Travel Notes: May
TREAT YOURSELF: Richmond Harbour Hotel & Spa
Richmond Harbour Hotel has opened a spa with impressive facilities, including a hydrotherapy pool and plunge pool, 20m swimming pool, steam room and sauna, gym, spin studios, relaxation room and juice bar. For a relaxing weekend in the capital, book a spa day to indulge in massages, facials and body wraps, or stay overnight in one of 90 rooms – we recommend the Superior Room, which comes with king-sized beds and spacious en-suites with rainfall showers. Choose from Les Mills fitness classes in the gym or book the ‘Sleep Retreat’ package which includes a yoga class, massage, access to the spa, The White Company products in your room and dinner at the hotel’s restaurant The Gate where diners can enjoy small plates, seafood dishes and classic British puddings. Rooms start from £140 per night on a B&B basis.
Visit HarbourHotels.co.uk
GO GLAMPING WITH THE GIRLS: Pythouse Kitchen Garden & Village
Ready for a fun weekend with the girls? Pythouse Kitchen Garden in south Wiltshire has added six chic bell tents and a cosy shepherd’s hut to its village. The main restaurant is set within an 18th-century walled garden and serves local, seasonal dishes created by head chef Darren Broom. Menu highlights include wild venison with black pudding, red cabbage ketchup and roasted turnip; trout and mussel chowder; and rhubarb parfait with apple syrup and rosemary crumble. Overnight guests will have access to comfortable beds, hot showers, a large, covered party area, a well-equipped kitchenette, and a separate bar – dine at the restaurant or bring your own provisions for a more casual affair. You can also hire the spaces for private parties and events. Accommodation starts from £950 for two nights for up to six guests.
DIVE INTO NEW SWIMWEAR: Hunza G SS22
Cult swimwear label Hunza G has released its SS22 collection just in time for your next summer getaway. Ideal for those with fuller busts – thanks to clever one-size fitting that contours to your body shape – the collection features colourful swimsuits, bikinis and beachwear. We love the yellow and orange sets which can be mixed and matched or worn underneath the bodycon dresses and two-pieces. Everything is made from Hunza’s signature crinkle fabric, which is super soft and ultra-comfy.
Visit HunzaG.com
HEAD TO THE CITY OF LOVE: Moulin Rouge Windmill x Airbnb
For the first time, Paris’s iconic Moulin Rouge Windmill will open its doors so three lucky winners can stay overnight and enjoy a weekend of romance and glamour. In collaboration with Airbnb, the windmill will be open on selected dates throughout June. Decorated in 19th-century décor, it has a bedroom hidden behind velvet curtains, a dressing area featuring glamorous accessories from the Belle Époque era (like vintage costumes, perfumes and effusive letters from admirers) and a rooftop terrace with an ornate pagoda. Winners will be treated to a tour of the Moulin Rouge, drinks and a romantic three-course dinner on the windmill’s rooftop, a meet and greet with lead dancer and Airbnb host Claudine Van Den Bergh in her dressing room, and tickets to the show. The competition opens on Monday 17th May at 6pm.
Visit Airbnb.co.uk
BOOK AN ECO-FRIENDLY TRIP: Slow Adventure
Slow Adventure is the new travel company offering sustainable trips that help make positive changes to their destinations through local community initiatives. Currently, there are itineraries in Scotland or Sweden available, with trips to Finland, Iceland, Ireland and Italy due to depart later this year. The Swedish trip includes hiking to a mountain lodge, campfire lunches, ice fishing, relaxing in a wood-fired sauna and hot tub, and a chance to see the Northern Lights. Meanwhile, in Lochaber, Scotland, adventurers can learn to forage and survive on an expedition into the wilderness with an experienced ecologist and bush craft expert, before canoeing to a remote peninsula and staying overnight in a small hut. Surprisingly affordable, trips start from just £190pp per night including accommodation, food and activities.
Visit Slow-Adventure.com
UPGRADE YOUR COFFEE TABLE: Taste & Place: The Design Hotels Book
Design Hotels is a luxury boutique collection which includes iconic properties such as Almyra in Cyprus, L Pigalle in Paris and Istoria in Santorini. Now, it’s published a coffee-table book to celebrate different foods from around the world. Featuring contributions from writers, photographers, and chefs, the book includes stories from Rockhouse Hotel in Jamaica, Rastrello in Italy, and Satoyama Jujo in Japan – to name a few. All online sales from the book will be donated to humanitarian charities helping those affected by the war in Ukraine.
Visit DesignHotels.com
TAKE A ROMANTIC STAYCATION: Wild Escapes
Bespoke kitchen brand The Main Company has renovated four luxury treehouses in collaboration with Wild Escapes founder Will Hardy. Located on Fullerton Farm in the Hampshire Downs, guests can relax in a treehouse with views of the farm’s vineyard, take part in wine tours, go truffle hunting and enjoy fly fishing on the lake. All the treehouses have chic Scandinavian design with wood-panelled walls, small kitchenettes, indoor wood burners, en-suites and outdoor bathrooms, and covered seating areas on the deck. The Fallow treehouse has an outdoor free-standing bath, while The Poppy has understated interiors and sprawling views. All guests receive a complimentary breakfast hamper and a bottle of the farm’s sparkling wine. Treehouses start from £274 per night.
Visit WildEscapes.com
ENJOY A CHIC CITY BREAK: Paris To Milan High-Speed Train
A new train route between Paris and Milan means travellers can journey between the two European cities from €29. The high-speed train runs between Paris’s Gare de Lyon and Milan’s Centrale station, taking around 6.5 hours via a scenic route. An ideal option if you want to travel overnight or take a leisurely journey between the two cities, it also calls at Lyon, Chambéry, Modane and Turin, if you want to stop off and explore more.
Visit TheTrainline.com
DISCOVER AN ITALIAN RETREAT: Masseria Calderisi, Puglia
Masseria Calderisi, a family owned boutique retreat, has just been refurbished. In the southern region of Puglia, the property is set on its own private beach with views of the countryside and Mediterranean Sea. Open now until October, guests can stay in the 17th-century building in one of 24 rooms or suites, all with a private terrace or garden. Il Cortiletto rooms have views of the hotel’s piazza, while larger suites have private pools or rooftop terraces. Inside, expect beautiful interiors complete with whitewashed walls, handmade furniture, neutral colours and crisp linens. Masseria Calderisi has a farm-to-table ethos so guests can sample seasonal produce from the garden in the restaurant or outside on the pergola-shaded piazza. There’s also a small on-site spa and boutique filled with Italian designer brands. Rooms start from £250 per night on a B&B basis.
Visit MasseriaCalderisi.com
JOURNEY TO THE LAKE DISTRICT: The Pavilion At Rothay Manor
Ambleside’s boutique hotel Rothay Manor has just opened eight luxury suites as part of the last stage of its renovation. Set in the Lake District’s picturesque town, the hotel has brought a sense of the outdoors in via country-inspired colours and natural fabrics. Four suites have private gardens, one of which also has its own hot tub, while the other four are dog friendly. Expect comfortable super-king beds and modern en-suites bath freestanding baths or rainfall showers in each. Guests can take part in a range of outdoor pursuits like hiking, foraging and boating on the lakes, before returning to the hotel’s restaurant, led by head chef Dan McGeorge (who won last year’s Great British Menu). Rooms start from £450 per night on a B&B basis.
Visit RothayManor.co.uk
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