DEPARTURES TRAVEL
DEPARTURES TRAVEL ISLAND ESCAPES 16 The palm-fringed pool area at the Rosewood overlooks the clear waters of Little Dix Bay; below: the private villas on the shores of Elang island Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands ITS IDIOSYNCRATIC SHAPE led Christopher Columbus to give the third-largest of the BVIs the name “Fat Virgin”, and it has long held an attraction with its spectacular, untouched landscape. So untouched was the island in 1964 that Laurance Rockefeller, a noted conservationist from the famed American family, opened a resort on the then wild beach of Little Dix Bay. In 1993, it joined the Rosewood portfolio, and the destination resort has recently reopened following the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Irma in 2017. The reconstruction has stayed true to Rockefeller’s dictum that the accommodation should be unobtrusive within the Edenic landscape, though the 80 rooms and suites, two beach houses and one hillside villa all still have stunning ocean views. The exceptional spa, with eight treatment rooms, and the four dining options, including the farm-to-table signature restaurant Reef House, ensure stays are thoroughly decadent. rosewoodhotels.com Bawah, Indonesia BOTH ON TREND and utterly off the grid, Bawah Reserve is a private island cluster in Indonesia with a focus on the environment. Now two years old, the reserve – which is an 80-minute seaplane trip from Singapore, where founder Tim Hartnoll is based – is spread across six islands, with turquoise lagoons, coral reefs and expanses of untouched jungle available for exploration. The previously uninhabited corner of the Anambas Archipelago opened with suites and villas on the main island, and this year another island, Elang, is planned to open with six standalone villas, each with a private pool. Everything is hand-built to accommodate existing trees and flora, while many of the bespoke furniture pieces inside are made from upcycled woods or recycled materials. Sybarites take comfort: there is excellent air conditioning, the on-site spa is supremely indulgent and the restaurants and bars are staffed (and stocked) with exceptional attention to detail. bawahreserve.com FROM TOP: KEN HAYDEN, © BAWAH RESERVE
FROM TOP: © CAN FERRERETA (3), © CAPELLA LODGE Mallorca, Spain THE IDYLLIC INLAND of this largest of Balearic Islands is undergoing a revival at the moment, as hoteliers who’ve conquered Palma, the island’s capital, look to the handsome architecture and natural wonder of the lesser-known villages and hills. Topping the anticipation charts is Can Ferrereta (hotelcanferrereta.com), a majestic 17th-century home that’s been thoroughly renovated into 32 individually decorated rooms by the team behind the Sant Francesc Hotel, along with a private garden, restaurant, bars, spa and 25m pool. Also planned – but not yet confirmed – is El Vicenç de la Mar, a 35-key beachfront property from the owners of El Llorenç Parc de la Mar (elllorenc.com) in Palma, as well as Casa Cook Sa Torre (casacook.com). The latest addition to the emerging portfolio of laidback, millennial-orientated boltholes, this one is spread out across multiple buildings, some dating back to the 14th century, in the coastal village of Sa Torre. Clockwise from left: a suite at Can Ferrereta; a view of Mallorca’s rural southeast, from Can Ferrereta; a guest room at Can Ferrereta; looking out at Mounts Lidgbird and Gower from Capella Lodge, on Lord Howe Island Lord Howe Island, Australia VISITORS ARRIVING at the single runway on this 1,450ha islet, wedged between Australia and New Zealand in the Tasman Sea, may feel like they’ve landed on an entirely different planet – or at least our planet as it existed thousands of years ago. There’s a baker, a butcher, but likely no candlestick-maker – and, for that matter, no mobile-phone service, no public transport and no malls. Still, for all the staples of modern life the island lacks, it makes up in primordial beauty – from a pair of twin peaks and dense forests to a glittering lagoon. In an effort to preserve its rare flora and fauna, no more than 400 visitors are allowed on the island at any time. Capella Lodge is an excellent choice among the few hotels, offering nine contemporary suites with stunning ocean views, a brilliant spa for a post-hike foot massage and top-tier cuisine featuring the likes of Nambucca oysters and lodge-chured ice cream. lordhowe.com GREAT ESCAPES 17 DEPARTURES
