Last Friday I jumped for joy as we got the wonderful news that, as of today, we in England will be able to travel to many of our favourite summer holiday destinations without having to quarantine on our return. The full list is published here. But please be aware that we may, however, be required to quarantine on arrival in some countries.
The approach to foreign travel is quite rightly going to be a slowly, slowly one. But it’s a start.
However, I do realise that many of you may be a little tentative about flying and travelling abroad at the moment. Whilst booking holidays will be complex and changeable for the near future. This is why, now more than ever, working with a travel partner who can help you navigate all the questions and concerns you may have and also helping if plans have to change, is so important. My job as a private travel planner is to keep up to speed with travel updates, booking and cancellation polices, so I can once again make travelling as stress free and seamless as I’ve always done for my clients.
When you are ready to think about travel again, either in the UK or abroad, please do get in touch.
In the meantime, to whet your appetite and fuel your wanderlust, here are a few of my favourite hotels in locations we will be able to travel too freely, without quarantining either way.
SPAIN:
Finca Cortesin, Andalusia
Finca Cortesin is located in the hills close to the pretty village of Casares, yet only 5 minutes’ drive to the sea and within easy access to both Malaga and Gibraltar Airports. It has been designed with a nod to Andalusia’s interesting history incorporating both Moorish and Castilian elements and, despite being built from new, you would think it was an original centuries old finca; the floors are covered in antique terracotta tiles, wooden doors have been salvaged from ancient castles and wall coverings are hand painted.
There are 67 beautifully designed suites which are spacious, light-filled and exquisitely furnished. Plus 10 villas (perfect for large family groups or parties), which are clustered together just steps away from the main part of the hotel, offering privacy but with the hotel facilities at your fingertips.
I love the sheer space at Finca Cortesin. So even if running at full occupancy, there are plenty of places to find peace and quiet. Whether it’s one of the many little nooks and crannies hidden behind floor to ceiling billowing curtains, where you can read a book sprawled on a plush sofa. Or the huge adult’s only pool surrounded by cabanas and tucked away sun loungers - there is also another large pool in a separate part of the garden used mainly by families. Or down at the Beach Club (a short courtesy shuttle away), where you’ll find another pool and access to the beach.
The food offering is a delight. At breakfast, banished is the buffet. Instead you are served everything a la carte. Some items such as juice and fruit, local meats and cheeses come as standard and other options you can pick yourself. Lunch can be taken poolside at the Beach Club. Whilst back at the main hotel, El Jardin de Lutz in the garden serves up authentic Spanish cuisine, one Michelin Star Kabuki Raw has a traditional, authentic Japanese menu and Don Giovanni has award-winning Italian dishes.
In terms of activities the resort is famous for its 18-hole golf course, which is one of Spain’s best, but there are also two tennis courts, a gym and a luxurious Spa, which has the resort’s fourth swimming pool.
Menorca Experimental, Menorca
Menorca is always considered the sleepy Balearic Island. There’s none of the mass tourists of Mallorca or hedonists of Ibiza. Instead there are uncrowded stunning beaches, amazing food and excellent accessibility. The biggest challenge however, has always been trying to find a stylish and quality boutique property to stay in. Which is why the opening of Menorca Experimental means Menorca is about to have its moment.
This new outpost on the island’s southern shore, 30 minutes from capital Mahon’s picturesque harbour, is a former 19th Century Spanish finca which has been transformed into a white-walled retreat, using local materials and artisans throughout. The result is a beautiful blend of rustic and right on trend, where farmhouse furniture and terracotta sit in harmony with fresh pastel hues and clean, curved lines. Whilst the ambiance is relaxed and restful, but uniquely for such stylish surroundings, the hotel warmly welcomes families, offering (at long last) a new family-friendly European hotel that doesn’t compromise on style.
Whilst most of the 43 rooms are housed in the grand main building, which sits within a vast garden, there are also nine private bungalows complete with their own evocatively named ‘dipping pools’. The interior spaces are soothing and feature supersized upholstered headboards, boldly embroidered textiles and ceramics from Marrakech. But do take note that they are totally television-free!
Outside the hotel’s 75 acres include a fully restored original vegetable garden, which supplies much of the restaurant’s produce. Food features heavily at the resort as well as great drinks, for which the Experimental Group is famous for.
The active can take part in a yoga, pottery or painting class, head out on horseback, go hiking or saunter down to the beach, which is a leisurely 15 minutes away. There is also a Spa with a plethora of delightful treatments.
FRANCE:
Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort, Provence
Set in a sleepy part of Provence yet only 30 minutes from swish Cannes and 45 minutes from Nice Airport, Terre Blanche is a beautiful resort which has been designed to resemble a small hillside Provençal village. It works perfectly for families, couples, golfers or those who just want a wonderful base to explore the charming area around.
The terracotta-roofed suites and villas are scattered throughout the 750 acre estate and connected by walkways which meander through lavender, rosemary and olive groves. The suites have separate lounge and sleeping areas, whilst larger families can take one of the villas. All come with private terraces or gardens and hilltop village views that are nothing short of spectacular.
A total of four restaurants, one with a Michelin-star, offer everything from fine French gastronomy to more informal casual dining with much of the food sourced locally from the surrounding villages such as honey, cheese, olive oil and of course rosé wine.
The complimentary kids club is exceptional. It’s set in a dedicated little house with its own playground and outdoor pool and provides daily activities for 2 to 12 year olds. Whilst parents can enjoy the lush fairways of the two Championship Golf Courses, brush up on their skills at the Terre Blanche Golf Academy or bliss out in the stunning Spa with its indoor and outdoor pools, fitness classes and divine treatments. There are also E-bikes to hire and the Concierge can create a bespoke excursion for you through picturesque villages, olive farms and the odd vineyard too.
Domaine des Etangs, Limousin
With its turrets and towers, Domaine des Etangs in the rolling Cognac countryside feels like a fabulous fairy tale brought to life. At the heart of the fiefdom is a meticulously restored 11th Century chateau with fun interiors where Matisse and Picassos hang alongside Tintin prints and telescopes, whilst the attic is strewn with trunks full of games for the kids.
There are 11 stunning rooms spread across the chateau and long barn, plus 6 very private farmhouses (ranging from 1 to 5 bedrooms) dotted around the grounds which are perfect for larger groups and those wanting a bit of independence.
Elsewhere on the sprawling 2,500 acres of nature reserve you’ll find two swimming pools, a floating tennis court, seven lakes, the owner’s private collection of art to complement the estate’s gallery and a super Spa located in a converted water mill, which is still in use today.
Dining is bespoke to each guest and experiences range from private woodland picnics complete with blankets, scattered lanterns and a fire pit, to romantic candlelit dinners in the heart of the wine cellar brimming with vintage bottles, or supper in the hotel’s Michel starred restaurant, Dyades. The food served is what’s in season and local to the region with a big emphasis on reducing the journey from earth to table.
The location of Domaine des Etangs means it’s actually doable to drive there, if you don’t want to fly just yet. On the way down you could stop off in the Champagne region, staying at the wonderful Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa.
ITALY:
Borgo Egnazia, Puglia
Borgo Egnazia is pure magic. It has been designed on a traditional Apulian village, with clock towers, piazzas and narrow alleyways, all set within 50 acres of ancient olive groves and prickly pears. It’s one of the chicest family resorts in Europe, but also works incredibly well for couples too who want to experience Puglia’s hilltop villages and amazing local produce. Albeit I always suggest to clients travelling without children to avoid school holidays.
You can stay in one of three areas. La Corte is in the main building and has the most romantic rooms, which are all pale stone floors, fluttering linen curtains and canopied beds - perfect for couples. At Il Borgo the multi-storey whitewashed Casetta town houses are positioned along pathways and come with their own little kitchens filled with homely items including local ceramics, overflowing fruit bowls and dried lavender strung from the ceiling. Whilst the expansive villas are entirely private and more classically furnished. Each comes complete with a patio, rooftop views out to the ocean, several bedrooms, a large pool, as well as your very own Italian “nonna”, a local lady who will ensure your home-away-from-home is always full of the most delicious smells of something on the stove.
Children (aged 8 months to 8 years) are well catered for at Trullalleri, which is a bright and airy kid’s club that has been cleverly divided and designed for each age group. There is also a club for older children and teens based in the games room with access to air hockey, table tennis, table football and billiards.
There are four swimming pools (including one for kids, one for adults and an indoor one), bikes to hire for cycling around the olive groves and visiting local cheese and olive oil farms, access to two sandy beaches and the beautiful Vair Spa, which is based on a modern day interpretation of a Roman bath house.
Of the restaurants, Michelin-starred Due Camini is the gourmet a la carte affair, La Frasca is a more traditional Apulian setting and Trattoria Mia Cucina is rustic and serves pizza and pasta, whilst Cala Masciola is situated at the Beach Club and offers relaxed dining by the sea.
Palazzo Avino, Ravello
Now could be the perfect time to experience the Amalfi Coast, remarkably devoid of the normal mass of tourists who throng there to snap up those Insta friendly views. Especially since my most favourite Amalfi Coast hotel, Palazzo Avino in the heavenly hilltop town of Ravello, will only be opening half of their 43 rooms to ensure social distancing, but opening all their other facilities as normal. Rest and relaxation is definitely guaranteed.
The 12th Century Palazzo Avino sits proudly on Ravello’s upper level, protected by sprawling gardens where sun loungers are scattered amongst wisteria and citrus trees facing out over the most stunning ocean views. The hotel is family owned and many of the impeccable staff have been there for years, whilst sisters Mariella and Attilia (Avino) are heavily involved in all aspects of the running of the hotel. Everything is top notch and Palazzo Avino effortlessly manages that hard-to-pull-off trick of being ridiculously glamorous and comfortable at the same time.
Inside impeccably white walls provide a blank canvas for antique furniture topped with oriental vases overflowing with orchids and lilies, Moorish arches give a different dimension to the Italian grandeur, whilst seaside blues keep the overall feel fresh and contemporary.
Outside there’s a 20-metre heated pool and terraced garden set out with well-spaced sun loungers, all with front row views out to sea and the coastal hills. But it would be a shame not to make use of the hotel’s private beach club, since it is the only hotel in Ravello with one. All guests get access to Clubhouse by the Sea, which is just fifteen minutes from the hotel (they’ll whisk you there and back in a shuttle). Here you’ll find beach platforms, a pool, changing rooms and a laid-back restaurant, the Clubhouse.
Ravello is small and the streets are made for wandering. The hotel is a short walk from the town’s main square and also Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone’s exquisite gardens with their jaw-dropping views. Back at the hotel the perfect start to any evening is sunset drinks at the Lobster & Martini Bar followed by dinner at Michelin-starred Rossellinis.
TURKEY:
Macakizi Hotel, Bodrum
Macakizi is cool. It’s where the Turkish jet set head to, flying in from Istanbul or arriving on their private yachts. Set on the northern edge of the Bodrum Peninsula on the sparkling turquoise Aegean Sea, the hotel is located just outside the village of Türkbükü, Turkey’s answer to St Tropez with its array of high-end beach clubs and restaurants.
Macakizi was opened in the 1970s by Ayla Emiroğlu as a retreat for writers and artists and its hip-hotel credentials have endured since. The hotel is now run by Ayla’s son, Sahir Erozan, who maintains the hotel’s personality and style - glamourous but laid back - which keeps guests returning year after year.
There are 74 rooms and suites with terraces (lower deck rooms) or private balconies (upper deck rooms). Housed in a series of white-washed cottages, the rooms and suites are simply designed in shades of cream and beige, with Turkish artwork and colourful cushions.
Days are spent lounging on daybeds around the pool, taking in the views and people watching. Or on the lower beach under one of the canopied cabanas. Come 5:00pm, happy hour begins as guests dance to the beats of the DJ. Things slow down at sunset as guests get ready for dinner overlooking the sea. The food is a highlight - a modern take on Greek - and people come from all over to dine there.
There’s a Spa with Turkish Hamman, a fitness room and a private yacht which you can charter. Or you can head into Bodrum which is about 45 minutes away.
D-Maris Bay, Dalaman
The D-Maris Bay Hotel sits amidst a beautiful nature reserve of the Datça Peninsula, where the Mediterranean meets the Aegean on the infamous Turquoise Coast. With wonderful service, five white sand beaches, an amazing infinity pool, extensive facilities and fabulous dining options, this is everything you want from a perfect relaxing beach getaway.
Rooms are large and stylish with lots of teak wood, marble and stone. Most have a balcony or terrace and, as the hotel sits on a hill, the views are stunning across the bay to the mountains beyond.
The hotel has its own shuttle which transports guests to and from the five beaches, which range from family friendly to a club-like feel, to one called Silence Beach which is for over 12s only and allows no music or mobile phones. For children there’s lots of different activities including an excellent kid’s club, football, volleyball and water sports (snorkelling, sailing, kayaking) plus mountain bikes to take out to explore the stunning countryside. The hotel’s fitness team also run twice weekly yoga, stretch and Pilates classes. Or take it easy in the Mytha Spa, which has a selection of treatment as well as a wonderful Hamman, sauna, steam room, luxurious indoor pool and pretty outside terraces to rest and recuperate.
Food is a highlight at D-Maris and options include contemporary Japanese at Zuma’s awarding winning restaurant, a Mediterranean culinary experience at La Guerite and authentic Turkish cuisine at Maris Kitchen. Sample exceptional dry-aged steaks in the internationally recognised Nusr-Et restaurant or try Greek delicacies by the water’s edge at Manos.