned as it is on the 11ha Willow Creek Vineyard, it’s undeniably an oenophilic escape, featuring a handful of on-site gastro venues, including the refined Rare Hare. On the other hand, founder Louis Li, a 29-yearold Melbourne entrepreneur, has crafted one of Australia’s premier avant-garde architectural masterpieces, with a design-first aesthetic that carries through its 46 minimalist-chic guest rooms and the jagged Geode pool-deck pavilion to the vast agglomeration of artworks by prominent artists like Rolf Sachs, Andrew Hazewinkel and Emily Floyd, whose 7m sculpture of the hotel’s namesake animal takes tenancy at its entrance. There’s also ample space for relaxing and pampering: guests can take dips in the vine-encircled infinity pool or indulge in the resort’s signature deep-tissue massage – rounding out the property’s thoroughly intoxicating milieu. jackalopehotels.com PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: © THE SILO, SHARYN CAIRNS (2), NIALL CLUTTON 20 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM FOR THE LATEST TRAVEL UPDATES GO TO: CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
URBAN SAFARI OneFortyEight CHECKING IN A shortlist of addresses to know across the globe PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: TOMAS VANDAS (3), © OETKER COLLECTION, © THE OBEROI BEACH RESORT, AL ZORAH The fence between the giraffe sanctuary and the property keeps the long-necked neighbours at bay, but it doesn’t stop other wildlife from turning the backyard at Nairobi’s latest louche hideaway into a playground. In the filtered sunshine of the deck in the morning, over a breakfast of eggs Benedict, fresh scones and fruit, guests can watch peacocks strutting beneath the trees and monkeys frolicking over the lawn. Previously occupied by the late artist Tonio Trzebinski, the house and studio have been converted into just eight rooms, studios and apartments. The main house has an understated style, with large RIGHT ON TRACK bedrooms upstairs and gathering spaces on the ground floor. There’s something to capture attention everywhere you look, from glass coffee tables displaying bones and feathers to paintings by Trzebinski, David and Phyllipa Marrian, and Sibylla Martin, all of whom have worked in Kenya. Over in the former studio, the apartments have a more contemporary edge. With a relaxed, intimate setting on Nairobi’s outskirts (close to the elephant orphanage and the Karen Blixen Museum) and superb food and service, OneFortyEight is the ideal jumping-off point for a Kenyan safari. one-forty-eight.com Train travel in Japan has moved to the next level. JR East‘s Train Suite Shiki-shima (jreast.co.jp), which made its first journey in May, offers excursions through the country’s glorious scenery, starting from Tokyo, in 17 luxe rooms decorated in a contemporaryJapanese style. Meanwhile, this month, the Twilight Express Mizukaze (twilightexpress-mizukaze.jp), from JR West will enter service, ferrying passengers around the beautiful countryside of Kyoto and beyond, with six Art-Deco-inspired sleeper cars. I t’s been a banner year so far for hospitality – and there’s yet more to come, with all manner of tempting accommodations thrusting open their doors across the globe. One of the most hotly awaited is Rosewood Hotels’ resurrection of Paris’s historic Hôtel de Crillon ( rosewoodhotels.com) with spruced-up suites (two of which have been designed by Karl Lagerfeld) and a subterranean spa. The Art Deco-era Phoenicia Malta (campbellgrayhotels.com), Valletta’s grande dame, has celebrated its return with a heritage-sensitive makeover of its 136 rooms and facade. Meanwhile, 54-key Sanders (hotelsanders.com) in Copenhagen is a victory lap for enterprising ballet legend Alexander Kølpin, whose eclectic concept (think Murano glass chandeliers, rattan ceilings and crushed velvet sofas) is right at home in the designsavvy Danish capital. Impressive on a different level is the Bürgenstock Resort (buergenstock.ch) on Lake Lucerne, a 0m project featuring 13 dining outlets, a nine-hole golf course, a museum and 383 contemporary-chic guest rooms. Near Dubai, Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah (oberoihotels.com, above bottom) rests within 100 hectares of wetlands and is set to boast a sea grill, malt and wine bar and spa. Also idyllic is Thai island retreat JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay (marriott.com): the 244-key getaway is a cornerstone design for architect Bill Bensley (Bangkok’s Siam Hotel) whose whimsical stylings were inspired by a mysterious (and fictional) academy of learning; an on-campus shopping promenade, several eateries from French to Vietnamese and the “educational” Department of Chemistry bar add to the intrigue. A world away, the opulent Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills ( waldorfastoria.com) gears up for a summer opening with 170 rooms, cuisine by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and La Prairie spa, while São Paulo’s Palácio Tangará (palaciotangara.com, above top), in leafy Burle Marx Park, is a true urban oasis. Guests staying in its 141 rooms and suites enjoy access to a swish Sisley spa and the signature Chef’s Table restaurant – which also falls under prolific chef Vongerichten’s purview. BY CARRIE HUTCHINSON, JOHN McNAMARA, CLAUDIA ROELKE CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 21
