34 DEPARTURES STYLE
34 DEPARTURES STYLE PLAYTIME Oh, the Places You’ll Go! These resorts offer immersive children’s programmes – and plenty of R&R for the grown-ups. by Claudia Whiteus Tswalu Kalahari Reserve Borgo Pignano Mashpi Lodge One&Only Mandarina Rosewood Little Dix Bay Patina Maldives Schloss Elmau Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley Where To? Kids’ Choice All Grown Up Set in the vast grasslands of a malaria-free part of the Kalahari, the intimate safari camp in South Africa’s largest private game reserve hosts no more than 30 guests at a time. The 900-year-old estate in the rolling Tuscan countryside oozes rustic charm from its every corner, sleeping guests in an 18th-century villa surrounded by a blossoming English garden. The 24-room property with a focus on conservation and sustainability offers a front-row seat to all the natural drama of the verdant cloud forest of the Ecuadorian Chocó. The new all-villa resort along Mexico’s pristine Riviera Nayarit coastline is ensconced by beautiful cliffsides, white-sand beaches and luscious rainforests begging to be discovered. Nestled along the sunny Virgin Gorda shoreline, this secluded BVI getaway (read: no cars – or even TVs) accommodates global sunseekers in standalone guest cottages. The legendary hideaway, with a dreamy location deep within Bavaria’s Alps, pairs world-leading spa therapies with high-brow cultural and educational offerings for young and old. The raison d’être of this gorgeous new sanctuary – the debut flagship of the Capella-owned marque – is to preserve and celebrate its magnificent setting on the paradisiacal North Malé atoll. Cradled among Australia’s Greater Blue Mountains, a three-hour drive from Sydney, guests at the 2,800ha resort stay in country-chic villas with fireplaces and private pools. Rosewood Little Dix Bay On arrival, each Junior Ranger is kitted out with a backpack stuffed with tools and guides, which will come in handy as they traverse the land tracking rare wildlife, identifying spoors and enjoying tasty picnics; they can also learn how to make their own bow and arrow. Children are encouraged to let their creative juices flow freely. After a day painting outdoors, creating sculptures or learning how to make dye with flowers and spices, playtime in the kids-only pool is well deserved. Kids explore the region from myriad vantage points – whether Mashpi Lodge it’s soaring high above the jungle canopy via cable car or sky bike, a nighttime hike in the pitch-black forest, observing the resident scientists at work, or sampling the delicacies of nearby communities. With their home base a nearly 4,000sq m playground – rife with suspended bridges, climbing walls and treehouses – KidsOnly Club members learn about local flora and fauna with wonder-inducing trips to a butterfly farm and up-close encounters with armadillos. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve A post-safari rub-down at the spa, an idyllic space with floorto-ceiling views and a private garden, complete with an Indian head massage. tswalu.com While the kiddos may be happy with spaghetti and marinara sauce, adults will relish a chance to put on the chef’s hat to learn the ancient secrets of the Tuscan cooking. borgopignano.com A taxing, yet unbelievably rewarding two-hour hike to the Healing Waterfall, taking a meditative moment to enjoy a splendid, energising force from the back of its chute. mashpilodge.com Swim alongside the elusive whale shark – a once-in-a lifetime experience best rewarded with a reflective alfresco dinner at Carao, by star chef Enrique Olvera. oneandonlyresorts.com Pint-sized swashbucklers are immersed in the world of the One&Only Mandarina Sunrise yoga on a platform with an literary classic Treasure Island on a mission to uncover mysterious hidden bounty, which takes them under the water or floating atop it on a private catamaran. There’s also sword-fighting, survival and sailing lessons. Special experience bookable through blacktomato.com awe-inspiring view stretching some 40 kilometres into the sea – or a few sets of tennis on the resort’s exceptional courts, if that’s more your speed. rosewoodhotels.com Curious minds will find answers at the ScienceLab, where kids are invited to test their own hypotheses with hands-on experiments. There’s also jewellery-making and literature workshops, as well as a songwriting course conducted in the meadows and forests around the property. At the Footprints kids’ club, little ones become environmental activists, learning to transform recycled ocean plastic into models with 3D printers and how to cook with organic local ingredients. Tailored diving, surfing and yoga instruction round out the experience. Alongside some 300 wombats Patina Maldives and frolicking troops of wallabies, members of the Wolgan Rangers club roam endless tracts of untouched bushland with expert field guides, who accompany them on adventures from fossil-hunting to wildlifespotting and horseback-riding. Hosting 200 classical and jazz concerts annually, guests can enjoy performances by a stellar line-up of international talents; there’s also a striking hammam – one of the continent’s largest. schloss-elmau.de White sand underfoot, artisanal cocktail in hand, it’d be hard to beat a lazy afternoon spent snacking on the culinary creations of Michelin-starred chef – and DJ – Nick Bril. patinahotels.com Savour chef James Viles’s hyperlocal cuisine, like his slowcooked beef cheek in tomato jus and house-grown marjoram, followed by a rare vintage, cheese and live music in the cosy Valley Bar. oneandonlyresorts.com ISTOCK (2); HOTEL IMAGES FROM TOP: CAITLIN SMIT, © MASHPI LODGE, © ONE&ONLY, KEN HAYDEN, © PATINA MALDIVES, RUPERT PEACE PLEASE CHECK THE LATEST GOVERNMENT ADVICE BEFORE BOOKING TRAVEL OR DEPARTING ON ANY TRIP
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY MARIE HARTIG, © CIRCU, TILLY NELSON, © MATHY BY BOLS The Wonderful Wizards of Walls From bedrooms to treehouses, murals and hand-painted wallpapers can bring a spark of enchantment to any room. IF THE PAST YEAR has taught us anything, it’s how important our home decor is – having the right furnishings and atmosphere can affect every aspect of daily life. Enter that long-neglected artisan, the muralist, whose whimsical figures, immersive narratives or bright, enlivening patterns will set a child’s room apart from the rest of the house, transforming it into a sanctuary that both inspires and empowers its young inhabitant(s). Austrian painter Marie Hartig (mariespaintedworlds.com) is best known for her nature-infused, full-room murals, but she got her start in 2012 painting the bedroom of her godchild, and she continues all-ages work today with particularly transportive hand-painted scenes. London-based Rachel Spelling (studiospelling.com) also got her start with children’s rooms: in fact, it was the lack of options available for her own daughter that led her to use her training at Central Saint Martins to paint a fairy-strewn bedroom scene. She, too, now works across all rooms in the home but has a special place in her heart for the magic of creating for kids. Wallpapers are a better solution for some, and purveyors like Milton & King (miltonandking.com) and Cole & Son (cole-and-son.com) seek out global artists to design their marketleading creations. – BN A mural by Austrian artist Marie Hartig, inspired by the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine Sleeping Beauties A trio of fantasy beds on wheels sets the scene for the sweetest of nighttime odysseys. Circu Bun Van with a bed, minibar, desk and storage compartments, circu.net Dragons of Walton Street bespoke princess carriage bed with a Swarovski-crystal crown, dragonsofwaltonstreet.com Mathy by Bols pinewood Caravan bed with storage space and rooftop opening, mathy-by-bols.be DEPARTURES 35
