Haute Holidays: Escape The November Chill
Fewer crowds, tempting rates and a change of scene make now the perfect time for a stylish getaway.
For Design Lovers: Copenhagan
Choosing where to stay will be one of your most difficult decisions, quickly followed by what to wear. The super slick Villa Copenhagen with its fabulous rooftop pool is a standout, as is the hygge-luxe Nimb Hotel facing the Tivoli Gardens; every suite has gorgeous views not to mention four-poster beds, log fires, antiques and original art.
Hotel Sanders is a refined bolthole close to Nyhavn’s colourful waterfront promenade, owned by Danish ballet dancer, Alexander Kølpin. The design is carefully choreographed and inspired by his travels. It’s a stroll away from the royal residences of Amalienborg Palace, the Royal Theatre, Christiansborg Palace and the Royal Danish Opera. The hotel has its own Little Red Book of recommendations for each season – in autumn suggestions include foliage-framed coffees in museum Ny Carlsberg Gylptotek’s palm garden and browsing some of the harbour markets and the Kunsthall Charlottenborg. Allow plenty of time for people watching in cult cafés – Hans Coffee, Atelier September and Lille Petra – then mooch along the canals, through the clutch of urban islands known as the Christianshavn. Here you’ll find the architectural masterpiece, Circle Bridge, designed by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.
If time permits, take a train to Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, an immersive experience fusing art, al fresco sculptures, nature and architecture. Also immersive is dining at Frederik Bille Brahe’s newly opened restaurant, Daphne. For new-Nordic cuisine without the Noma-sized bill, try Host, where dishes are served atop piles of stones or beds of pine, adorned with sprigs and wildflowers. For an upbeat atmosphere and Italian food head to Cantina, or Poulette – which serves Dua Lipa’s favourite chicken sandwich. If you’re travel-maxxing (ie visiting for a day) head to the main shopping street, Kobmagerade, where Arket, H&M Home, Hay House and Illums department store will provide inspiration for the season’s trends.
For Healthy Hedonists: Marbella
The allure of Marbella is guaranteed to lift the spirits as the season of mists sets in. Near perfect temperatures, leisurely days spent snoozing by the pool, or browsing the picturesque old town, punctuated by an ice-cold Tinto de verano and plates of Andalusian tapas, all make for an effortlessly hedonistic holiday. Choose from a trio of new and reborn hotels: La Fonda Heritage, Mett Hotel & Beach Resort and La Zambra. For a posh flop and drop, stay in El Fuerte Marbella. If you’re especially jaded, the hotel’s Unpacking & Packing service is just one of many indulgent experiences.
A must is dining at Soleo, with its signature red and white stripes, the backdrop to delicious seafood platters and traditional rice Fideuàs dishes. You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing which pool to lounge by, while the hotel’s sexy, subterranean spa by Clarins specialises in personalised Clarins treatments and “sparties” (spa parties!). Should you need to keep up your step count, there are walks aplenty, from the Malaga Coastal Path stretching almost 200km along the Andalusian Coast to more leisurely strolls along the boardwalk – count off the ten Salvador Dali sculptures along the Avenida del Mar. For pre- dinner drinks, Manero at the elegant Don Carlos Hotel is a new addition with live music at weekends. For old school luxury, nothing compares to The Grill at Marbella Club. Opened in 1954 by playboy Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, photos by Slim Aarons offer a glimpse into the resort’s heyday: from poolside backgammon tournaments to black-tie balls.
For The Arts Crowd: Munich
Moving beyond Bavarian cliché and tapping into the city’s art and cultural heritage is the newly opened Dean Munich, designed by local interior designer Tatjana von Stein. She wanted to fuse the city’s Jugendstil/Art Nouveau heritage with the sybaritic energy of Munich’s night life. It’s all cream lacquer walls, glossy surfaces, layered with vintage furniture and lighting with works by Munich based contemporary artists.
More maximalist in aesthetic is the adults-only, Münchner Kindl, set in a restored Baroque townhouse with a rooftop sauna. Its flamboyant rooms with ceiling murals and chinoiserie details are a history lesson of Munich’s more classical art scene, from the Italianate influence of King Ludwig I to the colour and energy of the Blue Rider movement. Visit the Lenbachhaus art gallery where this movement comes to life in paintings by Paul Klee, Gabriele Munter and Wassily Kandinsky. Flaneurs will also enjoy the contemporary art and sculpture collections at Pinakothek der Moderne and Glyptothek galleries – the latter has an exhibition inspired by Edgar Degas’s enigmatic painting “Dancers Practising in the Foyer”, on until December.
To tap into the city’s more unexpected side, head to the creative Werksviertel Mitte neighbourhood. Take a stroll through the English Garden, where watching the pro-surfers shred the special Eisbach Wave is a popular activity. Not far from the wave is the grand Goldene Bar – try its namesake champagne cocktail laced with Campari. Also elegant are the Art Deco interiors of the Augustiner Stammhaus restaurant and bierhalle for pre-dinner drinks or the seductive Loretta Bar. Dine at the fun Landersdorfer & Innerhofer – there’s no menu, as its multi-course dinners reflect what the market has to offer. End the evening with a cocktail at The Cocktail Club at Münchner Kindl, the hotel’s speakeasy-style bar.
For Bucolic Bliss: Bruton, Somerset
Small yet quietly magnetic, Bruton has become known for its serious food, art and style credentials. Internationally renowned contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth has given Bruton much of its cultural clout with its interesting exhibitions and sculpture garden designed by Piet Oudolf, known for his loose planting schemes and painterly use of perennials. You’ll find local stores and restaurants champion craftsmanship and the arts. Make a beeline to Philo & Philo, a vintage homeware shop owned by fashion designer, Phoebe Philo’s mother and sister. Scent lovers should check out Commune, owned by Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux, former merchandising director at LVMH and image director for Gucci respectively. They have worked with “nose” Mandy Aftel on a range of botanical scents (found in Liberty) and offer monthly workshops. Toast retail successes at The Blue Ball pub. It’s attached to the colourful, creative boutique hotel, Number One Bruton. Spanning three buildings – a Georgian townhouse, a medieval forge and a line of 16th-century cottages – it oozes style.
For a low-fi yet fabulous evening book two Michelin-star Osip, a farm-to-table restaurant (with gorgeous minimalist rooms) overseen by chef Merlin Labron-Johnson. Unmissable is a detour, if not a stay, at The Newt – an empire unto itself comprising a working farm, hotel and spa in bucolic surroundings. Its newest addition is The Creamery, a café, creamery and farm shop housed in a restored 1912 milk factory at Castle Cary station. Another lovely walk or drive is to The Three Horseshoes in Batcombe, one of the prettiest pubs in the area, which also has five guest rooms. Its owners are cool celebrity chefs Margot and Fergus Henderson. He is the godfather of nose-to-tail eating, she the queen of understated, delicious cooking. Warning: you may return home with extra luggage if not kilos after a Somerset sojourn!
For Fashion Insiders: Florence
Assuming it’s not your first visit to Florence and you’ve been to the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace, not to mention the Boboli gardens, then taking a deeper dive into the city’s fashion heritage is a must.Palazzo Gucci, Ferragamo Museum, Pitti Costume Museum and the Pucci archive all tell a story about Florence’s enduring commitment to luxury and craftsmanship. Stay at one of the Ferragamo family’s Lungarno Collection of hotels, defined by their style, extensive contemporary art collections and views. Hotel Lungarno is right on the Arno, while the Gallery Art Hotel has just opened 701 Rooftop Bar, offering sweeping views of Brunelleschi’s Duomo to Palazzo Vecchio. James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 has top fashion credentials too. Originally a convent, the building has been reimagined by owner-architect James Cavagnari, who was responsible for Salvatore Ferragamo and Bulgari boutiques.
The Via de Tornabuoni is Florence’s Grafton Street, where Procacci is a great pitstop at any time of day. Order its speciality truffle sandwiches and some Antinori Franciacorta sparkling wine. Dine at Dalla Lola, which takes a more adventurous approach to classic dishes and is a favourite with Stanley Tucci. Just outside the city are two luxurious escapes. The newly opened Villa San Michele has collaborated with fashion brand La Double J in its outdoor spaces with cushions and soft furnishings in signature prints. Just opened is Borgo Pignano, hidden on a hillside at the city’s northern edge. Nearby is the Stibbert Museum, a fascinating collection amassed by 19th-century polymath Frederick Stibbert.
